“I think I know such a man, Messer Francisco; but if he happens to be away, there will be no difficulty in finding another, for there are many fishermen here who escaped before the Genoese captured Chioggia.”

“When will you see him?”

“As soon as you have landed me at Messer Polani’s.”

“Go and fetch him, Giuseppi; and if you can find one or two old fishermen of Chioggia, bring them also with you.  I want to gain as much information as possible regarding the country.”

“Is it true that the fleet starts tomorrow, Francisco?” Maria asked as he entered.  “Everyone says so.”

“It is quite true.  There will be no further change.  The orders have been all issued, and you may rely upon it that we are going to sea.”

“And when will you return?”

“That’s another matter altogether,” Francis laughed.  “It may be a week, it may be three months.”

“But I thought we were going to fight the Genoese galleys.  It does not seem to me that a week is wanted to do that.  A day to go to Chioggia, a day to fight, and a day to return.  What can you want more than that for?”

“I do not think that we are going to fight the Genoese galleys,” Francis answered.  “Certainly we shall not do so if we can help it.  They are vastly stronger than we are; but I do not know that we need fear them for all that.”

“What do you mean, Francisco?  You do not mean to fight—­they are vastly stronger than you are—­and yet you do not fear them.  You are not given to speak in riddles; but you have puzzled me this time.”

“Well, I will explain myself a little,” Francis said; “but you must remember that it is a secret, and not to be whispered to anyone.”

“That is right,” Maria said.  “I love a secret, especially a state secret.

“Giulia, come and sit quite close, so that he can whisper it into our ears, and even the walls shall not hear it.

“Now, sir, explain yourself!”

“I will explain it without telling you,” Francis said.  “Have you not gone to see African lions, who were very much stronger and fiercer than yourself, and yet you did not fear them?”

“Because they have been in cages,” Maria said.  “But what has that to do with it?”

“It explains the whole matter,” Francis said.  “We do not mean to fight the Genoese fleet, if we can help it; but we are going to try to put them in a cage, and then we shall not be afraid of them.”

“Do not trifle with us, sir,” Maria said sternly.  “How can you put Genoese galleys in a cage?”

“We cannot put them in a cage, but we can cage them up,” Francis said.  “Pisani’s intention is, if possible, to close all the entrances to the canals round Chioggia.  Thus, not only will the Genoese galleys be unable to sally out to attack us, but the whole of the Genoese army will be cooped up, and we shall then do to them what they have been doing to us, namely, starve them out!”