That day the scattered multitudes began to realise the urgent need
of provisions.  As they grew hungry the rights of property ceased to
be regarded.  Farmers were out to defend their cattle-sheds,
granaries, and ripening root crops with arms in their hands.  A number
of people now, like my brother, had their faces eastward, and there
were some desperate souls even going back towards London to get food.
These were chiefly people from the northern suburbs, whose knowledge
of the Black Smoke came by hearsay.  He heard that about half the
members of the government had gathered at Birmingham, and that
enormous quantities of high explosives were being prepared to be used
in automatic mines across the Midland counties.