"
"You had your signals, Signor Tenente; and that is proof of amity and
understanding."
"We made our number when we saw the lugger with an English ensign set,
for we did not suppose a Frenchman would be quietly lying in a Tuscan
port; but the answer we got was nonsense; and then we remembered to have
heard that this Raoul Yvard was in the habit of playing such tricks all
along the Italian coast. Once on the scent, we were not the men to be
easily thrown off it. You saw the chase and know the result."
"There must be some error in all this! Would it not be well, Signore, to
see the commander of the lugger--or to go on board of her and satisfy
yourself with your own eyes of the truth or falsehood of your surmises?
Ten minutes might clear up everything."
"Your pardon, Signor Vice-governatore; were I to trust myself on board
le Feu-Follet, I might remain a prisoner until a peace was made; and I
have yet two steps to gain before I can afford that risk. Then as to
letting Yvard know of my presence here, it would just give him the
alarm, and cause us to lose the bird before we can spring the net. My
orders are positive, not to let any one but the authorities of the
island know of my visit or its object. All we ask of you is to detain
the lugger until morning; then _we_ will see to it that she will never
trouble the Italian coast again."
"Nay, Signore, we have guns of our own and could easily dispose of so
small a vessel, once assured of her being an enemy," returned the
vice-governatore, with a little pride and loftiness of manner; "convince
us of that fact, and we'll sink the lugger at her anchors.
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