help feeling that the proper time for departure had come; but this
destroys the story and robs the comandante of his reputation for
chivalry.

As Miss Palett's gondola neared the grain-ship, Salemina, it seems,
spied the commanding officer pacing the deck.

"See," she said to her companion, "there is a gang-plank from the
side of the ship to that small flat-boat. We could perfectly well
step from our gondola to the flat-boat and then go up and ask
politely if we may be allowed to examine the interesting grain-
ship. While you are interviewing the first officer about the
foreign countries he has seen, I will ask the comandante if he will
kindly tie his boat a little farther down on the island. No, that
won't do, for he may not speak English; we should have an awkward
scene, and I should defeat my own purposes. You are so fluent in
Italian, suppose you call upon him with my card and let me stay in
the gondola."

"What shall I say to the man?" objected Miss Palett.

"Oh, there's plenty to say," returned Salemina. "Tell him that
Penelope and I came over from the hotel on the Grand Canal only
that we might have perfect quiet. Tell him that if I had not
unpacked my largest trunk, I should not stay an instant longer.
Tell him that his great, bulky ship ruins the view; that it hides
the most beautiful church and part of the Doge's Palace. Tell him
that I might as well have stayed at home and built a cottage on the
dock in Boston Harbour. Tell him that his steam-whistles, his
anchor-droppings, and his constant loadings or unloadings give us