ow like a fine wedge, a good
clean run, and very little freeboard; she was in fact a singular
foreshadowing of the modern type of racing cutter, and consequently, at
that date, absolutely unique.

I was rather taken with her appearance, and my curiosity, moreover,
being strongly excited by the marvellous stories told by Giaccomo
respecting her sailing powers,--which, he asserted, he had had frequent
opportunities of observing, from having been occasionally engaged to
accompany her owner on his cruises,--I decided forthwith to take
possession of her as a lawful prize. Mooring the boat alongside we
accordingly crept softly on board, and Giaccomo immediately descended
into the little forecastle to ascertain whether any one happened to be
on board. The forecastle proved to be empty, but on going down into the
cabin we saw by the feeble glimmer of the cabin lamp a lad of about
eighteen comfortably stretched out on the cushions laid along upon the
top of the lockers.

Drawing his long knife from its sheath, Giaccomo unceremoniously broke
in upon the slumbers of this youth, and brandishing the gleaming blade
before his astonished eyes, while admonishing him in a fierce whisper
not to utter a sound above his breath if he placed the slightest value
upon his life, he ordered him to enumerate what stores there were on
board, and to indicate their locality. This the lad did, leading us
first to a small but well-arranged pantry, and then opening the lockers
and exhibiting their contents. A brief survey was sufficient to satisfy
me that the craft was amply provisioned for our cruise, and this matter
being thus satisfactorily settled, we repaired to the deck and proceeded
to loose the sails and get the cutter under way; the lad whom we had so
roughly aroused being persuaded by occasional suggestive exhibitions of
Giaccomo's knife to render his best assistance in the task.

While the two were thus engaged, I conducted Francesca below, and having
indicated to her the small but luxuriously-furnished sleeping cabin of
the owner, proposed that she should take possession thereof, and
endeavour to recruit her somewhat exhausted energies by procuring, if
possible, a few hours' sleep. I then returned to the deck, and found my
"crew" in the act of getting up the anchor. This was soon done, the
head-sails were trimmed, and under a gentle westerly breeze we proceeded
to work out of the bay.

As the cutter had a boat of her own towing as