erted himself to meet these unexpected and, in the circumstances,
unwelcome visitors, as far as possible from the rocks. Presently the two
boats lay side by side.

"What means this, Ghita!" the young man exclaimed; "do you not see the
English, yonder, at this moment making their preparations to attack us?
In a few minutes we shall be in the midst of a battle, and thou here!"

"I see it all, now, Raoul," was the answer, "though we did not on
quitting the shore; but we would not turn back, having once come upon
the Bay. I was the first in St. Agata to discover the evil that had
befallen thee; from that moment I have never ceased to entreat my uncle,
until he has consented to come hither."

"With what motive, Ghita?" asked Raoul, with sparkling eyes--"at length
thou relentest--wilt become my wife! In my adversity, thou rememberest
thou art a woman!"

"Not exactly that, dear Raoul; but I cannot desert thee, altogether, in
this strait. The same objection exists now, I fear, that has ever
existed to our union; but that is no reason I should not aid thee. We
have many friends along the heights, here, who will consent to conceal
thee; and I have come to carry thee and the American to the shore, until
an opportunity offer to get thee to thine own France."

"What! desert _ces braves_, Ghita, at a moment like this!--Not to
possess thy hand, dearest girl, could I be guilty of an act so base."

"Thy situation is not theirs. The condemnation to death hangs over thee,
Raoul; shouldst thou again fall into English hands, there will be no
mercy for thee."

"_Assez_--this is no moment for argument. The English are in motion,
and there is barely time for thee to get to a safe distance ere they
begin to fire. Heaven bless thee, Ghita! This care of thine draws my
heart to thee closer than ever; but we must now separate. Signor
Giuntotardi, pull more toward Amalfi. I see that the English mean to
attack us from the side of the land--pull more toward Amalfi."

"Thou tellest us this in vain, Raoul," Ghita quietly but firmly
answered. "We have not come here on an unmeaning errand--if thou
refusest to go with us, we will remain with thee. These prayers, that
thou so despisest, may not prove useless."

"Ghita!--this can never be. We are without cover--almost without
defences--our vessel is unfit to receive thee, and this affair will be
very different from that off Elba. Thou wouldst not willingly distract
my mind with care for thee, at su