On arrival I sent one of my men to hold the train while I went into
the telegraph office, cleared the wires, and got into communication
with the lock master at Meulan. He replied that no steam launch had
passed down since an hour before sunset. I then instructed him to
allow the yacht to enter the lock, close the upper gate, let half of
the water out, and hold the vessel there until I came. I also ordered
the local Meulan police to send enough men to the lock to enforce this
command. Lastly, I sent messages all along the river asking the police
to report to me on the train the passage of the steam launch.
The 10.25 is a slow train, stopping at every station. However, every
drawback has its compensation, and these stoppages enabled me to
receive and to send telegraphic messages. I was quite well aware that
I might be on a fool's errand in going to Meulan. The yacht could have
put about before it had steamed a mile, and so returned back to Paris.
There had been no time to learn whether this was so or not if I was to
catch the 10.25. Also, it might have landed its passengers anywhere
along the river. I may say at once that neither of these two things
happened, and my calculations regarding her movements were accurate to
the letter.
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