ir heads together, first
to compare the sounds of each with those of his companions' ears, and
then to inquire of one who professed to understand English, but whose
knowledge was such as is generally met with in a linguist of a
little-frequented port, the meaning of the term.

"Ving-y-ving!" growled this functionary, not a little puzzled "what ze
devil sort of name is zat! Ask zem again."

"_Come si chiama la vostra barca, Signori Inglesi?_" repeated he who
hailed.

"_Diable!_" growled one back, in French; "she is called ze
Wing-and-Wing--'Ala e Ala,'" giving a very literal translation of the
name, in Italian.

'"_Ala e ala!_" repeated they of the quarantine, first looking at each
other in surprise, and then laughing, though in a perplexed and doubtful
manner; "Ving-y-Ving!"

This passed just as the lugger anchored and the crowd had begun to
disperse. It caused some merriment, and it was soon spread in the little
town that a craft had just arrived from Inghilterra, whose name, in the
dialect of that island, was "Ving-y-Ving," which meant "_Ala e ala_" in
Italian, a cognomen that struck the listeners as sufficiently absurd. In
confirmation of the fact, however, the lugger hoisted a small square
flag at the end of her main-yard, on which were painted, or wrought, two
large wings, as they are sometimes delineated in heraldry, with the beak
of a galley between them; giving the whole conceit something very like
the appearance that the human imagination has assigned to those heavenly
beings, cherubs. This emblem seemed to satisfy the minds of the
observers, who were too much accustomed to the images of art, not to
obtain some tolerably distinct notions, in the end, of what "_Ala e
ala_" meant.

But 'Maso, as has been said, remained after the rest had departed to
their homes and their suppers, as did Ghita. The pilot, for such was
Tonti's usual appellation, in consequence of his familiarity with the
coast, and his being principally employed to direct the navigation of
the different craft in which he served, kept his station on board a
felucca to which he belonged, watching the movements of the lugger;
while the girl had taken her stand on the quay, in a position that
better became her sex, since it removed her from immediate contact with
the rough spirits of the port, while it enabled her to see what occurred
about the Wing-and-Wing. More than half an hour elapsed, however, before
there were any signs of an intention t