"Listen," said Berry. "Four _bidons_ of what they had are in our tank. It was when they were in, that we found we hadn't a bean. That didn't matter. The gents were perfectly happy to take my address. A pencil was produced--we had nothing, of course--and I started to write it all down on the edge of yesterday's _Le Temps_. They all looked over my shoulder. As I was writing, I _felt_ their manner change. I stopped and looked round. _The fools were staring at me as if I were risen from the dead_. That mayn't surprise you, but it did me, because we'd got through that phase. For a moment we looked at one another. Then one picked up the paper and took off his hat. 'It is unnecessary,' he said, 'for _Monsieur_ to give us his name. We know it perfectly.' The others nodded agreement. I tell you, I thought they'd gone mad...." He pushed his hat back from his eyes and sat down on the step. "But--but what's the trouble?" I gasped. Berry threw out his hands. "Haven't you got it?" he said. "_They think I'm Sycamore Tight._" * * * * * I soon perceived the vanity of argument. With my brother-in-law in the hand and fifty thousand francs in the bush, the three mechanics were inexorable. They accepted my statements; they saw my point of view; they uncovered; they bowed; they laughed when I laughed; they admitted the possibility, nay, likelihood of a mistake; they deplored the inconvenience we were suffering. But, politely and firmly, they insisted that Berry should enter their car and accompany them to Lourdes. That this their demand should be met was not to be thought of. Adèle and I could not desert Berry; from the police at Lourdes nothing was to be expected but suspicion, hostility, and maddeningly officious delays; Berry's eventual release would only be obtained at a cost of such publicity as made my head swim. Any idea of force was out of the question. But for the presence of my wife, we would have done what we could. With Adèle in our care, however, we could not afford to fail, and--they were three to two. I racked my brain desperately.... Presently one of the trio lugged out a watch. When he showed his fellows the hour, they flung up their arms. A moment later they were clearing for action. _Le Temps_ was carefully folded and stuffed out of sight. Berry was informed, with a bow, that, so soon as their car was turned round, they would be ready to leave. The slightest of the three stepped to the starting-handle... The next moment, with a deafening roar, their engine was under way. I was standing with my hand upon our off hind wing, and as the driver ran to his throttle, I felt a steady tremor. _Under cover of the other car's roar, Adèle had started Pong's engine_. What was a great deal more, _she had given me my cue_. I thought like lightning. There was not a moment to lose. Already the driver was in his seat and fumbling with his gear-lever....