"It is not always one gets such a lucky combination of circumstances as we did at Girgenti." At last, they obtained news from a fishing boat that Fieschi's fleet had passed, going northward, on the previous day, and was now lying in the bay of Antium.

As Antium lay but a few miles north, they held a consultation as to the best method to pursue.

If they sailed on there was a risk of capture; but that risk did not appear to be very great.
The Genoese admiral would not expect to find a Venetian merchant ship so near to Genoa, and they might be able to pass without being interfered with.

On the other hand, news might possibly have come of the departure of store ships from Venice for Pisani's fleet, and in that case a strict lookout would certainly be kept, and it would be necessary to keep so far to sea as to be out of sight of the Genoese; but in that case there would be a risk of their missing Pisani's fleet on the way down.
"I think," the captain said, after a long debate, "that we had better anchor here close under the shore tonight.

If I am not mistaken, we shall have a gale in the morning.