t few days and one good row would throw the fat in the fire. I
went through the rough part of town late this afternoon and found
patrols everywhere, heavily armed and swaggering about in groups of
four. For their own sake I hope the people will not do anything foolish.

People are making another effort to get away and are not finding it
easy. At six this morning a crowd left here for Ninove, twenty
kilometers to the west. Twenty-five hundred of them clung all over the
trams that make the trip. At Ninove they walked a mile or so, carrying
their belongings, and caught a train to Alost, where they changed for
another train for Ghent. Goodness knows how many changes they had ahead
of them after that. The trip was supposed to end safely in Ostend some
time this evening. It usually takes two hours.

Hearing that the train service was open and that boats were running from
Ostend to Folkstone, we decided to verify the tidings and then get off
some of our people, who should have gone long ago.

To make sure Blount and I motored down to Ninove after lunch to telephone
the Consul at Ostend and learn the true state of affairs. When we reached
Ninove we found the station so packed with refugees that there was no
getting near the telephone bureau. The Chef de Gare, who had never in his
long and honourable career had such a mob to lord it over, was so puffed
up that he could not get down near enough to earth to hear our questions,
so we decided to proceed to Alost and try our luck there.

We motored over in short order and got quick communication with the
Consul at Ostend. He had very little news save that a lot of British
Marines had been landed there and had to-day been taken away again. He
gave us what we wanted in the way of steamer information.

I got the Consul-General at Antwerp on the telephone and learned that
all was well there.

As I came out of the booth from this second call, I was held up by a
Garde Civique, who inquired if I was the _Monsieur de l'automobile_. He
would like to see my papers. Certainly. Then I remembered that I had
left all my Belgian papers at the Legation and had nothing but papers in
German from the military authorities. I showed them anyway. Before he
could examine us any further, three eager amateur Sherlocks came
bursting into the room and took charge of the proceedings. The leader
pointed an accusing finger at Blount, and exclaimed, "You have come from
Ninove!" Blount admitted it. "You had a