s way, devouring the miles fleetly. No sooner out of
Paris than Saint-Germain was cleared--Mantes left behind! As they were
approaching Bonnieres, Fandor, whose eyes had been fixed on the
interminable route, as though at some turn of the road he might catch
sight of their real destination, now felt that the abbe was watching
the landscape through half-closed eyes.

"You are awake, then, Monsieur l'Abbe?" observed Fandor-Vinson.

"I was wondering where we were."

"We are coming to Bonnieres."

"Good!" The abbe sat up, flung his rug aside.

"Do as I do, Corporal. Do not fold up the rug. Throw it over our
package. Prying eyes will not suspect its presence."

With the most stupid air in the world, Fandor asked:

"Must it not be seen, then?"

"Of course not! And at Bonnieres we must be on guard: the police there
are merciless: they arrest everyone who exceeds the speed limit....
Nor do we wish to arouse their curiosity about us personally. There is
a number of troops stationed here: the colonel is notorious for his
strictness: he is correctness personified."

Fandor-Vinson stared questionably at the abbe.

"But you do not seem to understand anything, Corporal Vinson!" he
cried in an irritated tone. "Whatever I say seems to send you into a
state of stupefaction!... I shall never do anything with you, you are
hopeless!... Ah, here is Bonnieres! Once outside the town, I will give
you some useful explanations."

A bare three minutes after leaving Bonnieres behind, the Abbe turned
to Fandor and asked in a low voice:

"What do you think is in that package, Corporal?"

"Good heavens! Monsieur l'Abbe."...

"Corporal, that contains a fortune for you and for me ... a piece of
artillery ... the mouthpiece of 155-R ... rapid firer!... You see its
importance?... To-night we sleep in the outskirts of Rouen ...
to-morrow, we leave early for Havre.... As I am known there, Corporal,
we shall have to separate.... You will go with the driver to the Nez
d'Antifer.... There you will find a fishing-boat in charge of a
friendly sailor ... all you have to do is to hand over this package to
him.... He will make for the open sea, where he will deliver it--into
the right hands."...

Involuntarily Fandor drew away from the priestly spy. The statements
just made to him were of so grave a nature; the adventure in which he
found himself involved was so dangerous, so nefarious, that Fandor
thrilled with terror and disgust. He kept silenc