stop to question the young midshipman; but, luckily, he
did not appear; and as soon as they reached her chamber, they set
themselves to work to prepare for their flight.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

Captain Fleetwood and his companions had carefully kept out of the way
of Zappa when they saw him land, lest, by any unfortunate chance, he
should recognise them; and, when they heard of the expedition on which
he had been engaged, they had reason to rejoice that they had taken this
precaution. As soon as the islanders had returned to their homes to
feast and make merry, and to indulge in the juice of the grape--which,
on such occasions, is the great resource of the men, as it was in the
days of their ancestors--they set themselves down on the rocks to
consult as to their future proceedings, taking care that no eavesdropper
was within hearing to discover that they were not talking Maltese. They
were well aware that the risk they ran was much increased by the
pirate's knowledge that the _Ione_ was in the vicinity--for it was
natural he should suspect that she was there with some design against
him, even though he might not have gained any information respecting
their expedition. They hesitated, therefore, about returning to the
castle; and the Greek, Captain Vassilato, gave it as his opinion, that
it would be more prudent to seek for food in the village, and to pretend
to be anxious to procure lodgings for the night; that instead, however,
of entering any house, they should, as soon as the inhabitants were
retiring to rest, slip out and return to the bay; and that, while they
were engaged in getting the boat ready, Captain Fleetwood should go up
to the tower and bring down Miss Garden.

"We could not have selected a better night for our attempt," he
observed; "for, fortunately for us, the greater portion, if not the
whole, of the male population will be drunk, and are not likely to
interfere with us. Had it not been for this, we might have found much
difficulty in getting away unperceived out of the bay."

"What is your opinion, Mr Bowse?" said Fleetwood.

"I am inclined to agree with Captain Vassilato," answered Bowse, "who
seems to know the habits of the people, unless you have any reason to
offer against it."

"I should prefer facing the lion in his den; or, hearing that there are
strangers in the island, he may suspect, and send for us, if we avoid
him. Besides, I fear we may have difficulty in enabling Miss Gar