Nora's Peril

CHATTER IX. "And dars't thou, then, To beard tbe lion In his den- ïhe Douglaa in his ball."- Scott. The colouel expressed him6elf ovcrjoyed at the prospect of such a return home, and of a vi6it from our friend, for by this time the old soldier and the young sailor had become mutual admirers, the open and straightforw ard nature of both haviug already led to a warm and sincere f riendship. For the naval details in this chapter the author is indebted to a work published in New York, entitled "The Ocean Post." We reached Corfu on the cvening of the second day, well pleascd with the sailing coalities of the "Arladne." ün making inquiry we ascertained that the "Gulnare" had arrived tbere on the previous morning, and, after a few hours' stay, had Bailed again, it was supposed, as was her eustom, for the Gulf of .(Hgina. Replenishing our water casks, we sailed in pursuit with the utmost dispatch; and on toucbing at tbe port of Poros, again pi ocured intelligence of her movements. Colonel De Burgho's anxiety and agttation Increased visiblv as he neared the object of his seareb, aud I congratulated myself that I had insisted on accompanying him, for even he acknowledged that the enterprise would require a caution and wariness which he, moved as he was witb apprebensions for the safety of his daughter, could not uow command. Even I myself began to feel tbe excitement of tbs approacbing crUis; and we both felthowmueh we were likely to be indebted to the cool judgment aud wise advice of our f rieud Licutcuaut Bakhus, wïien tbe decisivc moment should arrive. "Kurnal," saii be, "we're close on the trail. I know your great, anxiety to recover your loet daughter soon, but all may be spoiled by too much baste; my advice is tbat we gi've our friend a day, or even two, to lay up bis vacht and land his crew. From iuquiry I made at Corfu, they are nearly all (1 reeks from this vicinity; tbe prouabillty is that they are natives of tbe islands in this gulf. I have no doubt tbat under present oircunistimrcs th( Count will not venture out into the SïaUCeS Ï.UC VOUUl W1I1 HUL P"1"1" uui iuiw wiv Mediterranean for some time, iu which case he will lay up his vesscl in a snug harbor near his abode, aud will keep liis crew togcthcr for a day or two for that purix6e ; they will tlieu dispeirsi! to their homes, lf wc anticípate this by following them up too closcly, we shall have a íierce encounter and some losa of life, and I should not fee] disposed to put my frlend'e crew and yacht in such jeopardy ; besides, I really thiuk our object will bc more securely attained by t!ie course I propose." '¦I entirely concur in vour opinión, Lieutenant Bakhus," replied the (Jolonel; "in f act, I have resolved to defer in all mattere to the advice of yoursolf and my f riend Mervyn, as I am awarc that my feelings might prompt me to injudiciou8 and premature actiou. I therefore put myself under your command, baving the greatest contideuci; in you both." We bowed our acknowledgments, and the Lieutenant, thinkiue for a moment, said,- "Wa'al then, Kurnal; we'll just stop here fertwodayö and scout; the Lount's place of retreat can't bc more thau fifty miles off, and we'll be able to tind out bis whereaboutsfrom Borne of the 6kippers about this port. It won't do to run straight to the place; we must cruise round to some small port as near to it as pos6ible, hut not visible f rom it; aud creep round theshorein some kind of disguise; there are excellent telescopes on board, and we can sweep the coasts as we go, aud make prettv sure of the 'Gulnare' at twenty miles." 'I think, Lieutenant," said I, "we should purchase about a dozen fishermen's dresses, uch as they wear here ; it occurs to me that, to disarm suspicion, we had better adopt the local costume when we come to close quarters and the moment for actiou arrivés." "Yer right," said he; "these Grceks are the cuimiugest critters out- it won't do to take onc of cur boats within live miles oi the place; we'll have to hire] native boats for that job;- but let's go shore and look about." We auchored iu the bay of Poros, and in a few miuutes the Colonel, Lieutenant Bakhus, and I, landed on the flshing quay. Our arnval ilkl mit cause mueh exeitement, an the place was iiciiUfiitly vUitcd by yachtsin thesummer seasoii. We sauntered about, examlning the town iu a eareless loungiug manner, deferriug our purchases till the next day, and endeavoring to find some persou willi whom we could converse. On returniug to the mole, with the inteutlon of embarking and reuewing our vlsit to the town iu the morniug, au old sailor, who was leanine against the wall, said in broken Euglish, "That's a nice vcssel of yours, Eceellenza; but there's one in this gulf that could givebcr a mile in ten, aud maybe more." This, we saw, was the opportunity we were seeklug ; so lightlug our pipes and presenting the old tar with an ampie "quid"- the best introduetion all over