146 FOLKESTONE. 



The arrangements of the Dover and Calais line are mack 

 with special reference to the carrying of the mails, which, 

 in order that the postal service between London and Paris 

 may be regular, have to leave at the same hour every day, 

 whatever may be the state of the tide. 



But the communication by Folkestone and Boulogne is 

 conducted more particularly with a view to the conven- 

 ience of passengers. Accordingly, the time of the leaving 

 of the boat from Folkestone is governed by the state of the 

 tide, so that the passengers can always embark on the En- 

 glish side, and disembark on the French side, directly from 

 the pier. This makes it necessary that the hour of depart- 

 ure should change from day to day, according to the state 

 of the tide ; and John found, on looking at the time-table, 

 that the hour of sailing for the next day was at ten o'clock 

 in the evening. Now he thought that going on board a 

 steamer at ten o'clock in the evening, and making the voy- 

 age in the night, would be more romantic than even going 

 out to join a steamer lying in the open roadstead in an 

 open boat, and so he decided at once in favor of Folke- 

 stone and Boulogne. 



He rose early the next morning, so as to accomplish one 

 of his three hours of study before breakfast. He would 

 like to have done more than that, but he had not time, 

 and after breakfast he was so much occupied in making 

 arrangements for commencing the journey that he could 

 do no more before setting out. He determined on taking 

 the first train after breakfast. 



"You see, by that plan," he said to Lawrence, "we shall 

 have more time at Folkestone ; only I should have liked to 

 stay here a little longer, to do some more of my studying." 



" You can do it just as well at Folkestone," said Law- 

 rence. "There is an excellent place to write and study 

 there." 



