them said as the boat drew up against the wall of the canal.

"It does not make much difference to us, if we are well paid, to keep
awake," Giuseppi said.

Upon such occasions he was always the spokesman.

"You know San Nicolo?"

"Yes, I know it," Giuseppi said; "but it is a long row--six miles, if
it's a foot."

"You will have to wait there for an hour or two, but I will give you
half a ducat for your night's work."

"What do you say, partner?" Giuseppi asked Francis.

"We may as well go," the lad replied after a moment's pause.

The row was certainly a long one, but the night was delightful, and the
half ducat was a prize for Giuseppi; but what influenced Francis
principally in accepting was curiosity. San Nicolo was a little sandy
islet lying quite on the outside of the group of islands. It was
inhabited only by a few fishermen; and Francis wondered that a man,
evidently by his voice and manner of address belonging to the upper
class, should want to go to such a place as this at this hour of the
night. Certainly no ordinary motives could actuate him.

As the stranger took his place in the boat, Francis saw by the light of
the stars that he was masked; but there was nothing very unusual in