admit my guilt. That
worries me."

"Better anything, Bob and I thought, than that you should appear at the
Assizes. Even if you got off it's a bad thing to have gone through."

Convinced that after the train stopped the policeman would lose no time
looking for me, we went ahead as quickly as possible. The villages
through which we drove were very quiet; lights were seen in only a few
of the windows. Mattia and I got under a cover. For some time a cold
wind had been blowing and when we passed our tongues over our lips we
tasted salt. We were nearing the sea. Soon we saw a light flashing every
now and again. It was a lighthouse. Suddenly Bob stopped his horse, and
jumping down from the cart, told us to wait there. He was going to see
his brother to ask him if it would be safe for him to take us on his
boat.

Bob seemed to be away a very long time. We did not speak. We could hear
the waves breaking on the shore at a short distance. Mattia was
trembling and I also.

"It is cold," he whispered.

Was it the cold that made us shake? When a cow or a sheep in the field
at the side touched against the fence we trembled still more. There were
footsteps on the road. Bob was returning. My fate had been decided. A
rough-looking sailor wearing a sou'wester and an oilskin hat was with
Bob.

"This is my brother," said Bob; "he'll take you on his boat. So we'll
have to part now; no one need know that I brought you here."

I wanted to thank Bob but he cut me short. I grasped his hand.

"Don't speak of it," he said lightly, "you two boys helped me out the
other night. One good turn deserves another. And I'm pleased to have
been able to help a friend of Mattia's."

We followed Bob's brother down some winding quiet streets till we came
to the docks. He pointed to a boat, without saying a word. In a few
moments we were on board. He told us to go down below into a little
cabin.

"I start in two hours' time," he said; "stay there and don't make a
sound."

But we were not trembling now. We sat in the dark side by side.

CHAPTER XXXI

HUNTING FOR THE SWAN

For some time after Bob's brother left we heard only the noise of the
wind and the sea dashing against the keel, then footsteps were heard on
the deck above and the grinding of pulleys. A sail was hoisted, then
suddenly the boat leaned to one side and began to rock. In a few moments
it was pitching heavily on the rough sea.

"Poor Mattia," I said, taking his hand.