inally lapsed away in sleep.

He was suddenly aroused from slumber by a rude hand that lay heavily
on his shoulder.

"Who is it?" he asked of the intruder.

"Gamba," was the answer.

"Thou, brother!"

"Ay," continued the intruder; "and here are all of us."

"Indeed! and wherefore come you? I would sleep--I am weary. I must
have rest."

"Thou hast too much rest, Pietro," said another of the brothers. "It
is that of which we complain--that of which we would speak to thee
now."

"Ha! this is new language, brethren! Answer me--perhaps I am not well
awake; am I your captain, or not?"

"Thou art--the fact seems to be forgotten by no one but thyself.
Though the youngest of our mother's children, we made thee our
leader."

"For what did ye this, my brothers, unless that I might command ye?"

"For this, in truth, and this only, did we confer upon thee this
authority. Thou hadst shown thyself worthy to command--"

"Well!"

"Thy skill--thy courage--thy fortitude--"

"In brief, ye thought me best fitted to command ye?"

"Yes."

"Then I command ye hence! Leave me, and let me rest!"

"Nay, brother, but this cannot be;" was the reply of another of the
intruders. "We must speak with thee while the night serves us, lest
thou hear worse things with the morrow. Thou art, indeed, our captain;
chosen because of thy qualities of service, to conduct and counsel us;
but we chose thee not that thou shouldst sleep! Thou wert chosen that
our enterprises might be active and might lead to frequent profit."

"Has it not been so?" demanded the chief.

"For a season it was so, and there was no complaint of thee."

"Who now complains?"

"Thy people--all!"

"And can ye not answer them?"

"No! for we ourselves need an answer! We, too, complain."

"Of what complain ye?"

"That our enterprises profit us nothing."

"Do ye not go forth in the galleys? Lead ye not, each of you, an armed
galley? Why is it that your enterprises profit ye nothing?"

"Because of the lack of our captain."

"And ye can do nothing without me; and because ye are incapable, I
must have no leisure for myself."

"Nay, something more than this, Pietro. Our enterprises avail us
nothing, since you command that we no longer trouble the argosies of
Venice. Venice has become thy favorite. Thou shieldest her only, when
it is her merchants only who should give us spoil. This, brother, is
thy true offence. For this we complain of thee; for this thy people