and saw the mass of dark forms disappearing into the night. Then I must
have fainted. When I recovered my senses I was in the guard room. They
gave me brandy, and after a while I was able to tell them something of
what had passed. Then a commissary of police appeared, apparently out of
the empty air, as is the way of the Parisian police officer. He listened
attentively, and then had a moment's consultation with the officer in
command. Apparently they were agreed, for they asked me if I were ready
now to come with them.

'Where to?' I asked, rising to go.

'Back to the dust heaps. We shall, perhaps, catch them yet!'

'I shall try!' said I.

He eyed me for a moment keenly, and said suddenly:

'Would you like to wait a while or till tomorrow, young Englishman?'
This touched me to the quick, as, Perhaps, he intended, and I jumped to
my feet, touched the bank and sprang up it. There was not a single
second to spare, for hard behind me the boat grounded and several dark
forms sprang after me. I gained the top of the dyke, and keeping to the
left ran on again. The boat put off and followed down the stream. Seeing
this I feared danger in this direction, and quickly turning, ran down
the dyke on the other side, and after passing a short stretch of marshy
ground gained a wild, open flat country and sped on.

Still behind me came on my relentless pursuers. Far away, below me, I
saw the same dark mass as before, but now grown closer and greater. My
heart gave a great thrill of delight, for I knew that it must be the