was little to be wondered at that the wits of the fugitives were at
once set to work in lightning-like manner. If they were to escape,
indeed, and were to avoid the police officials waiting for them at the
station so near at hand, they must act instantly, must find some
loophole, must alter their plans completely. Already the train was
again in motion, for it had only pulled up for a few seconds, and, even
while they were debating the matter, were looking at one another
enquiringly, and were feeling already as if the case were hopeless, it
ran into the tunnel. It was then that Henri gripped his two companions
and spoke eagerly to them.

"Quick, to the end of the carriage," he said; "then hop out. It's
dark, so that no one can see us. On no account must we be seen on the
train when it has passed through the tunnel."

It was a fortunate thing for the trio that the train had been unable to
get up any great speed since it got into motion again after leaving the
signal station. It did little better than crawl into the tunnel, and,
seeing that the station at which it was destined to halt, and where the
police were waiting the fugitives, was only a short distance beyond,
the driver made no effort to hurry. Thus it followed that the drop
from the train was a matter of no great difficulty, particularly for
such active individuals as Henri, Jules, and Stuart. Crouching between
the wall of the tunnel and the passing train, they listened to it as it
rumbled away in the distance towards a mere dot of light which
disclosed the far end of the tunnel. Then that dot was of a sudden
blotted out of sight, and the rumbling became louder.

"What's that?" demanded Stuart. "Not gone off the rails, I hope, for
that will bring a pack of people into the place, and they'll find us."

"Another train has entered the tunnel, I think," came from Jules.
"Listen, now, and look! You can see sparks coming from the funnel."

"Then, why not?" demanded Henri, in a voice which trembled with
excitement. "Why not transfer ourselves to it? What matter if it is
going in the opposite direction, so long as it throws our pursuers off
the scent. Eh--what's the verdict?"

"That we snatch the goods the gods send us, and pile on to the new
train."

That, too, was a matter of extreme simplicity to the three. Only, had
the train been lighted, and had there been railway officials on it,
they would have been staggered, no doubt, and vastly moved at
w