room
adjoining the bedroom. Their patient, Fandor, had just wakened and had
cried out:

"I'm dying of hunger!"

It was about nine o'clock in the morning. After rescuing his friend
Fandor from his perilous situation, he had taken the unfortunate
journalist to his own home in Rue Richer and called in a physician of
the quarter, Doctor Gast. An examination of the patient showed that he
had received no serious injury, merely some abrasions and one or two
burns.

As Juve and the Doctor answered his call for food, Fandor sat up and
without surprise or question repeated his cry:

"I'm dying of hunger. Hurry up and give me something to eat."

The Doctor took his pulse, then suggested:

"Something light won't hurt him, say, a slice of ham."

A formidable oath was the reply:

"No, thanks!... anything you like, but not ham."

"All right ... a chicken wing instead."

This seemed to satisfy Fandor, who added:

"While I'm awful hungry, don't forget that I'm just as thirsty!"

"Well, Doctor?"

"Well, Monsieur, I find everything going well. Our patient has had a
good meal and is now sleeping peacefully. By to-morrow, M. Fandor will
be all right again. It was, however, about time he got food, for in my
judgment he pretty nearly died of hunger."

"That's what I can't understand."

"When you went back just now to the scene of the accident, didn't you
learn any of the details?"

Juve answered evasively:

"Nothing to speak of, Doctor, merely that the wounds of the passengers
are not serious. As to the cause of the explosion, I have a notion that
it may have been due to an escape of gas. I noticed a strong odor of it
about. Probably a spark set it off."

The doctor now took his leave, and no sooner was he well out of the door
when a joyful whistle came from the sick man's room. Juve could not
restrain an exclamation of surprise as he looked into the bedroom.
Fandor was already partly dressed and in the act of lacing up his boots.

"You are crazy to get up in your condition!"

"Hang my condition, I feel as strong as a horse and as hungry as a
bear."

Juve laughed.

"Oh, if that's the way you feel there's nothing more to be said."

After a second breakfast, Fandor turned to his friend:

"Now, then, Juve, let's hear where you've been!"

For two hours each in turn narrated their adventures of the past days,
and by combining their experiences, they arrived at a clear view of the
situation. One question was answer