I require authority from the Government to take a passenger, but I need none to engage a new engineer.' He sent one of the hands back to the village to cancel his wire.

In ten minutes I found myself on board, and ten minutes later we were out in mid-stream and our tows were lumbering into line.

Coffee was being made ready in the cabin, and while I waited for it I picked up the captain's binoculars and scanned the place I had left.
I saw some curious things.

On the first road I had struck on leaving the cottage there were men on bicycles moving rapidly.

They seemed to wear uniform.