"The wire is precise in its details. The man who sends it is a sharp police spy—never hesitates, never makes a blunder!... It seems evident that Vinson has given us the slip! He must have reached the coast at some point, and, in an unnoticed boat, has passed under our noses this very night!... Here's a go! The very deuce of a go!"
Intensely irritated, excited, Juve read and reread the telegram, fussed and fumed about the police station under the scared eyes of the policeman on guard duty. That worthy began to think the detective from Paris was an unmitigated nuisance.
Juve did not take this humble colleague into his confidence. He issued orders.
"You must not stir from here till the superintendent arrives. You will hand him this telegram addressed to me here. I will wire instructions in the morning where they are to be forwarded to me in England."
"In England!"
"Yes, I am crossing immediately by a Cook's excursion steamer, which goes in an hour, unless I am mistaken!"
Juve found de Loubersac pacing the quay. He had been smoking cigar after cigar to clear his head. Juve handed him a sheet of paper; on it he had copied the text of the telegram.
"Read that!" he cried.... "These confounded spies have found means to escape our attentions—but this is not the end of the game!"
Lieutenant Henri was thunderstruck.
"What are you going to do, Juve?"