finding that the fall brought about no ill-effects they approached it
warily, picked it up gingerly, and held it to their ears. It did not
tick. Then they shook it, banged it on the desk, studied it closely with
a wise, old-owlish look, and at last, shaking their heads quizzically,
consigned it to wrapping paper and sealed it with the blue ribbon.

Despite my serious predicament I could not refrain from indulging in an
outburst of laughter which only served to annoy them still further. The
mystery was not a new type of infernal machine as they imagined but
merely a home-made actinometer! It was contrived from an old cheap
watch-case, while the strange contents were merely strips of paper which
had been soaked in a solution of potassium bichromate!

These preliminaries completed, my two companions and I were paraded
before another pompous official who, like the majority of his ilk, was
smothered with decorations. Drawing himself to his full height he fired
a tirade at us for several minutes without taking the slightest pause
for breath. What it was all about I do not know. He spoke so rapidly,
and so in the style of a gramophone, that I came to the conclusion he
was in the habit of holding forth in this strain at intervals of every
few minutes. But his manner was so menacing as to lead me to apprehend
that no feelings of affection or hospitality were to be extended towards
us.

His speech completed, he shouted an order. Soldiers hurried in, and at
the word of command they commenced to load their rifles. I was quite at
a loss to understand this action, but my heart thumped and a queer,
indescribable feeling came over me. I felt sick and faint, especially
when I saw the men, upon completing loading, form up in two lines. Like
a flash it dawned upon me that according to German military form I had