We lunched in the small but hospitable village of Sézanne, in company
with a most charming invalided officer who informed us that he was the
principal in that district of the S.D.R.D.R. (Service de Recherche des
Rattiers) (the Principal Recruiting Officer for Rat-catchers). In other
words, he is spending his time endeavouring to persuade suitable
"bow-wows" to enlist in the service of their country. Likely dogs are
trained until they do not bark, and become entirely accustomed to the
sound of firing; they are then pronounced "Aptes à faire campagne," or
"Fit for service," receive their _livret militaire_, or
certificates--for not every chance dog is allowed in the trenches--and
are dispatched to the trenches on a rat-hunting campaign.

From Sézanne we proceeded direct to the new camp for German prisoners at
Cannantre. The prisoners were mostly men who had been taken in the
recent fighting on the Somme or round Verdun. The camp was already
excellently installed, and the prisoners were busy in groups gardening,
making bread, or sitting before great heaps of potatoes, preparing them
for the evening meal. The German sense of order was everywhere in
evidence. In the long barracks where the men slept the beds were tidy,
and above each bed was a small shelf, each shelf arranged in exactly
the same order, the principal ornaments being a mug, fork, and spoon;
and just as each bed resembled each other bed, so the fork and spoon
were placed in their respective mugs at exactly the same angle. There
were small partitioned apartments for the noncommissioned officers. The
French Commander of the camp told us that the German love of holding
some form of office was everywhere apparent. The French made no attempt
to command the prisoners themselves, but always chose men from amongst
the prisoners who were placed in authority over their comrades. The
prisoners rejoiced exceedingly and promptly increased in self-importance
and, alas! decreased in manners, if they were given the smallest