At seven o'clock all was in readiness for a start.

Signor Polani set out alone in his gondola, and picked up Francis, and four men, at a secluded spot some distance from the house.

A messenger had been sent, two hours before, to the captain of one of the merchant ships lying in the port.

He at once put ten men into a large boat, and rowed down to within half a mile of the island.

Here a grapnel was thrown overboard, most of the men lay down in the bottom, and the captain, according to his instructions, kept a sharp lookout to see that no boat left San Nicolo--his instructions being to overhaul any boat coming out, and to see that no one was concealed on board it.
There he remained until Polani's gondola rowed past him.