let as few men be seen as possible, except on those occasions when duty requires them to show themselves.  This rigid rule, however, was momentarily lost sight of, and the teeming masses that floated around La Minerva gave up their thousands like bees clustering about their hives.  It was in the midst of such signs of expectation that the call of the boatswain was heard piping the side on board the Foudroyant, and four side-boys lay over on the accommodation-ladder, a mark of honor never paid to one of a rank less than that of a captain.  Raoul’s boat was within fifty yards of that very gangway, and he turned his head in idle curiosity to see who might descend into the gig that was lying at the foot of the long flight of steps.  An officer with one epaulette came first, showing the way to two civilians, and a captain followed.  All descended in a line and entered the boat.  The next instant the oars fell, and the gig whirled round under the Foudroyant’s stern and came glancing up toward his own skiff.  Four or five of the strong man-of-war jerks sufficed to send the long, narrow boat as far as was desired, when the men ceased rowing, their little craft losing her way within ten feet of the skiff occupied by our party, Then it was that Raoul, to his surprise, discovered that the two civilians were no other than Andrea Barrofaldi and Vito Viti, who had accompanied Cuffe and Griffin, their companions in the gig, on a cruise, of which the express object was to capture himself and his vessel.

Another man would have been alarmed at finding himself in such close vicinity to his enemies; but Raoul Yvard was amused, rather than rendered uneasy, by the circumstance.  He had faith in his disguise; and he was much too familiar with incidents of this sort not to retain his self-command and composure.  Of course he knew nothing of the persons of the two Englishmen; but perfectly aware of the presence of the Proserpine, he guessed at their identity, and very correctly imagined the circumstances that brought companions so ill-assorted together.  He had taken no precautions to disguise his face; and the red Phrygian cap which he wore, in common with thousands on that bay, left every feature and lineament fully expressed.  With Ghita, however, the case was different.  She was far better known to the two Elbans, as indeed was the person of her uncle, than he was himself; but both had veiled their faces in prayer.

“I do not half like this business, Griffin,” observed the captain, as his gig entirely lost its way; “and wish with all my heart we had nothing to do with it.  I knew this old Caraccioli, and a very good sort of man he was; and as to treason, it is not easy to say who is and who is not a traitor in times like these, in such a nation as this.  Ha!  I believe my soul, this is the same old man and the same pretty girl that came to see Nelson half an hour ago about this very execution?”

“What could they have to do with Prince Caraccioli or his treason, sir?  The old chap looks bookish; but he is not a priest; and, as to the girl, she is trim-built enough; I fancy the face is no great matter, however, or she would not take so much pains to hide it.”