ence of my
wife, we would have done what we could. With Adele 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, Adele 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....

As slowly as I dared, I strolled to the off-side door.

Adele's and my eyes met.

"When you hear me say, 'Look'," I said.

With the faintest smile, 'Pierrette' stared through the wind-screen....

I returned to the rear of the car.

The way we were using was narrow, but fifty paces away in the direction
of Argeles was a track which left our road to lead to a farm. For this
spot the driver was making. There he would be able to turn with the
acme of ease.

His two companions were standing close to Berry.

As luck would have it, the latter was standing with his back to our
car, perhaps a foot from the tail-lamp.

Not one of the three, I fancy, had any idea that our engine was running.

I addressed the mechanics in French.

"I have been talking with _Madame_, and, tired as she is, she agrees
that it will be best if we follow you to Lourdes. Please don't go too
fast when you get to the town, or we shall lose our way."

As they assured me of their service, I turned to Berry, as though to
translate what I had said.

"There are two steps to the dickey. The lower one is two paces to your
right and one to your rear. It is not meant for a seat, but it will
do. Throw your arm round the spare wheels and sit tight."

Berry shrugged his shoulders.

A glance up the road showed me the other car being turned into the
track.

I crossed to the near side of Pong and stooped as though to examine the
exhaust. T