A few children gathered around us, but they kept back at a respectful distance and made no remarks.  Where the military are concerned, the civilian population do not interfere, even by words or looks.

The village women who gathered around us had most apathetic, indifferent, sodden faces; I don’t believe they knew what it was all about.  They were no more interested in what was going on than the black-and-white Holstein cows that grazed in the meadow near by.

[Illustration:  Map made by Private Simmons of the First Attempt]

I spoke of this afterwards to Bromley.

“But you must remember,” he said, “they knew enough to go and tell on us.  That wasn’t so slow.”

We could see that the soldiers were greatly pleased with their catch, by the way they talked and gesticulated.  Every one was pleased but us!  Then the commander, addressing his men in what we took to be a congratulatory speech, called for volunteers.  We knew the word.

I looked at Bromley, and saw the same thought in his face, but his sense of humor never failed him.

“Cheer up, Sim!” he said.  “They are just calling for volunteers to shoot us.  The boys must have something to practise on.”

We laughed about it afterwards, but I must say I did not see much fun in it that minute.  But it was only volunteers to take us into Aschaffenburg.  The commander wished to spread the joy and gladness as far as it would go, and I think it was fully a dozen who escorted us to Aschaffenburg, about a mile and a half away.

They marched us through the principal streets, where I saw the sign “Kleiderfabrik” many times.  The people stopped to look at us, but I saw no evidence of hostility.  I am not sure that the majority of the people knew who we were, though of course they knew we were foreigners.

There was one person, however, who recognized us, for as we were marching past one of the street-corners, where a group had gathered, a voice spoke out in excellent English, “Canadians, by Jove!  And two fine big chaps, too!”

The voice was friendly, but when I turned to look I could not see who had spoken.

Their pride in showing us off was “all right for them,” but pretty hard on us, for it was a long time since we had slept, and we did not enjoy being paraded through the city just for fun.  We knew we were in for it, and wanted to know just what they were going to do with us.

At last they drew up with great ceremony before the Military Headquarters, where there was more challenging, by more guards.  I think another guard fell in behind to see that we did not bolt, and we were conducted into the presence of the Supreme Commander of that Military District.

He sat at a high desk in the centre of the room.  There were several clerks or secretaries in the room, all in uniform, and there seemed to be considerable business going on when we came in, for numerous typewriters were going and messengers were moving about.  I noticed there was not a woman in the room.