“Halloo! vice-govenatore,” cried Griffin, abruptly, for he saw that the moment was not one for ceremony; “what have you done with the Frenchman?—­where is Raoul Yvard?”

“Il Signor Sir Smees?  Monsieur Yvard, if you will?  Neighbor Vito, what, indeed, has become of the man who so lately sat there?”

“Cospetto!—­according to your doctrine, Signor Andrea, there never was a man there at all—­only the imagination of one; it is not surprising that such a being should be missed.  But I protest against any inferences being drawn from this accident.  All Frenchmen are flighty and easily carried away, and now that they are no longer ballasted by religion, they are so many moral feathers.  No, no—­let a man of respectable information, of sound principles, and a love for the saints, with a good, substantial body, like myself, vanish only once, and then I may confess, it will tell in favor of your logic, vice-governatore.”

“An obstinate man, neighbor Vito, is a type of the imperfections that a—­”

“Your pardon, Signor Barrofaldi,” interrupted Griffin, “this is, not a moment for philosophical theories, but for us seamen to do our duty.  What has become of Raoul Yvard—­your Sir Smees?”

“Signor Tenente, as I hoped to be saved, I have not the smallest idea!  There he was a minute or two since, seated by that cannon, apparently an attentive and much edified auditor of a discussion we were holding on the celebrated theory of a certain bishop of your own country; which theory, rightly considered—­mind, I say rightly considered—­neighbor Vito; for the view you have taken of this matter is——­”

“Enough of this, for the present, Signori”—­added Griffin.  “The Frenchman was in this place when you came here?”

“He was, Signor Tenente, and seemed greatly to enjoy the discussion in which——­”

“And you have not seen him quit you through the canvas, or the port?”

“Not I, on my honor; I did suppose him too much entertained to leave us.”

“Ah!  Sir Smees has just vanished into the imagination,” growled the podesta, “which is going home to the great logical family of which he is an ideal member!  There being no lugger, no corsair, no sea, and no frigate, it seems to me that we are all making a stir about nothing.”

Griffin did not stop to question further.  He was quickly on deck, where he found Cuffe, who had just been brought out of his cabin by a hurried report.

“What the d—­l is the meaning of all this, gentlemen?” demanded the latter, in a tone which a commander so naturally assumes when things go wrong.  “Whoever has suffered the prisoner to escape may expect to hear from the Admiral directly, on the subject.”

“He is not in his state-room, sir,” answered Griffin, “and I directed the boatswain to pipe away all the boats’ crews, as I came up the ladder.”

As this was said, boat after boat was falling, and, in two or three minutes, no less than five were in the water, including that in which Yelverton was already rowing round the ship to catch the presumed swimmer, or drowning man.