"Ay, 'twas you warned me of the dangers of Outremer," retorted Hugh. "Does it surprise you to find me alive?"
Mocenigo laughed grimly.
"Be not too sure of life. My arm is long."
"And mine!"
Mocenigo slipped to the deck to avoid a swinging cut, and Hugh gathered himself to leap the green gondola's rail. One of Mocenigo's bravos was down, and the sole remaining one had all he could do to resist Matteo and Ralph. The gondoliers were waging an independent battle. But in the very moment of victory a hail rang out of the darkness.
"In the name of the Republic!"
And a lean, twelve-oared galley ranged alongside the comrades' gondola.
"In the name of the Republic!" the hail was repeated. "Put down your arms."
"The Lords of the Night!" cried Beppo.
"The Lords of the Night!" was the echo from the green gondola.