He it was who jumped from the tonneau, and in passable Spanish asked our
inquisitor which, if any, of our suit-cases he wished to open. At the same
instant a propitiatory cigarette was offered and accepted.

Carefully the overcoated man selected with his eye a piece of luggage on
the car roof. Luck was with us. It was the one easiest to unlock.

In the twinkling of an eye (an American, not a Spanish eye), the thing was
down and in the office. The _douanier_ was about to inspect, in his
leisured way, when a peasant entered with some bags to be weighed.

Naturally the official fell into chat with the new-comer, and it was
necessary to remind him that we had the right of precedence. Every moment
was of importance, for already there was time for a telegram to have
arrived. Presently there would be time for its instructions to be acted on
as well. And at this moment I realized, as I had not fully realized
before, all that it would mean to me of humiliation and defeat to fail
ignominiously on the threshold of my adventure.

It was hard to show no impatience as the _douanier's_ lazy,
cigarette-stained hand wandered among the contents of the suit-case. When
any article puzzled him, he paused; another precious minute gone. But
eventually, having had a safety-razor explained, he was satisfied with the
inspection of the luggage, and indicated that it might be replaced. Then
came the question of the deposit of money for the car, on entering Spain.

Very carefully did the imperturbable official examine each Spanish
bank-note we tendered; laboriously did he make out the receipt. Had he
meant to detain us, his movements, his words, could not have been more
deliberate. How I had longed to hear again the Spanish language spoken by
Spaniards in Spain, yet how little was I able to appreciate the fulfilment
of my long-cherished wish! At last, however, every formality was complied
with, and we were free to go.

With all speed we took our man at his word. The leather-coated,
leather-legginged chauffeur set the engine's heart going in time with his
own, flung himself into the tonneau, and had not shut the door when Waring
slipped in the clutch, muttering "Hooray!"

Another second and we should have been beyond recall; but hardly was the
brake off than it had to go crashing on again to avoid running over a
sergeant and two soldiers who rushed up and sprang in front of us, puffing
with unwonted haste.

In his hand the sergeant held a