It was early for the full season at Ostend, but the sands were already crowded with an immense throng of children and holiday-makers.

The hotels were all open, and streams of people were passing back and forth along the front, Norgate, who had no wish to meet acquaintances, passed the first period of his enforced wait a little wearily.

He took a taxicab and drove as far as Knocke.

Here he strolled across the links and threw himself down finally amongst a little wave of sandy hillocks close to the sea.

The silence, and some remains of the sleepiness of the previous night, soon began to have their natural effect.