"Good-by," replied Pierre, standing on one of the landing-planks lying between the deck of the _Lorraine_ and the quay. He shook hands all round once more, and they were gone. "Make haste, jump into the carriage," cried the father. A fly was waiting for them and took them to the outer harbor, where Papagris had the _Pearl_ in readiness to put out to sea. There was not a breath of air; it was one of those crisp, still autumn days, when the sheeny sea looks as cold and hard as polished steel. Jean took one oar, the sailor seized the other and they pulled off. On the breakwater, on the piers, even on the granite parapets, a crowd stood packed, hustling and noisy, to see the _Lorraine_ come out. The _Pearl_ glided down between these two waves of humanity and was soon outside the mole. Captain Beausire, seated between the two women, held the tiller, and he said: "You will see, we shall be close in her way ---- close." And the two oarsmen pulled with all their might to get out as far as possible. Suddenly Roland cried out: "Here she comes! I see her masts and her two funnels! She is coming out of the inner harbor." "Cheerily, lads!" cried Beausire. Mme. Roland took out her handkerchief and held it to her eyes. Roland stood up, clinging to the mast, and answered: "At this minute she is working round in the outer harbor. She is standing still--now she moves again! She was taking the tow-rope on board, no doubt. There she goes. Bravo! She is between the piers! Do you hear the crowd shouting? Bravo! The _Neptune_ has her in tow. Now I see her bows--here she comes--here she is! Gracious heavens, what a ship! Look! look!" Mme. Rosemilly and Beausire looked up behind them, the oarsmen ceased pulling; only Mme. Roland did not stir. The immense steamship, towed by a powerful tug, which, in front of her, looked like a caterpillar, came slowly and majestically out of the harbor. And the good people of Havre, who crowded the piers, the beach, and the windows, carried away by a burst of patriotic enthusiasm, cried: "_Vive la Lorraine!_" with acclamations and applause for this magnificent beginning, this birth of the beautiful daughter given to the sea by the great maritime town. She, as soon as she had passed beyond the narrow channel between the two granite walls, feeling herself free at last, cast off the tow-ropes and went off alone, like a monstrous creature walking on the waters. "Here she is--here she comes, straight down on us!" Roland kept shouting; and Beausire, beaming, exclaimed: "What did I promise you! Heh! Do I know the way?" Jean in a low tone said to his mother: "Look, mother, she is close upon us!" And Mme. Roland uncovered her eyes, blinded by tears. The _Lorraine_ came on, still under the impetus of her swift exit from the harbor, in the brilliant, calm weather. Beausire, with his glass to his eye, called out: "Look out! M. Pierre is at the stern, all alone, plainly to be seen! Look out!"