ssion to the
Bagnio. But he was much perplexed in attempting to account for his
reticence in the matter. Altogether, there was mystery about it which
he could not see through, so he wisely gave up thinking about it, and
braced his energies to the carrying out of his own little plot. This
was, to lead Hugh Sommers to his daughter and assist them to escape in
the boat, along with Brown the sailor and his companions--intending, of
course, to escape along with them! His taking advantage of the
opportunity to free Edouard Laronde was the result of a sudden
inspiration--a mere afterthought!

The distance to the spot for which they were making was considerable,
and at first the fugitives proceeded with caution and in silence, but as
their distance from the pirate city increased, and the danger of pursuit
diminished, the middy relaxed a little, gave his companions
interjectional scraps of information, and finally revealed to them all
that he knew and purposed.

Suddenly their conversation was interrupted by the sight of something
moving at the side of the road. It looked too small for a man, yet its
movements seemed too intelligent for a dog or a stray donkey.

"Stay here, I will soon find out," whispered Foster, drawing his pistol,
and bounding towards the object in question.

It ran from him, but our middy was swift of foot. He quickly overtook
it, and seized firmly by the arm what in the dark he thought to be a
boy.

A slight scream undeceived him, and at the same time caused his heart to
bound.

"Oh, you hurt me!" exclaimed a well-remembered voice.

"Hester!" cried the youth, and next moment, folding her in his arms, he
kissed her--quite unintentionally, but irresistibly.

Thrusting him away with indignation, the maiden said, with flashing
eyes, "You forget yourself, sir, and take advantage of my defenceless
position."

"No--no, indeed! I did not intend to frighten you, dear child," (in his
desperation the middy assumed the paternal _role_). "Pray forgive me,
it was only my joy at the prospect of reuniting you to your father,
and--"

"My father!" cried Hester, forgetting her offended dignity. "Where is
he? You are alone! Peter the Great sent me here to meet him, but he
did not say I should meet _you_."

"Peter the Great sent you here--and alone!" exclaimed Foster, in
amazement.

"Yes; he went out first to make sure that my father was coming, and then
sent me to meet him that we might be alone. B