parcels under five hundred gallons."

"Yes, yes." The Major lit his pipe and puffed meditatively. "I am
not denying that. Only, you see, on our side these large operations
rather heighten the expense than diminish it, while they heighten the
risk enormously."

"I do not see." M. Dupin crossed his legs and awaited an explanation.

"It is simple. So many more tubs, so many more carriers; so many
more carriers, so much the more risk of including an informer.
One hundred carriers, say, I can lay hands on, knowing them all for
tried men. Beyond that number I rely on recommendations, often
carelessly given. The risk is more than trebled. And then, the fact
of my being Mayor--"

"I should have thought it lessened the risk."

"In a way, yes. But in case of miscarriage, the consequences must be
more severe. I will own that you tempt me. The tubs, you say, would
be ready slung."

"Ready slung for carriage, man or horse, whichever you prefer, with
ropes, stones and six anchors for sinking in case of emergency.
We will allow for these if they are returned."

"To tell the truth, since becoming chief magistrate of this borough,
I have rather set my face against these operations. It has seemed to
me more consonant. . . . And an operation on the scale you propose
could not be conducted without some degree of--er--audacity."

"It means a forced run," assented M. Dupin.

"If, on reflection--" the Major hesitated.

"Excuse me, but there is no time. For reasons of our own, my firm
must clear the stuff before the end of April; that is why we offer it
at the price. Three gross, with six ankers of the colouring stuff
gratis--and the tubs ready slung. It must be 'yes' or 'no'; if you
decline, then I have another customer on the string."

"The end of April, you say?" The Major refilled his glass and mused,
holding it up against the last gleam of daylight.

"We could ship it on the 27th or 28th. The moon serves then.
Say that you run it on the night of the 30th?"

"Of the 30th?" echoed the Major. "But on that night, of all others,
my hands are full. To begin with, we are half-expecting the
Millennium."

"The Millennium, _hein_?" echoed M. Dupin in his turn. "I do not
know her."

"It's not a boat," the Major explained. "It's a--well, in fact, we
are not altogether sure what it may turn out to be. But, setting
this aside, I am engaged to conduct a military operation on the night
of the 30th."

"_Hein_?" M