by G. A. Henty
After proceeding a few hundred yards, the lad struck off by a byroad at right angles to that which they had been following, and by the direction he took Francis felt that he must at first have gone far out of his way, and that the party going direct to the villa must have had a considerable start. Still, he reckoned that as he was running at the rate of three feet to every one they would march, he might hope to arrive at the house well before them.
Not a word was spoken as they ran along. The lad was wondering, in his mind, as to what could be the urgent business that could necessitate its being carried at such speed; while Francis felt that every breath was needed for the work he had to do. Only once or twice he spoke, to ask how much further it was to their destination.
The last answer was cheering:
“A few hundred paces farther.”
“There are the lights, signor. They have not gone to bed. This is the door.”
Francis knocked with the pommel of his sword, keeping up a loud continuous knocking. A minute or two passed, and then a face appeared at the window above.
“Who is it that knocks so loudly at this time of night?”
“It is Francisco Hammond. Open instantly. Danger threatens the signoras. Quick, for your life!”
The servant recognized the voice, and ran down without hesitation and unbarred the fastening; but for a moment he thought he must have been mistaken, as Francis ran into the lighted hall.
“Where are the ladies?” he asked. “Lead me to them instantly.”
But as he spoke a door standing by was opened, and Signor Polani himself, with the two girls, appeared. They had been on the point of retiring to rest when the knocking began, and the merchant, with his drawn sword, was standing at the door, when he recognized Francis’ voice.
They were about to utter an exclamation of pleasure at seeing him, and of astonishment, not only at his sudden arrival, but at his appearance, when Francis burst out:
“There is no time for a word. You must fly instantly. Ruggiero Mocenigo is close at my heels with a band of twenty pirates.”
The girls uttered a cry of alarm, and the merchant exclaimed:
“Can we not defend the house, Francisco? I have eight men here, and we can hold it till assistance comes.”
“Ruggiero has a hundred,” Francis said, “and all can be brought up in a short time—you must fly. For God’s sake, do not delay, signor. They may be here at any moment.”
“Come, girls,” Polani said.
“And you, too,” he went on, turning to the servants, whom the knocking had caused to assemble. “Do you follow us. Resistance would only cost you your lives.
“Here, Maria, take my hand.
“Francisco, do you see to Giulia.
“Close the door after the last of you, and bolt it. It will give us a few minutes, before they break in and discover that we have all gone.
“Which way are the scoundrels coming?”
Francis pointed in the direction from which he had come, and the whole party started at a fast pace in the other direction. They had not been gone five minutes, when a loud and sudden knocking broke on the silence of the night.
“It was a close thing, indeed, Francisco,” the merchant said, as they ran along close to each other. “At present I feel as if I was in a dream; but you shall tell us all presently.”
They were, by this time, outside the grounds of the villa, and some of the servants, who knew the country, now took the lead. In a few minutes the merchant slackened his pace.
“We are out of danger now,” he said. “They will not know in which direction to search for us; and if they scatter in pursuit we could make very short work of any that might come up with us.”
“I do not know that you are out of danger,” Francis said. “A hundred men landed. Mocenigo, with twenty, took the line to your house, but the rest have scattered over the country in smaller bands, bent on murder and pillage. Therefore, we had best keep on as fast as we can, until well beyond the circle they are likely to sweep—that is, unless the ladies are tired.”
“Tired!” Maria repeated. “Why, Giulia and I go for long walks every day, and could run for an hour, if necessary.”
“Then come on, my dears,” the merchant said. “I am burning to know what this all means; and I am sure you are equally curious; but nothing can be said till you are in safety.”
Accordingly, the party again broke into a run. A few minutes later one of the servants, looking back, exclaimed:
“They have fired the house, signor. There are flames issuing from one of the lower windows.”
“I expected that,” the merchant said, without looking back. “That scoundrel would, in any case, light it in his fury at finding that we have escaped; but he has probably done so, now, in hopes that the light will enable him to discover us. It is well that we are so far ahead, for the blaze will light up the country for a long way round.”
“There is a wood a little way ahead, signor,” the servant said. “Once through that we shall be hidden from sight, however great the light.”
Arrived at the wood, they again broke into a walk. A few hundred yards beyond the wood was some rising ground, from which they could see far over the country.
“Let us stop here,” the merchant said. “We are safe now. We have placed two miles between ourselves and those villains.”
The villa was now a mass of flames. Exclamations of fury broke from the men servants, while the women cried with anger at the sight of the destruction.
“Do not concern yourselves,” the merchant said. “The house can be rebuilt, and I will see that none of you are the poorer for the loss of your belongings.
“Now, girls, let us sit down here and hear from Francisco how it is that he has once again been your saviour.”
“Before I begin, signor, tell me whether there are any ships of war in the port, and how far that is distant from us?”
“It is not above six miles on the other side of the island. That is to say, we have been going towards it since we left the villa.
“See,” he broke off, “there are flames rising in three or four directions. The rest of those villains are at their work.”
