[*large gap]

The party were in high spirits. But I was not so elated. I had every
occasion to be suspicious of German bluff and inwardly would only
believe we were going home when I was safely out of the country. My
fellow-countryman, F---- K----, who is a well-known figure in City
commercial circles, was wildly excited, and was discussing his future
arrangements very keenly.

An escort appeared to accompany us to the mysterious "hotel" about which
the Commandant had been talking so glibly. We swung out of the prison.
Glancing at the clock I saw the time was 8.30 p.m. As the main gate
clanged behind me I pulled myself together, a new man. My eight days'
solitary confinement had come to an end.

We tramped the street, the people taking but little notice of us.
Presently we met a big party of tourists advancing and also under
escort. They proved to be the passengers of the pleasure steamer
_Krimhilde_, who had been detained. When they saw me, unkempt, ragged,
blood-stained, and dirty they immediately drew away. They took me for an
excellent specimen of the genus hobo. Within a few seconds however they
learned something about my experiences and became very chummy. F----
K---- communicated the fact that we were bound for an hotel, and the
spirits of one and all rose.

The escort who had accompanied us from the prison here handed us over to
that accompanying the tourists and we marched to the station. A train
was waiting and we stepped aboard at nine o'clock. There appeared to be
as many soldiers as passengers. The members of my party confidently
thought the train was bound for a point near the frontier or a