Chapter 21

"His honor's linked
Unto his life; he that will seek the one
Must venture for the other, or lose both."

TATHAM.

It was now certain that le Feu-Follet was not in the Bay of Salerno. By
means of the lofty spars of the ship, and the aid of glasses, the whole
coast had been effectually surveyed, and no signs of such a craft were
visible. Even Lyon had given it up, had wore round, and was standing
along the land again, toward Campanella, a disappointed man. As Cuffe
expected the next wind from the westward, he continued on to the
northward, however, intending to go off Amalfi and question any
fisherman he might fall in with. Leaving the ship slowly pursuing her
course in that direction, then, we will turn our attention to the state
of the prisoners.

Ghita and her uncle had been properly cared for all this time. The
gunner's wife lived on board, and, being a respectable woman, Cuffe had
the delicacy to send the poor girl forward to the state-room and mess of
this woman. Her uncle was provided for near by, and, as neither was
considered in any degree criminal, it was the intention to put them
ashore as soon as it was certain that no information concerning the
lugger was to be obtained from them. Ithuel was at duty again, having
passed half the morning in the fore-top. The shore-boat, which was in
the way on deck, was now struck into the water, and was towing astern,
in waiting for the moment when Carlo Giuntotardi and his niece were to
be put in possession of it again, and permitted to depart. This moment
was delayed, however, until the ship should again double Campanella, and
be once more in the Bay of Naples, as it would have been cruel to send
two such persons as the uncle and niece adrift at any material distance
from their proper place of landing.

It was very different with Raoul Yvard, however. He was under the charge
of a sentry on the berth-deck, in waiting for the fearful moment when he
should be brought forth for execution. His sentence was generally known
in the ship, and with a few he was an object of interest; though
punishment, deaths in battle, and all the other casualties of nautical
life, were much too familiar in such a war to awaken anything like a
sensation in an active cruising frigate. Still, some had a thought for
the prisoner's situation. Winchester was a humane man, and, to his
credit, he bore no malice for his own defeat and sufferings; while in
his capacity of first lieutenant it was in his power to do much toward
adding to the comfort of the condemned. He had placed the prisoner
between two open ports, where the air circulated freely, no trifling
consideration in so warm a climate, and had ordered a canvas bulkhead
to be placed around him, giving