Part 24 (1/2)
”I have served on board on the _L--_ as a midshi+pman, and have since, on several occasions, acted as pilot and interpreter You see in me, Captain Fleetwood, one who is solicitous to be of use to you; and, as you appear to be anxious to nor Zappa, I will no you where you are most likely to fall in with him”
The evident frankness and cordiality of these expressions at once dissipated all Fleetwood's previousof the refreshment placed before him, he detailed what had occurred, and his belief that the pirate had lish lady, even if he had not murdered the rest of those on board
While he was speaking, the Greek brought down a chart of the Archipelago, and pointed out the island of Lissa, a ave
”But, Captain Fleetwood,” he observed, ”with your brig, or indeed with the whole British navy at command, you can scarcely capture that island, especially while the pirate holds hostages so dear to you in his hands
Takeby force; your only chance of success is by stratageest to you, if you will undergo the danger, which I will not deny is very great, I think there is a prospect of your being able to rescue your friends
Once, however, arouse the suspicions of the pirate and his followers, they will put the place in so strong a state of defence, and will keep so vigilant a watch over their prisoners, that an attack on the island will be useless Remember, when I tell you this, I am well acquainted with the place and the people, and I feel assured of the soundness of my advice”
Captain Fleetwood thanked hier to hear the plan he would advise him to follow
On this, Captain Teodoro Vassilato, for such was the name of his new Greek friend, explained it to hi it out What it was it is not necessary here to detail, as it will be fully developed in a future part of this story
Linton sat in the boat keeping ith the Greek brig, which still glided slowly ahead, till he began to lose his patience, and at last he grew alarmed at the non-arrival of his coht, and had Fleetwood's generous boldness led to his destruction? He longed to penetrate the intention of that dark lassy swell at long intervals heaved noiselessly under her keel, as it glided onwards He remembered, too, all the suspicions which had been entertained of the craft, and he longed to pull alongside, and to demand what had become of his captain But he had been directed to reood a disciplinarian not to obey orders The gig, he believed, was still alongside, with the people in her, but it was so dark, it was difficult to make that out
He had al to ascertain this, when he heard the splash of oars in the water, and his doubts were soon after relieved by the return of Captain Fleetwood
”I have kept you soained soive way and follow me”
The boats were soon on board, and hoisted in, and during the night a breeze froe to Cephalonia, which it was expected she wouldthe course of the day The forenoon watch had just been set, and the officers were going to breakfast, when the look-out at the one aloft, hailed the deck to say that there was an object on the lee bow, floating deep in the water, but he could not distinguish what it was
”What does it look like, though?” asked the first lieutenant
”It's more like a boat botto else,” was the answer; ”but I think it's a boat, sir”
”It's not worth while going out of our course to ascertain,” observed Linton
”I am not so certain of that,” exclaimed Saltwell ”It may be part of the wreck of the _Zodiac_ At all events, I shall inforly went into the cabin, and on his return the shi+p was kept away, and Captain Fleetwood came on deck
”Aloft there, can you see it now?” hailed Mr Saltwell
”Yes, sir, we're steering right for it, and I ood way through the water, and soon approached the object, which proved to be a boat with her keel up She was then hove-to, a boat was lowered to tow the swaside When this was done, a rope was passed under her stern, she was lifted till the tackle fall could be hooked on to the ring-bolt in it, when she was easily turned over, and as she was hoisted up the water was baled out
Every one was eager to learn what boat she was
It was soon perceived that she had been unnel on one side had been almost knocked away, and the bows had been stove in; but the injury had been repaired by one or more coats of tarred canvas, nailed over her bow and bottoh way The captain at once pronounced her to be an English-built boat, but she had no naed
”Some poor fellows have been cast away on the rocks, and tried to make their escape in her,” remarked Linton ”They must have encountered another squall in that ricketty craft, and she must have capsized and drowned them all”
”It looks too like it,” said Saltwell ”But if they had got on any rocks they would have taken a longer ti launched fro vessel?”
”The same idea struck me,” observed Mr Norton, the , that she will be found to be one of the boats of the lost _Zodiac_”
”I fear it; and if so, all est it to the captain”
”He already has thought of that,” observed the master