Thus you will, this time, take in a much smaller amount of cargo, as you will have to pay for the most part in gold." It mattered little to Francis where he voyaged; but Matteo, who had been greatly delighted at the thought of sailing with his friend, was much disappointed when he heard that they were only going to fetch grain from Sicily.
"Why, it is nothing to call a voyage," he said in tones of disgust, when Francis told him the destination of the Lido.

"I had hoped we were going to make a long voyage, and touch at all sorts of places, just as you did last time." "I do not see that it matters much, Matteo; and we shall learn navigation just as well from one course as another.

The voyage will not be a long one, unless we meet with unfavourable winds; but there's no saying what may happen, and you may meet with adventure, even on a voyage to Sicily and back." The trip down to Sicily was quickly made.

Francis had worked hard on his first voyage, and was now able to make daily calculations as to the run made, the course steered, and the position of the ship, and found that these tallied closely with those of the captain.

Matteo and he shared a large and handsome cabin, and the time passed pleasantly as the vessel ran down the coast of Italy.