favour of the five thinnest, who, thereupon, evidently regarding the
matter as finally settled, sat down, and told the other two to get
out.

These two stout ones, however--the German and one of the Belgians--
seemed inclined to dispute the award, and called up the station-
master.

The station-master did not wait to listen to what they had to say,
but at once began abusing them for being in the carriage at all. He
told them they ought to be ashamed of themselves for forcing their
way into a compartment that was already more than full, and
inconveniencing the people already there.

He also used English to explain this to them, and they got out on
the platform and answered him back in English.

English seems to be the popular language for quarrelling in, among
foreigners. I suppose they find it more expressive.

We all watched the group from the window. We were amused and
interested. In the middle of the argument an early gendarme arrived
on the scene. The gendarme naturally supported the station-master.
One man in uniform always supports another man in uniform, no matter
what the row is about, or who may be in the right--that does not
trouble him. It is a fixed tenet of belief among uniform circles
that a uniform can do no wrong. If burglars wore uniform, the
police would be instructed to render them every assistance in their
power, and to take into custody any householder attempting to
interfere with them in the execution of their business. The