“I have done a rash thing, Mr. Easy, I am afraid. I should have taken them all on board and delivered them up to the authorities. I wish I had thought of that before. We must get to Palermo as fast as we can, and have the troops sent after these miscreants. Hands ’bout ship, fill the mainyard.”
The wind had veered round, and the Aurora was now able to lay up clear of the island of Maritimo. The next morning she anchored in Palermo Roads—gave immediate notice to the authorities, who, wishing Captain Wilson’s philanthropy at the devil, immediately despatched a large body of troops in quest of the liberated malefactors. Captain Wilson, feeling for Jack’s anxiety about his friends, called him over to him on deck, and gave him and Gascoigne permission to go on shore.
“Will you allow me to take Mesty with me, sir, if you please?” said Jack.
“Yes, Mr. Easy ; but recollect that, even with Mesty, you are no match for one hundred and fifty men, so be prudent. I send you to relieve your anxiety, not to run into danger.”
“Of course, sir,” replied Jack, touching his hat, and walking away quietly till he came to the hatchway, when he darted down like a shot, and was immediately occupied with his preparations.
In half an hour our two midshipmen, with Mesty, had landed, and proceeded to the inn where they had put up before : they were armed up to the teeth. Their first inquiries were for Don Philip and his brother.
“Both on leave of absence,” replied the landlord, “and staying with Don Rebiera.”
“That’s some comfort,” thought Jack. “Now we must get horses as fast as we can.—Mesty, can you ride?”
“By all de power, can I ride, Massa Easy ; suppose you ride Kentucky horse, you ride anyting.”
In half an hour four horses and a guide were procured, and at eight o’clock in the morning the party set off in the direction of Don Rebiera’s country seat.
They had not ridden more than six miles when they came up with one of the detachments sent out in pursuit of the liberated criminals. Our hero recognized the commanding officer as an old acquaintance, and imparting to him the release of Don Silvio, and his fears upon Don Rebiera’s account, begged him to direct his attention that way.
“Corpo di Bacco—you are right, Signor Mid,” replied the officer, “but Don Philip is there, and his brother too, I believe. I will be there by ten o’clock to-morrow morning ; we will march almost the whole night.”
“They have no arms,” observed Easy.
“No, but they will soon get them : they will go to some small town in a body, plunder it, and then seek the protection of the mountains. Your captain has given us a pretty job.”
Jack exchanged a few more words, and then, excusing himself on account of his haste, put the spurs to his horse and regained his own party, who now proceeded at a rapid pace.
“O Signor !” said the guide, “we shall kill the horses.”
“I’ll pay for them,” said Jack.
“Yes, but we shall kill them before we get there, Jack,” replied Gascoigne, “and have to walk the rest of the way.”
“Very true, Ned ; let’s pull up, and give them their wind.”