Many had died during the night.

Others were too weak to obey the summons.

The names of the rest were taken, and not a little surprise was expressed, by the Genoese officers, at the extreme youth of the officer in command of the Pluto.
"I was only the second in command," Francis said in answer to their questions.

"Carlo Bottini was in command of the ship, but he was killed at the commencement of the fight." "But how is it that one so young came to be second?
You must belong to some great family to have been thus pushed forward above men so much your senior.
"It was a wise choice nevertheless," the commander of one of the galleys which had been engaged with the Pluto said, "for it is but justice to own that no ship was better handled, or fought, in the Venetian fleet.

They were engaged with us first, and for over an hour they fought us on fair terms, yielding no foot of ground, although we had far more men than they carried.