ora, signora," said a voice near her; she started on hearing
herself addressed, and saw Jack Raby standing at her elbow. "I have
come in a great hurry, and have not a moment to spare, to tell you that
Signora Garden, your friend, is on the shore of the bay in a boat, and
that there is a person very badly wounded in it, who will die if you
cannot send him assistance; and also that, if you do not intercede for
us with the pira--I mean with the chief of this island,--I and my
companions shall, very likely, to-morrow morning, be hung, or shot, or
have our throats cut, or be thrown over the cliffs, or, at all events,
sent out of the world."

"The Signora Garden, and one in whom she is interested, wounded,"
repeated Nina. "Ah! I see how it is. Tell me, frankly, boy. Is it
the captain of the English brig who is wounded?"

"_Signora, si_, I will not deny it," said the midshipman. "There is,
therefore, you will see, still greater necessity for you to interfere in
his favour."

"I tell you, boy, if it were known who he was, and for what purpose he
came here, I could not preserve his life for one instant," replied Nina.
"He must not be brought up here on any account, for he would be
certainly recognised in the morning. Have you met my brother, Signor
Paolo. He alone can assist us."

"What, the Italian gentleman? No, signora. I took too much care in
coming up here to fall in with anybody," said Jack.

"Then I must go in search of him. We shall probably find him among the
spectators of the fight. I will send him down to the boat. Tell the
signora that there is a cottage close to the shore on the other side of
the bay, to the inhabitants of which my brother has been of great
service, by preserving the lives of their children in a dire sickness,
and thither the wounded man shall be conveyed. If they have any
gratitude in their nature, they will perform any service Paolo may
require; and the English captain will be safe with them, even should
they discover who he is. Now, hasten back to the bay with the message,
and entreat Signora Garden to return to her tower, and to appear to take
no further interest in him. It will betray him, to a certainty, if she
does, and it can do him no good. I will, however, endeavour to arrange
that you shall remain with him to attend on him. Tell her that, as soon
as I have dispatched Paolo, I will go myself to meet her."

While Nina was speaking, she took out of a chest the _capote