The coachman took them by an open road facing the harbor. The sight of
the _Aphrodite_ lying at anchor, trimly elegant in white paint and
neatly-furled sails, and sporting the ensign of a famous yacht club,
led Dick to ask if his companion knew that an Italian gunboat was on
the lookout for her.
"Oh, yes. His Excellency spared me no details," said Mr. Fenshawe,
smiling sarcastically. "If I were a few years younger, and we had no
women on board, I would not allow any threats of that sort to hinder
me, and I am much mistaken in my officers and men if they refused to
back me up. But, as it is, we can do nothing. That is what galls me, my
complete helplessness."
"We have no heavy guns, I admit," said Dick, casting to the winds all
thought of leaving the ship under present conditions, "but we have arms
and ammunition in plenty to make it hot work for any one in Massowah to
stop us once we are ashore."
The other sighed, whether on account of his vanished youth or the
impracticable nature of the scheme, it is hard to say.
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