ee hundred ships, the saints at first
knew whither. Some said, it was to destroy the holy sepulchre; some to
overturn the Grand Turk; and some thought to seize the islands. There
was a craft in here, the same week, which said he had got possession of
the Island of Malta; in which case we might look out for trouble in
Elba. I had my suspicions, from the first!"

"All this I heard at the time, Signore, and my uncle probably could tell
you more--how we all felt at the tidings!"

"Well, that is all over now, and the French are in Egypt. Your uncle,
Ghita, has gone upon the main, I hear?" this was said inquiringly, and
it was intended to be said carelessly; but the podesta could not prevent
a glance of suspicion from accompanying the question.

"Signore, I believe he has, but I know little of his affairs. The time
has come, however, when I ought to expect him. See, Eccellenza," a title
that never failed to mollify the magistrate, and turn his attention from
others entirely to himself, "the lugger really appears disposed to look
into your bay, if not actually to enter it!"

This sufficed to change the discourse. Nor was it said altogether
without reason; the lugger, which by this time had passed the western
promontory, actually appearing disposed to do as Ghita conjectured. She
jibed her mainsail--brought both sheets of canvas on her larboard side,
and luffed a little, so as to cause her head to look toward the opposite
side of the bay, instead of standing on, as before, in the direction of
the canal. This change in the lugger's course produced a general
movement in the crowd, which began to quit the heights, hastening to
descend the terraced streets, in order to reach the haven. 'Maso and the
podesta led the van, in this descent; and the girls, with Ghita in their
midst, followed with equal curiosity, but with eager steps. By the time
the throng was assembled on the quays, in the streets, on the decks of
feluccas, or at other points that commanded the view, the stranger was
seen gliding past, in the centre of the wide and deep bay, with his
jigger hauled out, and his sheets aft, looking up nearly into the wind's
eye, if that could be called wind which was still little more than the
sighing of the classical zephyr. His motion was necessarily slow, but it
continued light, easy, and graceful. After passing the entrance of the
port a mile or more, he tacked and looked up toward the haven. By this
time, however, he had got so