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The “Thunder Child”
Butthisintelligencedidnotdeterhimfromtheplanofescapehehadformed,andthethreepressedeastwardallday,andheardnomoreofthebreaddistributionthanthispromise. Nor,asamatteroffact,didanyoneelsehearmoreofit. Thatnightfelltheseventhstar,fallinguponPrimroseHill. ItfellwhileMissElphinstonewaswatching,forshetookthatdutyalternatelywithmybrother.Shesawit.
OnWednesdaythethreefugitives—theyhadpassedthenightinafieldofunripewheat—reachedChelmsford,andthereabodyoftheinhabitants,callingitselftheCommitteeofPublicSupply,seizedtheponyasprovisions,andwouldgivenothinginexchangeforitbutthepromiseofashareinitthenextday. HeretherewererumoursofMartiansatEpping,andnewsofthedestructionofWalthamAbbeyPowderMillsinavainattempttoblowuponeoftheinvaders.
PeoplewerewatchingforMartiansherefromthechurchtowers. Mybrother,veryluckilyforhimasitchanced,preferredtopushonatoncetothecoastratherthanwaitforfood,althoughallthreeofthemwereveryhungry. BymiddaytheypassedthroughTillingham,which,strangelyenough,seemedtobequitesilentanddeserted,saveforafewfurtiveplunderershuntingforfood. NearTillinghamtheysuddenlycameinsightofthesea,andthemostamazingcrowdofshippingofallsortsthatitispossibletoimagine.
ForafterthesailorscouldnolongercomeuptheThames,theycameontotheEssexcoast,toHarwichandWaltonandClacton,andafterwardstoFoulnessandShoebury,tobringoffthepeople. Theylayinahugesickle-shapedcurvethatvanishedintomistatlasttowardstheNaze.
