of Corsica.

"You can let the gun lie," said I to my monks. "These are friends."

"They are my countrymen," said the Princess at my elbow. "That they
are friends is less certain."

"At any rate, they are lowering a boat," said I; "and see, my uncle
is jumping into his, to intercept them."

The Corsicans, manning their boat, pulled straight for the island;
but at half a mile's distance or less, being hailed by my uncle, lay
on their oars and waited while he bore down on them. I saw him lift
his hat to a man seated in the stern-sheets, who stood up and saluted
politely in response. The two boats drew close alongside, while
their commanders conversed, and after a couple of minutes resumed
their way abreast and drew to the landing-quay, where Dom Basilio
stood awaiting them.

"By his stature and bearing," said I, conning him through a glass
which one of the monks passed to me, "this must be the General
himself."

"Paoli?" queried the Princess.

I nodded.

"Shall we go down the rock to meet him?"

"It is Paoli's place to mount to us," said she proudly.

We waited therefore while my uncle led him up to us. But Pascal
Paoli was too great a man to trouble about his dignity; and for
courtesies, he contented himself with omitting none.

"Salutation, O Princess!" He halted within a few steps of the head
of the stairway, and lifted his hat.

"Salutation, O General!"

"And to you, Cavalier!" He included me in his bow, "Pouf!" he
panted, looking about him; "the ascent is a sharp one, under the best
conditions. And you carried it in the darkness, against odds?"
He turned upon my uncle. "You English are a great race."

"Excuse me, General," said my uncle, indicating Dom Basilio and the
monks: "the credit belongs rather to my friends here."

"I had the pleasure to meet Sir John Constantine, a while ago,
outside our new town of Isola Rossa, where he did me a signal
service. You are his son, sir?"

I bowed.

"I condole with you, since I come too late to thank him--on behalf of
Corsica, Princess--for a yet more brilliant service. An assault such
as your party made last night requires brave men; but even more, it
requires a brave leader and a genius even to conceive it. Let me
say, sirs, that we heard your fire and saw Giraglia blazing, as far
south as Nonza, where we were conducting a far meaner enterprise; and
came north in wonder where Corsica had found such friends."

"Say rather, sir, where my moth