serious!" and they glanced uneasily at the neighboring
coasts on both sides. Although they presented the usual appearance,
behind them, perhaps, a new period of history was in the making.

The transatlantic was due at Boulogne at midnight where it was supposed
to wait until daybreak to discharge its passengers comfortably. It
arrived, nevertheless, at ten, dropped anchor outside the harbor, and
the Commandant gave orders that the disembarkation should take place
in less than an hour. For this reason they had quickened their speed,
consuming a vast amount of extra coal. It was necessary to get away
as soon as possible, seeking the refuge of Hamburg. The radiographic
apparatus had evidently been working to some purpose.

By the glare of the bluish searchlights which were spreading a livid
clearness over the sea, began the unloading of passengers and baggage
for Paris, from the transatlantic into the tenders. "Hurry! Hurry!" The
seamen were pushing forward the ladies of slow step who were recounting
their valises, believing that they had lost some. The stewards loaded
themselves up with babies as though they were bundles. The general
precipitation dissipated the usual exaggerated and oily Teutonic
amiability. "They are regular bootlickers," thought Desnoyers. "They
believe that their hour of triumph has come, and do not think it
necessary to pretend any longer." . . .

He was soon in a launch that was bobbing up and down on the waves
near the black and immovable hulk of the great liner, dotted with many
circles of light and filled with people waving handkerchiefs. Julio
recognized Bertha who was waving her hand without seeing him, without
knowing in which tender he was, but feeling obliged to show her
gratefulness for the sweet memories that now were being lost in the
mystery of the sea and the night. "Adieu, Frau Rath!"

The distance between the departing transatlantic and the lighters was
widening. As though it had been awaiting this moment with impunity, a
stentorian voice on the upper deck shouted with a noisy guffaw, "See you
later! Soon we shall meet you in Paris!" And the marine band, the very
same band that three days before had astonished Desnoyers with its
unexpected Marseillaise, burst forth into a military march of the time
of Frederick the Great--a march of grenadiers with an accompaniment of
trumpets.

That had been the night before. Although twenty-four hours had not yet
passed by, Desnoyers was alread