After a quarter of an hour’s search, they found a point where the descent seemed practicable.  A little stream had worn a deep fissure in the face of the rock.  Shrubs and bushes had grown up in the crevices and afforded a hold for the hands, and there appeared no great difficulty in getting down.  Before starting they cut three stiff slender rods twelve feet in length.  They then set to work to make the descent.  It was by no means difficult, and in a few minutes they stood by the edge of the water.

“It is a great advantage, the path being so easy,” Francis said, “for in case they did discover the ship we could land and climb to the top before they had time to come to shore, and once there we could keep the whole force in those galleys at bay.  Now for the main point, the depth of the water.”

Matteo shook his head.

“It is useless to take the trouble to undress, Francis,” he said, as the latter threw off his jacket.  “Giuseppi can wade out to the rocks without wetting his knees.”

“Giuseppi can try if he likes,” Francis said, “but I will wager he will not get far.”

Giuseppi, as convinced as Matteo of the shallowness of the water, stepped into it, but was surprised to find that, before he had gone many paces, the water was up to his waist.

“Well, I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it,” Matteo said when he returned, “but I think he must have got into a deep hole among the rocks.  However, we shall soon see,” and he too began to undress.

In a few minutes the three lads were swimming out towards the rocks which, as Francis had anticipated, rose from twenty to thirty feet above the level of the sea.  The water deepened fast, and for the last thirty or forty yards, they were unable to touch the bottom, even when thrusting down their rods to the fullest depth.  They then tried the depth in the passages at the end of the rocks, and found that there was ample water for the Lido.  When they ascertained this to their satisfaction they swam back to the shore.

“I shall believe you in future, Francis, even if you assert that the moon is made of cheese.  I could have taken an oath that there was not a foot of water between those rocks and the shore.”

“I hardly ventured to hope that it was as deep as it is,” Francis said, “but I know how deceiving clear water is, when you look down upon it from a height.  However, that point is settled.”

“But they would see our masts above the rocks, Francisco.  They are sure to keep a sharp lookout as they go along.”

“We must take the masts out of her,” Francis said.  “I don’t know how it is to be done, but the captain will know, and if that can’t be managed we must cut them down.  There is no difficulty about that.

“Now we will make our way back again, it will be dark in a couple of hours’ time.  Everything depends upon whether they have towed the Lido out and anchored her among their galleys.  If they have, I fear the scheme is impracticable, but if they let her remain where she is lying, we might get her out without being noticed, for there is no moon.”