should hope,
however, that in a day or two we may be off. We are doing little more
than wasting our time here."

A strong watch was placed on deck at nightfall.

"Why, surely, captain, there is no fear of an attack! War has not yet
been proclaimed with Genoa, although there is little doubt it will be
so in a few weeks, or perhaps a few days."

"There is never a real peace between Venice and Genoa in these seas,"
the captain said, "and as war is now imminent, one cannot be too
watchful. State galleys would not be attacked, but merchant vessels are
different. Who is to inquire about a merchant ship! Why, if we were
attacked and plundered here, who would be any the wiser? We should
either have our throats cut, or be sent to rot in the dungeons of
Genoa. And not till there was an exchange of prisoners, perhaps years
hence, would any in Venice know what had befallen us. When weeks
passed, and no news came to Venice of our having reached Candia, it
would be supposed that we had been lost in the storm.

"Signor Polani would run his pen through the name of the Bonito, and
put her down as a total loss, and there would be an end of it, till
those of us who were alive, when the prison doors were opened, made
their way back to Venice. No, no, Messer Francisco. In these eastern
waters one must always act as if the republic were at war. Why, did not
Antonio Doria, in a time of profound peace, attack and seize eight
Venetian ships laden with goods, killing two of the merchants on board,
and putting the ships at a ransom? As to single vessels missing, and
never heard of, their number is innumerable.

"It is all put down to pirates; but trust me, the Genoese are often at
the bottom of it. They are robbers, the Genoese. In fair trade we can
always beat them, and they know it, and so they are always seeking a
pretext for a quarrel with us."

Francis smiled quietly at the bigoted hatred which the captain bore the
Genoese, but thought it useless to argue with him. The next morning he
came up on deck soon after daybreak.

"I see one of those vessels has taken her departure," he said, as he
glanced towards the spot where they had been lying.

"So she has," the captain said. "I had not noticed that before. I
wonder what that fellow has gone for? No good, you may be sure. Why, it
is blowing hard outside still, as you may see by the rate those light
clouds travel. He would never have put to sea without having a motive,
and he must have