Their office hours were from twelve to twelve, and each consulate had taken out an all-night license and thrown away the key.

With four other Americans I was forced to rout one consul out of bed at two in the morning.

He was Colonel Albert W.Swalm, of Iowa, but of late years our representative at Southampton.

That port was in the military zone, and before an American could leave it for Havre it was necessary that his passport should be viseed in London by the French and Belgian consuls-general and in Southampton by Colonel Swalm.

We arrived in Southampton at two in the morning to learn that the boat left at four, and that unless, in the interval, we obtained the autograph and seal of Colonel Swalm she would sail without us.
In the darkness we set forth to seek our consul, and we found that, difficult as it was to leave the docks by sea, it was just as difficult by land.