“But are there any war galleys in the port?” Francis interrupted.
“Yes. Three ships were sent here, on the report that a Moorish pirate had been cruising in these waters, and that several vessels were missing. When the story first came I did not credit it. The captain of the ship who brought the news told me he had met you about halfway across, and had told you about the supposed pirate. A vessel arrived four days later, and brought letters from my agent, but he said no word about your boat having arrived.
“Then I became uneasy; and when later news came, and still no word of you, I felt sure that something must have befallen you; that possibly the report was true, and that you had fallen into the hands of the pirates. So I at once started, in one of the galleys which the council were despatching in answer to the request of the governor here.”
“In that case, signor, there is not a moment to lose. The governor should be informed that the pirate is lying on the opposite coast, and that his crew have landed, and are burning and pillaging. If orders are issued at once, the galleys could get round before morning, and so cut off the retreat of these miscreants.”
“You are quite right,” Polani said, rising at once. “We will go on without a moment’s delay! The girls can follow slowly under the escort of the servants.”
“Oh, papa,” Maria exclaimed, “you are not going to take Francisco away till we have heard his story! Can you not send forward the servants with a message to the governor?”
“No, my dear. The governor will have gone to bed, and the servants might not be able to obtain admittance to him. I must go myself. It is for your sakes, as well as for my own. We shall never feel a moment’s safety, as long as this villain is at large. Francisco’s story will keep till tomorrow.
“As to your gratitude and mine, that needs no telling. He cannot bu
t know what we are feeling, at the thought of the almost miraculous escape you have had from falling into the hands of your persecutor.
“Now come along, Francisco.
“One of you men who knows the road had better come with us. Do the rest of you all keep together.
“Two miles further, girls, as you know, is a villa of Carlo Maffene. If you feel tired, you had best stop and ask for shelter there. There is no fear that the pirates will extend their ravages so far. They will keep on the side of the island where they landed, so as to be able to return with their booty before daybreak to the ship.”
CHAPTER 14
The End of the Persecutor
Signor Polani was so well known, that upon his arrival at the governor’s house the domestics, upon being aroused, did not hesitate to awaken the governor at once. The latter, as soon as he heard that the pirates had landed and were devastating the other side of the island, and that their ship was lying close in to the coast under the charge of a few sailors only, at once despatched a messenger to the commander of the galleys; ordering them to arouse the crews and make ready to put out to sea instantly. He added that he, himself, should follow his messenger on board in a few minutes, and should accompany them. He then issued orders that the bell should toll to summon the inhabitants to arms; and directed an officer to take the command, and to start with them at once across the island, and to fall upon the pirates while engaged in their work of pillage. They were to take a party with them with litters to carry Polani’s daughters to the town, and an apartment was to be assigned to them in his palace, until his return.
While he was issuing this order, refreshments had been placed upon the table, and he pressed Polani and his companions to partake of these before starting.
Francis needed no second invitation. He had been too excited, at the news he had heard on board the ship, to think of eating; and he now remembered that it was a good many hours since he had taken his last meal. He was but a few minutes, however, in satisfying his hunger. By the time he had finished, the governor had seen that his orders had been carried out.
Two hundred armed citizens had already mustered in companies, and were now on the point of setting out, burning with indignation at what they had heard of the depredations which the pirates had committed. After seeing his preparations complete the governor, accompanied by Polani and Francis, made his way down to the port, and was rowed out to the galleys.
Here he found all on the alert. The sails were ready for hoisting, and the men were seated at the benches, ready to aid with oars the light wind which was blowing. The governor now informed the commander of the vessels the reason of the sudden orders for sailing. The news was passed to the captains of the other two vessels, and in a very few minutes the anchors were weighed, and the vessels started on their way.
Francis was closely questioned as to the spot at which the pirate vessel was lying, but could only reply that, beyond the fact that it was some four miles from Polani’s villa, he had no idea of the locality.
“But can you not describe to us the nature of the coast?” the commander said.
“That I cannot,” Francis replied; “for I was hidden away in the hold of the vessel, and did not come on deck until after it was dark, at which time the land abreast of us was only a dark mass.”
“Signor Polani has informed me,” the governor said, “that, although your attire does not betoken it, you are a dear friend of his; but he has not yet informed me how it comes that you were upon this pirate ship.”
“He has been telling me as we came along,” Polani replied; “and a strange story it is. He was on his voyage hither in the Naxos, which, as you doubtless remember, was a little craft of mine, which should have arrived here a month since. As we supposed, it was captured by the pirates, the leader of whom is Ruggiero Mocenigo, who, as of course you know, made his escape from the custody of the officers of the state, they being overpowered by a party of Paduans. The sentence of banishment for life has been passed against him, and, until I heard from my friend here that he was captain of the pirate which has been seen off this island, I knew not what had become of him.
