their frames.
He drew her to him, embraced her with his left arm, and lifted her upon
the steer-board of the boat, which scarcely rose a hand's-breadth above
the water. Already he prepared for the fatal leap--when suddenly they
both uttered a joyful cry.

Round a precipitous promontory which stretched far out into the sea, at
a short distance, they saw a ship coming at full speed.

The crew had heard their cry, and, at all events, saw their danger;
perhaps had even recognised the person of the King. Forty oars, plunged
into the water at the same moment by the rowers on the double deck,
gave impetus to the course of the swift vessel, which rustled before
the wind with swelling sails.

Those who crowded the deck shouted to them to stand firm; and
presently--it was high time--the prow of the bireme lay close over the
little boat, which sank immediately after the endangered pair had been
taken on board the ship through the opening of the lower deck.

It was a small Gothic guardship. The golden rampant lion, the arms of
the Amelungs, shone upon the blue flag. Aligern, a cousin of Teja,
commanded it.

"Thanks, brave friends!" said Athalaric, as soon as he could find
words. "Thanks! you have not only saved your King, but also your
Queen!"

Much astonished, soldiers and sailors surrounded the happy man, who
held the weeping Camilla in his arms.

"Hail to our young and beautiful Queen!" cried the red-haired Aligern;
and the crew shouted enthusiastically, "Hail! hail to our Queen!"

At this moment the sailing-vessel rustled past Rusticiana's gondola.
The sound of this joyous shout aroused the unhappy woman from the
stupor of horror into which she had fallen when her two startled
oarsmen had discovered the danger of the young couple in the sinking
boat, and had at once declared that it was impossible to save them.

On hearing this, she had sunk senseless into Daphnidion's arms. Now she
came to herself, and cast a confused glance around her. She was amazed.
Was it a dream that she saw, or was it really her daughter who stood on
the deck of the Gothic ship, which proudly rustled past, lying on the
young King's breast? And did really joyous voices cry, "Hail, Camilla,
our Queen?" She stared at the passing vision, speechless and
confounded.

But the swiftly-flying ship had already passed her boat and drew near
the land. It anchored outside the shallow garden-bay; a boat was
lowered, the rescued couple, Aligern, and three