Part 24 (1/2)

”I have served on board on the _L--_ as a mids.h.i.+pman, and have since, on several occasions, acted as pilot and interpreter. You see in me, Captain Fleetwood, one who is solicitous to be of use to you; and, as you appear to be anxious to meet this Signor Zappa, I will now show you where you are most likely to fall in with him.”

The evident frankness and cordiality of these expressions at once dissipated all Fleetwood's previous misgivings, and in a few words, while he was partaking of the refreshment placed before him, he detailed what had occurred, and his belief that the pirate had made prisoner of an English lady, even if he had not murdered the rest of those on board.

While he was speaking, the Greek brought down a chart of the Archipelago, and pointed out the island of Lissa, a minute description of which he gave.

”But, Captain Fleetwood,” he observed, ”with your brig, or indeed with the whole British navy at command, you can scarcely capture that island, especially while the pirate holds hostages so dear to you in his hands.

Take my advice, attempt nothing by force; your only chance of success is by stratagem. By following a plan I will venture to suggest to you, if you will undergo the danger, which I will not deny is very great, I think there is a prospect of your being able to rescue your friends.

Once, however, arouse the suspicions of the pirate and his followers, they will put the place in so strong a state of defence, and will keep so vigilant a watch over their prisoners, that an attack on the island will be useless. Remember, when I tell you this, I am well acquainted with the place and the people, and I feel a.s.sured of the soundness of my advice.”

Captain Fleetwood thanked him very much, and a.s.sured him that he was eager to hear the plan he would advise him to follow.

On this, Captain Teodoro Va.s.silato, for such was the name of his new Greek friend, explained it to him, and promised him his a.s.sistance in carrying it out. What it was it is not necessary here to detail, as it will be fully developed in a future part of this story.

Linton sat in the boat keeping way with the Greek brig, which still glided slowly ahead, till he began to lose his patience, and at last he grew alarmed at the non-arrival of his commander. Could any treachery have been practised? he thought, and had Fleetwood's generous boldness led to his destruction? He longed to penetrate the intention of that dark ma.s.s ahead of him, which lay rolling uneasily, as the gla.s.sy swell at long intervals heaved noiselessly under her keel, as it glided onwards. He remembered, too, all the suspicions which had been entertained of the craft, and he longed to pull alongside, and to demand what had become of his captain. But he had been directed to remain where he was till his return, and he was too good a disciplinarian not to obey orders. The gig, he believed, was still alongside, with the people in her, but it was so dark, it was difficult to make that out.

He had almost resolved to send Tompion in the second gig to ascertain this, when he heard the splash of oars in the water, and his doubts were soon after relieved by the return of Captain Fleetwood.

”I have kept you some time, gentlemen,” said the captain. ”But I have gained some important information to guide our proceedings. Now give way and follow me.”

The boats were soon on board, and hoisted in, and during the night a breeze from the northward springing up, the _Ione_ continued her voyage to Cephalonia, which it was expected she would make during the course of the day. The forenoon watch had just been set, and the officers were going to breakfast, when the look-out at the mast-head, who had just gone aloft, hailed the deck to say that there was an object on the lee bow, floating deep in the water, but he could not distinguish what it was.

”What does it look like, though?” asked the first lieutenant.

”It's more like a boat bottom up, or a thick piece of timber, than anything else,” was the answer; ”but I think it's a boat, sir.”

”It's not worth while going out of our course to ascertain,” observed Linton.

”I am not so certain of that,” exclaimed Saltwell. ”It may be part of the wreck of the _Zodiac_. At all events, I shall inform the captain.”

He accordingly went into the cabin, and on his return the s.h.i.+p was kept away, and Captain Fleetwood came on deck.

”Aloft there, can you see it now?” hailed Mr Saltwell.

”Yes, sir, we're steering right for it, and I make no doubt it's a boat.”

The brig was making good way through the water, and soon approached the object, which proved to be a boat with her keel up. She was then hove-to, a boat was lowered to tow the swamped boat alongside. When this was done, a rope was pa.s.sed under her stern, she was lifted till the tackle fall could be hooked on to the ring-bolt in it, when she was easily turned over, and as she was hoisted up the water was baled out.

Every one was eager to learn what boat she was.

It was soon perceived that she had been much shattered and damaged, for the gunnel on one side had been almost knocked away, and the bows had been stove in; but the injury had been repaired by one or more coats of tarred canvas, nailed over her bow and bottom, in a very rough way. The captain at once p.r.o.nounced her to be an English-built boat, but she had no name by which it could be discovered to what vessel she belonged.

”Some poor fellows have been cast away on the rocks, and tried to make their escape in her,” remarked Linton. ”They must have encountered another squall in that ricketty craft, and she must have capsized and drowned them all.”

”It looks too like it,” said Saltwell. ”But if they had got on any rocks they would have taken a longer time to put her to rights. What think you of her being launched from the deck of a sinking vessel?”

”The same idea struck me,” observed Mr Norton, the master. ”I suspect, if we had the means of ascertaining, that she will be found to be one of the boats of the lost _Zodiac_.”

”I fear it; and if so, all must have perished,” said Saltwell. ”It would be cruel to suggest it to the captain.”

”He already has thought of that,” observed the master.