k galley disappeared from view.

Then the three men ordered the fisherman to return as he had come. So
the old man was landed at San Niccolo da Lido, the young knight at San
Giorgio Maggiore, and, last of all, the stranger landed at San Marco.

Now when the fisherman found that his work was done, he thought it was
time that he should receive his payment. For, although he had seen the
great miracle, he had no mind to forgo his proper fare.

'Thou art right,' said the stranger, when the fisherman made his
demand, 'and thou shalt indeed be well paid. Go now to the Doge and
tell him all thou hast seen; how Venice would have been destroyed by
the demons of the tempest, had it not been for me and my two
companions. I am St. Mark, the protector of your city; the brave young
knight is St. George, and the old man whom we took in last is St.
Nicholas. Tell the Doge that I bade him pay thee well for thy brave
service.'

'But, and if I tell them this story, how will they believe that I speak
the truth?' asked the fisherman.

Then St. Mark took a ring off his finger, and placed it in the
fisherman's rough palm. 'Thou shalt show them this ring as a proof,' he
said; 'and when they look in the treasury of San Marco, they will find
that it is missing from there.'

And when he had finished saying this, St. Mark disappeared.

Then the next day, as early as possible, the fisherman went to the Doge
and told his marvellous tale and showed the saint's ring. At first no
one could believe the wild story, but when they sent and searched in
St. Mark's treasury, lo! the ring was missing. Then they knew that it
must indeed have been St. Mark who had appeared to the old fisherman,
and had saved their beloved city from destruction.

So a solemn thanksgiving service was sung in the great church of San
Marco, and the fisherman received his due reward.

He was no longer obliged to work for his living, but received a pension
from the rulers of the city, so that he lived in comfort all the rest
of his days.

In the picture we see the great black galley manned by the demons,
sweeping down upon the little boat, in which the three saints stand
upright. And not only are the demons on board their ship, but some are
riding on dolphins and curious-looking fish, and the little boat is
entirely surrounded by the terrible crew.

We do not know much about Giorgione's life, but we do know that it was
a short and sad one, clouded over at the end by bitter