“The Frenchman is gone, sir,” said Winchester, “and he must have passed out of the port.  I have sent one of the gentlemen to examine if he is not stowed away about the chains.”

“Where is the boat of the old Italian and his niece?”

A pause succeeded this question, and light broke in upon all at the same instant.

“That yawl was alongside,” cried Griffin—­“no one was in her, however, but Giuntotardi and the girl.”

“Beg your pardon, sir,” said a young foretop-man, who had just descended the rigging—­“I saw the boat from aloft, sir, and it hung some time, sir, under the starboard main-chains.  It was so dark, I couldn’t fairly make it out; but summat seemed to be passed into it, from a port.  I didn’t like the look of the thing, and so our captain just told me to come on deck, and report it, sir.”

“Send Ithuel Bolt here, Mr. Winchester—­bear a hand, sir, and let us have a look at that gentleman.”

It is needless to say that the call was unanswered; and then all on board began to understand the mode of escape.  Officers rushed into the several boats, and no less than five different parties commenced the pursuit.  At the same time the ship hoisted a lantern, as a signal for the boats to rally to.

It has been said that the Proserpine, when this incident occurred, was off the point of the Campanella, distance about half a marine league.  The wind was light at east, or was what is called the land breeze, and the vessel had about three knots’ way on her.  The headland was nearly abeam, and she was looking up through the pass which separates Capri from the main, hauling round into the Bay of Naples, intending to anchor in the berth she had left the previous day.  The night was too dark to permit an object small as a boat to be seen at any distance, but the black mass of Capri was plainly visible in its outlines, towering into the air near two thousand feet; while the formation of the coast on the other side might be traced with tolerable certainty and distinctness.  Such was the state of things when the five boats mentioned quitted the ship.

Yelverton had acted as if a man were overboard; or, he had not waited for orders.  While pulling round the ship alone, he caught sight, though very dimly, of the yawl, as it moved in toward the land; and, without communicating with any on board, the truth flashed on his mind also, and he gave chase.  When the other boats were ready, the two that were on the outside of the ship pulled off to seaward a short distance, to look about them in that direction; while the two others, hearing the oars of the light gig in which Yelverton was glancing ahead, followed the sound, under the impression that they were in pursuit of the yawl.  Such was the state of things at the commencement of an exceedingly vigorous and hot pursuit.