the worlü to one of his class- we sat down on a log of tioiber, and soou entered into a lively eonversation. "Yes," 8akl he, "there's not a vcsscl, big or little, in these seas that can beat the 'Gulnare.' She salled by here, close inshore yesterday, with a freBh breeze, and 6he was out of sight round that point in Uve minutes ; she's at her moorings now, no doubt, and she'U lie there for three weeks, or a month ; for now'8 the time for catching tish aloüg these coasts, andsalting them for winter stock; and her crew will bc oft home till the Count wants them again." "Where does she He!" said I, lighting another pipe, aud looking as indifferent as possible. "About forty miles from here," he replied. "Yon can see the islaud on a"learday; it's calhd Angistri, and she lies in a small bay about a mile f roin the Count's house; it's an old rulned tower that he has partly repaired." I handed our iuformant auother quid, and sayiug that we migut land agaiu to-morrow, ." -otlinl .ui-nlifiul v Afwn tin ctna and ped into our boat. The Colonel and Lieutenant Bakhus had listened attentively to mj conversation with theokl sailor, and when we arrived on board we at once eonsulted our charts and found tbc i.-Iund of Augistri deliueated on it as described. "We'll stay here to-morrow, KurnaJ," said tlie I.ieutenaut, "and the morning after, lf the wind fafors, we'll drop down towardg it, and give it a wide berth ; we'll find out to-morrow with the help oí a couple more qulds, on which sidc of the island our friend resides, and we'll then know pretty uear where the 'Quinare' is berthed. l'm not sure but that it would be a good plan to hire that oíd cove as a pilot for a week; we eau teil him that we're goin' to cruise about the gulf. lie'll show us the Count's tower, and where the yaeht lies, and nfter that we'll give him a bottle of rum, and let him enjoy himself in the fo' uastle till we've done our business." We weat ashore next afternoon, purehased the flshcrnian's dres6cs, and made an engagement with uur aequaintance Beppo to pilot us during our stay. He carne on board early ne.xt Diornmg, and we at once weighed anchor and directed oureourse for the islánd; he informed Ufi that the Count's abode was afew miles south of the small port of Angi6tri, and we directed lilm to stecr the yacht close by the southern point of the island, and then along the coast at about ten miles distance, and to the north of the island of Epidauros. Early in the afternoon we slghteu the Count's tower, and the port of Angistri, which he po nted out, and which wcre plainly visible through our glasses. The tower wa situated upon a projeetiug headlaud, that appeared to rise perpendicularly froin the sea ; but between it and the port tliere extended a long stretch of pebbly beaeh, and we eould see numerous lishing-boats in the intervening bay. "Kurnal," said Lieutenant Bakhus, 'our plan will be to moor the yacht this evening behtnd that point north oï the port, where she will not be visible f rom the tower ; and early to-morrow to hire a couple of those fishingboats, with one of the natives ouly In each to navigate them. You and I and one of our men can go in one, and Mervyn, your friend Dennis, and one of the crew in the other. We will array oureelves in the fishing-garments we have provided, sail along the bay among the other boats, and land on that beach close to the headland. I will have the piDnace fully manned aud armed, and after our departure" from the yacht, ready to put off and keep us in view, cruistug about withiu sleht and awaiting a signal, whieh we can arrange, to bear down upon UB. Mervyn, Dennis, and two of my men will land, while you and ] remain iu the boats. Of course we must all be fully armed ; but I do not see that we can make añy íurther plans in regard to Mervyn's proeeeding on shore, which I think must be left to his discretion when he lands; ignorant as we are of the environs of the Count's abode. If he is so . fortúnate as to meet with and rescue your daughter, of course he will rcjoin us as quickly as he ean, and we will then put off and signal the pinnace to come to our aid." "You have devised a most sagacious plan, Lifutenant," replied Colonel De Burgho. "The eseue can only be aílectcd mainly by utrataem : though I íear If the Count is encountered le will resíst. All your plans, howevcr, are mo6t excellent." We salled at a swlft rate paêt the ísland and port of Angi8tri, and towards eventng put ihout, and aíter a couple of tacks anchored in he bay we had selected; Borne boats carne longslde to offer flsh for sale, and through the medium of Beppo we engaged two of tbem for pretended flhlng excursión on the morrow, peci'ally directing tbeir owners to brlng their Unes and netü. We then aelected two of the most athletlc and intelligent men on board, and iaving served out arma and ammunltion, retired to reeruit ourselves for the serlous undertaking of the succeeding day.