“You will find, captain, that I have ordered an extra month’s pay to be given to all on board.

“The captain did full justice, Francisco, in his account of the matter, to your quickness in suggesting a method by which the effort of the ramming of the enemy was neutralized, and for the courage you showed in carrying out your idea; but we will talk of that afterwards.  He and I have business to transact which will occupy us for some time, so the sooner you go the better.”

Francis at once took himself off and joined the girls, who received him with the heartiest greeting.

“We were glad indeed, Francis,” Maria said, “when our father told us that the Bonito was signalled as entering the port.  No letters have come for some time, and we feared that you must have entered the Dardanelles, and reached Constantinople, before the news arrived there of that affair at Tenedos, in which case you would no doubt have been seized and thrown into the dungeons.”

“We were at Tenedos when the affair took place,” Francis said, “and have had no opportunity since of sending a letter by any ship likely to be here before us.  The outbreak made us alter our plans, for, of course, it would not have been safe to have sailed farther when the emperor was so enraged against Venice.  I need hardly tell you I was not sorry when we turned our faces again towards Venice.  I have enjoyed the voyage very much, and have had plenty to occupy me.  Still, three months at a time is long enough, and I was beginning to long for a sight of Venice.”

“For a sight of Venice and—­” Maria repeated, holding up her finger reprovingly.

“And of you both,” Francis said smiling.  “I did not think it necessary to put that in, because you must know that you are Venice to me.”

“That is much better,” Maria said approvingly.  “I think you have improved since you have been away.  Do you not think so, Giulia?”

“I don’t think that sort of nonsense is an improvement,” Giulia said gravely.  “Any of the young Venetian gallants can say that sort of thing.  We do not want flattery from Francisco.”

“You should say you do not want it, Giulia,” Maria said, laughing.  “I like it, I own, even from Francisco.  It may not mean anything, but it is pleasant nevertheless; besides, one likes to think that there is just a little truth in it, not much, perhaps, but just a little in what Francisco said, for instance.  Of course we are not all Venice to him.  Still, just as we are pleased to see him, he is pleased to see us; and why shouldn’t he say so in a pretty way?  It’s all very well for you to set up as being above flattery, Giulia, but you are young yet.  I have no doubt you will like it when you get as old as I am.”

Giulia shook her head decidedly.

“I always think,” she said, “when I hear a man saying flattering things to a girl, that it is the least complimentary thing he can do, for it is treating her as if he considers that she is a fool, otherwise he would never say such outrageous nonsense to her.”