Thus far everything was favorable to the wishes of Captain Cuffe and his followers.  The frigate was about a league from the lugger, and half that distance from la Divina Providenza; the latter had got fairly to sea and was slowly coming to a situation from which it might seem reasonable and a matter of course for the Proserpine to send boats in chase; while the manner in which she gradually drew nearer to the lugger was not such as to excite distrust or to appear in the least designed.  The wind, too, had got to be so light as to favor the whole scheme.

It is not to be supposed that Raoul Yvard and his followers were unobservant of what was passing.  It is true that the latter wilfully protracted his departure, under the pretence that it was safer to have his enemy in sight during the day, knowing how easy it would be to elude him in the dark; but, in reality, that he might prolong the pleasure of having Ghita on board; and it is also true that he had passed a delightful hour that morning in the cabin; but, then, his understanding eye noted the minutest fact that occurred, and his orders were always ready to meet any emergency that might arise.  Very different was the case with Ithuel.  The Proserpine was his bane; and, even while eating his breakfast, which he took on the heel of the bowsprit, expressly with that intent, his eye was seldom a minute off the frigate, unless it was for the short period she was shut in by the land.  It was impossible for any one in the lugger to say whether her character was or was not known in Porto Ferrajo; but the circumstance of the blue-lights burnt in the government-house itself, and witnessed by Ithuel, rendered the latter, to say the least, probable, and induced more caution than might otherwise have been shown.  Still, there was no reason to suspect the character of the felucca, and the confident manner in which she came down toward the lugger, though considerably in-shore of her, gave reason to believe that she at least was ignorant that le Feu-Follet was an enemy.

“That felucca is the craft which lay near the landing,” quietly observed Raoul, who had now come on the forecastle with a view to converse with Ithuel; “her name is la Divina Providenza; she is given to smuggling between Leghorn and Corsica, and is probably bound to the latter at this moment.  It is a bold step, too, to stand directly for her port under such circumstances!”

“Leghorn is a free port,” returned Ithuel; “and smuggling is not needed.”

“Aye, free as to friends, but not free to come and go between enemies.  No port is free in that sense; it being treason for a craft to communicate with the foe, unless she happen to be le Feu-Follet,” observed Raoul, laughing; “we are privileged, mon brave!”

“Corsica or Capraya, she’ll reach neither to-day, unless she find more wind.  I do not understand why the man has sailed with no more air than will serve to blow out a pocket-handkerchief.”