had only been pretending
to sleep while watching in the dark for daylight.

When it came, it found no watchful eye, after all. The excitement gave
way to fatigue, and drowsiness first, then deep sleep, completed its
victory. It was eight o'clock when we awoke. The morning was cloudy and
chilly, the sun being too lazy to attend to business; now and then it
rained a little, too. And yet it was the most beautiful day that had
ever dawned on Hamburg.

We enjoyed everything offered for breakfast, two matzos and two cups of
tea apiece--why it was a banquet. After it came the good-byes, as we
were going soon. As I told you before, the strangers became fast friends
in a short time under the circumstances, so there was real sorrow at the
partings, though the joy of the fortunate ones was, in a measure, shared
by all.

About one o'clock (we didn't go to dinner--we couldn't eat for
excitement) we were called. There were three other families, an old
woman, and a young man, among the Jewish passengers, who were going with
us, besides some Polish people. We were all hurried through the door we
had watched with longing for so long, and were a little way from it when
the old woman stopped short and called on the rest to wait.

"We haven't any matzo!" she cried in alarm. "Where's the overseer?"

Sure enough we had forgotten it, when we might as well have left one of
us behind. We refused to go, calling for the overseer, who had promised
to supply us, and the man who had us in charge grew angry and said he
wouldn't wait. It was a terrible situation for us.

"Oh," said the man, "you can go and get your matzo, but the boat won't
wait for you." And he walked off, followed by the Polish people only.

We had to decide at once. We looked at the old woman. She said she
wasn't going to start on a dangerous journey with such a sin on her
soul. Then the children decided. They understood the matter. They cried
and begged to follow the party. And we did.

Just when we reached the shore, the cook came up panting hard. She
brought us matzo. How relieved we were then!

We got on a little steamer (the name is too big for it) that was managed
by our conductor alone. Before we had recovered from the shock of the
shrill whistle so near us, we were landing in front of a large stone
building.

Once more we were under the command of the gendarme. We were ordered to
go into a big room crowded with people, and wait till the name of our
ship was call