“Those on board the Naxos were taken prisoners, and confined in the pirate’s hold, which they found already filled with captives taken from other ships. The pirate at once sailed for Africa, where all the prisoners were sold as slaves to the Moors, my friend here alone excepted, Mocenigo having an old feud with him, and a design to keep him in his hands. Learning that a raid was intended upon Corfu, with the special design of carrying off my daughters, whom Mocenigo had twice previously tried to abduct, Francisco managed to get on board the vessel, and conceal himself in her hold, in order that he might frustrate the design. He managed, in the dark, to mingle with the landing party; and then, separating from them, made his way on ahead, and fortunately was able to obtain a guide to my house, which he reached five minutes only before the arrival of the pirates there.”
“Admirable, indeed! And we are all vastly indebted to him, for had it not been for him, we should not have known of the doings of these scoundrels until too late to cut off their retreat; and, once away in their ship again, they might long have preyed upon our commerce, before one of our cruisers happened to fall in with them.
“As for Ruggiero Mocenigo, he is a disgrace to the name of a Venetian; and it is sad to think that one of our most noble families should have to bear the brand of being connected with a man so base and villainous. However, I trust that his power of ill doing has come to an end.
“Is the vessel a fast one, signor?”
“I cannot say whether she sails fast,” Francis replied; “but she certainly rows fast.”
“I trust that we shall catch her before she gets under way,” the commander of the galleys said. “Our vessels are not made for rowing, although we get out oars to help them along in calm weather.”
“What course do you propose to take?” the merchant asked.
“When we approach the spot where she is likely to be lying, I shall order the captains of the other two ships to lie off the coast, a couple of miles distant and as far from each other, so that they can cut her off as she makes out to sea. We will follow the coast line, keeping in as close as the water will permit, and in this way we shall most likely come upon her. If we should miss her, I shall at the first dawn of morning join the others in the offing, and keep watch till she appears from under the shadow of the land.”
It was now three o’clock in the morning, and an hour later the three vessels parted company, and the galley with the governor and commander of the squadron rowed for the shore. When they came close to the land, the captain ordered the oars to be laid in.
“The breeze is very light,” he said; “but it is favourable, and will enable us to creep along the shore. If we continue rowing, those in charge of the ship may hear us coming, and may cut their cables, get up sail, and make out from the land without our seeing them. On a still night, like this, the sound of the sweeps can be heard a very long distance.”
Quietly the vessel made her way along the shore. Over the land, the sky was red with the reflection of numerous fires, but this only made the darkness more intense under its shadow, and the lead was kept going in order to prevent them from sailing into shallow water. By the captain’s orders strict silence was observed on board the ship, and every eye was strained ahead on the lookout for the pirate vessel.
Presently, all became aware of a confused noise, apparently coming from the land, but at some distance ahead. As they got further on, distant shouts and cries were heard.
“I fancy,” the governor said to the captain, “the band from the town have met the pirates, and the latter are retreating to their ship.”
“Then the ship can’t be far off,” the captain said. “Daylight is beginning to break in the east, and we shall soon be able to make her out against the sky—that is, if she is still lying at anchor.”
On getting round the next point, the vessel was distinctly visible. The shout
ing on the shore was now plainly heard, and there could be no doubt that a desperate fight was going on there. It seemed to be close to the water’s edge.
“There is a boat rowing off to the ship,” one of the sailors said.
“Then get out your oars again. She is not more than half a mile away, and she can hardly get under way before we reach her. Besides, judging from the sound of the fight, the pirates must have lost a good many men, and will not be able to man all the oars even if they gain their ship.”
The men sat down to their oars with alacrity. Every sailor on board felt it almost as a personal insult, that pirates should dare to enter the Venetian waters and carry on their depredations there. The glare of the burning houses, too, had fired their indignation to the utmost, and all were eager for the fight.
Three boats were now seen rowing towards the ship.
“Stretch to your oars, men,” the captain said. “We must be alongside them, if we can, before they can take to their sweeps.”
The pirates had now seen them; and Francis, standing at the bow eagerly watching the vessel, could hear orders shouted to the boats. These pulled rapidly alongside, and he could see the men clambering up in the greatest haste. There was a din of voices. Some men tried to get up the sails, others got out oars, and the utmost confusion evidently prevailed. In obedience to the shouts of the officers, the sails were lowered again, and all betook themselves to the oars; but scarce a stroke had been pulled before the Venetian galley ran up alongside. Grapnels were thrown, and the crew, seizing their weapons, sprang on to the deck of the pirate.
The crew of the latter knew that they had no mercy to expect, and although weakened by the loss of nearly a third of their number in the fighting on shore, sprang from their benches, and rushed to oppose their assailants, with the desperation of despair. They were led by Ruggiero Mocenigo, who, furious at the failure of his schemes, and preferring death to the shame of being carried to Venice as a pirate and a traitor, rushed upon the Venetians with a fury which, at first, carried all before it. Supported by his Moors and renegades he drove back the boarders, and almost succeeded in clearing the deck of his vessel.