Part 42 (2/2)
”And now, how do you intend to proceed, Francisco? Have you any plan?”
”None at all,” Francis replied. ”I simply want to a.s.sure myself that the galleys are all in their usual places, and that the Genoese are making no special preparations against our coming.”
”I have seen no unusual stir,” Rufino said. ”Their s.h.i.+ps, as far as one can see their masts, seem all in their usual position. I fancy that, since Barberigo carried off two of them, they have put booms across the channels to prevent sudden attacks. I saw a lot of rowboats busy about something, but I could not make out exactly what they were doing; but still, I fancy they were constructing a boom. Their galleys keep a sharp lookout at night, and you certainly would not have succeeded in pa.s.sing them, had you not hit upon this plan of carrying your boat over.
”Your greatest danger will be at first. When once you have fairly entered the inner ca.n.a.ls, you are not likely to be suspected of being an enemy. They will take you for Chioggian fishermen late. We often make out their returning boats near the town. No doubt Doria is fond of fresh fish. Otherwise you would be detected, for the Genoese boats are, of course, quite different to ours, and even in the dark they would make out that you belonged to the lagoons.
”Ah, here is supper! It is not often that I should have anything to offer you, but one of my men managed to catch three or four fish today, and sold them to me at about their weight in silver. However, I have some good wine from my own cellars, and a man who has good wine, fish, and bread can do royally, whatever this grumbling brother of mine may say.”
Half an hour later, a soldier brought the news that the gondola was in the water, and Francis bade adieu to his friends, and started at once.
”Row slowly and quietly,” he said, as he took his seat. ”Do not let your oars make the slightest splash in the water, until we are well across to the opposite sh.o.r.e. They may have a guard boat lying in the channel.”
The light craft made her way noiselessly across the water. Once or twice they heard the sound of oars, as some Genoese galley pa.s.sed up or down, but none came near enough to perceive them, and they crossed the main channel, and entered one of the numerous pa.s.sages practicable only for boats of very light draught, without being once hailed. A broad shallow tract of water was now crossed, pa.s.sable only by craft drawing but a few inches of water; then again they were in a deeper channel, and the lights of Chioggia rose but a short distance ahead.
They paused and listened, now, for they were nearing the s.h.i.+p channel, and here the enemy would, if anywhere, be on the alert. Coming across the water they could hear the sound of voices, and the dull noise made by the movement of men in a boat.
”Those are the galleys watching the boom, I expect,” Francis said.
”Now, Philippo, we can move on. I suppose there is plenty of water, across the flats, for us to get into the channel without going near the boom.”
”Plenty for us, signor; but if the boom goes right across the channel, heavy rowboats would not be able to pa.s.s. There are few shallower places in the lagoons than just about here. It may be that in one or two places even we might touch, but if we do, the bottom is firm enough for us to get out and float the boat over.”
But they did not touch any shoal sufficiently shallow to necessitate this. Several times Francis could feel, by the dragging pace, that she was touching the oozy bottom; but each time she pa.s.sed over without coming to a standstill. At last Philippo said:
”We are in the deep channel now, signor. The boom is right astern of us. The town is only a few hundred yards ahead.”
”Then we shall be pa.s.sing the Genoese galleys, directly,” Francis said. ”Row slowly as we go, and splash sometimes with the oars. If we go quickly and noiselessly past, they might possibly suspect something, but if we row without an attempt at concealment, they will take us for a fisherman's boat.”
Soon the dark ma.s.s of Genoese s.h.i.+ps, with their forests of masts, rose before them. There were lights in the cabins, and a buzz of talking, laughing, and singing among the crews on board.
”What luck today?” a sailor asked them as they rowed past, twenty or thirty yards from the side of one of the s.h.i.+ps.
”Very poor,” Giuseppi replied. ”I think your s.h.i.+ps, and the boats lying about, and the firing, have frightened the fish away from this end of the lagoons.”
It was half a mile before they pa.s.sed the last of the crowd of vessels.
”Would you like me to land here, signor?” Philippo said. ”There would be no danger in my doing so. I can make my way, through the streets, to the house of some of my relatives, and find out from them whether there are any fresh movements among the Genoese. I will not enter any house; for aught I know there are soldiers quartered everywhere; but I am sure not to go many yards before I run against someone I know.”
”I think it will be a very good plan, Philippo. We will lie under the bank here, and wait your return.”
It was not more than twenty minutes before the gondolier was back.
”I have spoken to three men I know, signor. They are agreed that there are no movements among the enemy, and no one seems to have an idea that the Venetians are about to put to sea. Of course, I was cautious not to let drop a word on the subject, and only said we had managed to get through the enemy's cordon to learn the latest news, and I expected to earn a ducat or two by my night's work.”
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