“Will you also tell him, Francisco, that I will call upon him this afternoon.  I have much to say to him.”

“I am glad Signor Polani is coming,” Mr. Hammond said, when his son gave him the message.  “I am quite resolved that you shall quit Venice at once.  I do not wish to blame you for what you have done, which, indeed, is likely to have a favourable effect upon your fortunes; but that, at your age, you have mixed yourself up in adventures of this kind, taken part in the affairs of great houses, and drawn upon yourself the enmity of one of the most powerful families of Venice, is altogether strange and improper for a lad of your years, and belonging to the family of a quiet trader.  I have been thinking about it all this morning, and am quite resolved that the sooner you are out of Venice the better.  If I saw any way of sending you off before nightfall I would do so.

“Signor Polani has, you say, so far concealed from the council the fact that you have been mixed up in this business; but there is no saying how soon it may come out.  You know that Venice swarms with spies, and these are likely, before many hours, to learn the fact of your midnight arrival at Polani’s house; and as no orders were given for the preparation of this expedition to the island before that time, it will not need much penetration to conclude that you were the bearer of the news that led to the discovery of the maidens.  Besides which, you accompanied the expedition, and acted as its guide to the hut.  Part of this they will learn from the servants of the house, part of it they may get out from the sailors, who, over their wine cups, are not given to reticence.  The council may not have pressed Polani on this point, but, take my word for it, some of them, at least, will endeavour to get to the bottom of it, especially Mocenigo’s connections, who will naturally be alarmed at the thought that there is somewhere a traitor among their own ranks.

“The affair has become very serious, Francis, and far beyond the compass of a boyish scrape, and no time must be lost in getting you out of Venice.  I have no doubt Polani will see the matter in the same light, for he knows the ways of his countrymen even better than I do.”

The interview between the two traders was a long one.  At its conclusion Francis was sent for.

“Francis,” his father said, “Signor Polani has had the kindness to make me offers of a most generous nature.”

“Not at all, Messer Hammond,” the Venetian interrupted.  “Let there be no mistake upon that score.  Your son has rendered me services impossible for me ever to repay adequately.  He has laid me under an obligation greater than I can ever discharge.  At the same time, fortunately, I am in a position to be able to further his interests in life.

“I have proposed, Francisco, that you shall enter my house at once.  You will, of course, for some years learn the business, but you will do so in the position which a son of mine would occupy, and when you come of age, you will take your place as a partner with me.