Often, too, he would go out to one of the sandy islets, and there setting up a mark, practise with the bow.

His muscles too, had gained strength and hardness by rowing.

It was his constant habit of an evening, when well away from the crowded canals in the gondola, with Giuseppi, the son and assistant of his father's gondolier, to take an oar, for he had thoroughly mastered the difficult accomplishment of rowing well in a gondola; but he only did this when far out from the city, or when the darkness of evening would prevent his figure from being recognized by any of his acquaintances, for no Venetian of good family would demean himself by handling an oar.

Francis, however, accustomed to row upon the Thames, could see no reason why he should not do the same in a gondola, and in time he and his companion could send the boat dancing over the water, at a rate which enabled them to overtake and distance most pair-oared boats.
After breakfast next morning he went down to the steps, where Beppo and Giuseppi, in their black cloth suits with red sashes round their waists, were waiting with the gondola in which Mr.Hammond was going out to Malamocco, to examine a cargo which had the day before arrived from Azoph.

Giuseppi jumped ashore.
"I have heard of just the gondola to suit you, Messer Francisco, and you can get her a bargain." "What is she like, Giuseppi ?" "She belongs to a man out at Lido.