For three days every available policeman and detective in Bordeaux was hunting up and down the streets examining every hotel, and examining every ship and steamer in the port, but no trace of Duval could be found.
At length, about two hours before the Divona was notified to sail the chef de police received a lengthy telegram from Villebois. It read as follows:—
"Last night Professor Delapine had a psychic vision; he saw Pierre Duval in a room changing his clothes. He disguised himself as a Gascony farmer. Was dressed in his Sunday coat with large buttons, a slouch hat with broad brim, and leggings. He put on a long yellow-brown beard, and the same coloured hair hanging down to his shoulders, blue spectacles and a crooked stick. He left the inn in a cab, with a large wooden box, and went on board steamer as a third-class passenger. Act immediately on this information. Villebois."
M. Patrigent at once had copies of the telegram distributed to the chief centres by boys on bicycles, and hastening with Riche on board the Divona they inspected the third-class passengers and rooms. Suddenly Riche in his excitement called out.
"See, there he is," and he pointed with his finger.
"Where?" asked the chief of the police, trembling with excitement.
But Riche had spoken so loud that the person in question slipped away and vanished among the crowd.
At that moment the ship's siren uttered a loud blast, while several sailors prepared to unfasten the gangway.
"Keep an eye on him, doctor," said Patrigent, bounding on deck as the visitors were leaving the ship.