So drop him over the rail into your boat and let me
lead a peaceful life."
"Like an honest merchant captain as you are," added Pasquale with a
grin. "We have been anxious for you," he added, looking at Zorzi. "The
master is in Venice this morning, to see his friends on your behalf, I
think."
"If we go back openly," said Zorzi, "we may both be taken at any
moment."
"If they catch me," answered Pasquale, "they will heave me overboard. I
am not worth salting. But they need not catch either of us. Once in the
laboratory at Murano, they will never find you. That is the one place
where they will not look for you."
The mate put his head down through the small hatch overhead.
"I do not like the look of a boat that has just put off from Saint
George's," he said.
Aristarchi sprang to his feet.
"Pick him up and drop him into the porter's skiff," he said. "I am sick
of dancing with the fellow in my arms."
With incredible ease Aristarchi took Zorzi round the waist, mounted the
cabin table and passed him up through the hatch to the mate, who had
already brought him to the Jacob's ladder at the stern before Pasquale
could get there by the ordinary way.
"Quick, man!" said the mate, as the old sailor climbed over the rail.
At the same time he slipped the bight of short rope round Zorzi's body
under his arms and got a turn round the rail with both parts, so as to
lower him easily.
Pages:
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433