fire had disappeared, hidden by a rise in the land. The pilot put the
helm down and again changed the course of the little bark, which
rapidly approached the isle, and was soon within fifty paces of it.
Gaetano lowered the sail, and the bark remained stationary. All this
was done in silence, and since their course had been changed not a
word was spoken.
Gaetano, who had proposed the expedition, had taken all the responsibility on himself; the four sailors fixed their eyes on him, whilst they prepared their oars and, evidently, held themselves in readiness to row away, which, thanks to the darkness, would not be difficult. As for Franz, he examined his arms with the utmost coolness. He had two double-barreled guns and a rifle; he loaded them, looked at the locks, and waited quietly.
During this time the captain had thrown off his vest and shirt and secured his trousers round his waist. His feet were naked, so he had no shoes and stockings to take off. Thus dressed, or undressed, he placed his finger on his lips, to indicate profound silence, and lowering himself noiselessly into the sea, swam toward the shore with such precaution that it was impossible to hear the slightest sound; he could only be traced by the phosphorescent line in his wake. This track soon disappeared; it was evident that he had touched the shore.
Every one on board remained motionless during half an hour, when the same luminous track was again observed, and in two strokes he had regained the bark.
"Well!" exclaimed Franz and the sailors all together.
"They are Spanish smugglers," said he; "they have with them only two Corsican bandits."
"And what are these Corsican bandits doing here with Spanish smugglers?"
"Alas!" returned the captain with an accent of the most profound Christian charity, "we ought always to help one another. Very often the bandits are hard pressed on land by gendarmes or carbineers; well, they see a bark, and good fellows like us on board; they come and demand hospitality of us in our floating house; you can't refuse help to a poor hunted devil; we receive them, and for greater security we stand out to sea. This costs us nothing, and saves the life, or at least the liberty, of a fellow-creature, who on the first occasion returns the service by pointing out some safe spot where we can land our goods without interruption by curious eyes."
"Ah!" said Franz, "then you are a smuggler occasionally, Gaetano?"
"Your excellency, we do a little of everything; we must live some how," returned the other, smiling in a way impossible to describe.
