others
more industrious get up early in the morning to follow their avocations?
We should have little fish to eat if we were to trust to you for the
supply."

"Who is it?" exclaimed the same voice. "Is it you, Balbo?"

"Yes, yes," answered Captain Vassilato; "I should have thought you would
have known my voice."

"Who is it?" hailed another person, apparently on shore.

"Gerasimo Listi," answered the watch on the _Sea Hawk's_ deck.

"No, no, the old fellow lies drunk at home!" exclaimed the second
speaker. "Treachery, treachery. They are the spies endeavouring to
escape."

"It is hopeless to deceive them," said Captain Vassilato, when he heard
these words, which he translated to his companions as he resumed his
seat and oar. "We must pull for our lives; we have a good start, and it
may be some time before any boats' crews can be collected to pursue us."

It is needless to say with what energy all hands bent to their oars--
concealment was of no further use, and they were able to put their whole
strength into their strokes. There was no time to be lost. The brig
was swinging with her broadside across the mouth of the harbour, and as
soon as those on her deck could procure matches, they rushed to the
guns, and discharged them in quick succession; and Ada could scarcely
restrain a shriek of terror as she saw their bright flashes lighting up
the mouth of the harbour--the sides and rigging of the vessel now
crowded with people--and heard their loud report echoing among the
cliffs, as also the rushing noise of the shot as they came flying by--
some over their heads, some close astern, and others ahead of them; for
though the pirates' aim was very uncertain, yet, as from the narrow
entrance of the bay, the only shot which could reach them must come
between the cliffs, they could not go far distant from them. One or
two, apparently, from the peculiar noise they made, hit the cliffs, and
rebounded back into the bay. Marianna, whose fears had completely
overcome her, crouched down at the bottom of the boat, where she thought
she should be more secure; and Fleetwood entreated Ada in that respect
to follow her example, desiring Jack Raby to place her as low down as
possible, where a shot was less likely to strike the boat. Though she
was unwilling to be more sheltered from danger than he was, yet she saw
that her so doing would relieve him from some of his fear for her
safety, and she complied with his wishes; rec