Part 43 (1/2)

”That is excellent,” Francis said. ”Now, we will row out to the sea mouths of the channels, to a.s.sure ourselves that no s.h.i.+ps are lying on guard there, for some are going in or out every day to cruise along the coast. A few may have taken up their station there, without attracting notice among the townspeople.”

The opening of the pa.s.sage known as the Ca.n.a.l of Lombardy was first visited. To gain this, they had to retrace their steps for some distance, and to row through the town of Chioggia, pa.s.sing several boats and galleys, but without attracting notice. They found the mouth of the ca.n.a.l entirely unguarded, and then returned and rowed out to the mouth of the Brondolo pa.s.sage. Some blazing fires on the sh.o.r.e showed that there were parties of soldiers here, but no s.h.i.+ps were lying anywhere in the channel.

After some consultation they determined that, as no watch seemed to be kept, it would be shorter to row on outside the islands, and to enter by the third pa.s.sage to be examined, that between Pelestrina and Brondolo. Here, however, the Genoese were more on the alert, as the Pelestrina sh.o.r.e was held by the Venetians. Scarcely had they entered the channel, when a large rowboat shot out from the shadow of the sh.o.r.e and hailed them.

”Stop rowing in that boat! Who are you that are entering so late?”

”Fishermen,” Philippo shouted back, but without stopping rowing.

”Stop!” shouted the officer, ”till we examine you! It is forbidden to enter the channel after dark.”

But the gondoliers rowed steadily on, until ahead of the boat coming out. This fell into their wake, and its angry officer shouted threats against the fugitives, and exhorted his men to row their hardest.

”There are two more boats ahead, signor. They are lying on their oars to cut us off. One is a good deal further out than the other, and I don't think we shall gain Pelestrina.”

”Then make for the Brondolo sh.o.r.e till we have pa.s.sed them,” Francis said.

The boat whirled off her course, and made towards the sh.o.r.e. The Genoese galleys ahead at once made towards them; but in spite of the numerous oars they pulled, the craft could not keep up with the racing gondola, and it crossed ahead of them. In another five minutes' rowing, the three galleys were well astern, and the gondola again made out from the sh.o.r.e, her head pointing obliquely towards Pelestrina. The galleys were now fifty yards behind, and although their crews rowed their hardest, the gondola gradually gained upon them, and crossing their bows made over towards Pelestrina.

”We are out of the channel now,” Philippo said, ”and there will not be water enough for them to follow us much further.”

A minute or two later a sudden shout proclaimed that the nearest of their pursuers had touched the ground.

”We can take it easy now,” Giuseppi said, ”and I am not sorry, for we could not have rowed harder if we had been racing.”

A few minutes later, the light craft touched the mud a few yards distant from the sh.o.r.e.

”Is that you, Francisco?” a voice, which Francis recognized as Matteo's, asked.

”All right, Matteo!” he replied. ”No one hurt this time.”

”I have been on the lookout for you the last hour. I have got a body of my men here, in case you were chased. We heard the shouting and guessed it was you.”

”If you have got some men there, Matteo, there is a chance for you to take a prize. A galley rowing twelve or fourteen oars is in the mud, a few hundred yards out. She was chasing us, and ran aground when at full speed, and I imagine they will have some trouble in getting her off. I suppose she draws a couple of feet of water. There! Don't you hear the hubbub they are making?”

”I hear them,” Matteo said.

”Come along, lads. The night is cold, and I don't suppose the water is any warmer, but a skirmish will heat our blood.”

Matteo, followed by a company of some forty men, at once entered the water, and made in the direction of the sounds. Five minutes later, Francis heard shouts and a clas.h.i.+ng of weapons suddenly break out. It lasted but a short time. Matteo and his band soon returned with the prisoners.

”What! Have you waited, Francisco? I thought you would be on the other side of the island by this time.”

”I was in no particular hurry, Matteo; and besides, I want my boat; and although two men can lift her easily enough, she would be a heavy weight to carry so far.”

”You shall have a dozen, Francisco. It is owing to you we have taken these prisoners, and that I have had my first bit of excitement since I came out here.

”Sergeant, here are a couple of ducats. When you have given the prisoners into safe custody, spend the money in wine for the company.

”The water is bitterly cold, I can tell you, Francisco; but otherwise I am warm enough, for one's feet stick to the mud, and it seems, each step, as if one had fifty pounds of lead on one's shoes. But come along to my brother's tent at once. Your feet must be cold, too, though the water was only a few inches deep where you got out of your boat. A gla.s.s of hot wine will do us both good; and it will be an hour before your boat is in the water again. Indeed, I don't see the use of your starting before daybreak.”