In a few minutes the gondola arrived.  Polani, his two daughters, and Francis took their places in it.  The four men, bound hand and foot, were laid in the bottom of the ship’s boat; the gouvernante was made to take her place there also, and the sailors were told to follow closely behind the gondola, which was rowed at a very slow pace.

On the way, Polani told his daughters of the manner in which Francis had discovered the place of concealment.

“Had it not been for him, my dears, we should certainly not have found you, and that villain would have carried out his plans, sooner or later.  He would either have given his guards the slip, or, when no evidence was forthcoming against him, they would have been removed.  He would then have gone outside the jurisdiction of the republic, obtained a ship with a crew of desperadoes, sailed round to the seaward side of San Nicolo, and carried you off.  Nothing could have saved you, and your resistance would, as that woman told you, have been futile.”

“We shall be grateful to you all our lives, Francisco,” Maria said.  “We shall pray for you always, night and morning.

“Shall we not, Giulia?”

“Yes, indeed,” the young girl said simply.  “We shall love him all our lives.”

“Answer for yourself, Giulia,” Maria said with a laugh, her spirits returning in the bright sunshine and fresh air.  “When Francisco asks for my love, it will be quite soon enough to say what I think about it.”

“I should never have courage enough to do that, signora.  I know what you would say too well.”

“What should I say?” Maria asked.

“You would say I was an impudent boy.”

Maria laughed.

“I cannot think of you as a boy any longer, Francisco,” she said more gravely.  “I have, perhaps, regarded you as a boy till now, though you did save us so bravely before; but you see you are only my own age, and a girl always looks upon a boy of her own age as ever so much younger than she is herself.  Besides, too, you have none of the airs of being a man, which some of my cousins have; and never pay compliments or say pretty things, but seem altogether like a younger brother.  But I shall think you a boy no more.  I know you better now.”

“But I am a boy,” Francis said, “and I don’t want to be thought anything else.  In England we keep young longer than they do here, and a boy of my age would not think of speaking to his elders, unless he was first addressed.

“What are you going to do with your prisoners, signor?”

“I shall take them direct to my house, and then go and report the recovery of my daughters, and their capture.  Officials will at once be sent, with a gondola, to take them off to the prison.  There can be no question now as to the part Mocenigo has played in this business, and no doubt he will be brought here a prisoner at once.  Even his nearest connections will not dare to defend conduct so outrageous, especially when public indignation has been so excited.