The neutral was arrested upon some trumped-up charge to afford the authorities time to peruse the incriminating document.  Cross-examined the go-between protested ignorance of the contents:  the parcel was found just as it had been received from the consignor, the seals were all intact, and it was under delivery to the person whose address was written upon the outside.  There was nothing attached to associate myself with the document, although my friend at home would have known instantly whence it had come.  The upshot was that the diary was confiscated.  I was bitterly mortified to learn its fate when within a stone’s throw of safety, because it contained incidents of all descriptions set out in regular sequence, and in a plain unvarnished manner.  Its perusal must have stung the Germans pretty severely since it was decidedly unpalatable to Teuton pride.  It was a comprehensive indictment of the German treatment of the British prisoners, relative more particularly to Sennelager, which the authorities were firmly determined should never become known to the world at large, and to conceal which they used unceasing efforts.  Had that diary got home it would have created a tremendous sensation.  My vexation was completed by the thought that the diary contained many episodes and incidents which I can now only recall hazily, but I thanked my lucky stars that I had taken the precaution to keep a precis of the contents which I myself brought away with me, and which has proved of valuable assistance in setting forth this narrative.

A few days after having completed the famous “big fence” we were paraded.  Major Bach strode up, obviously in a terrible temper—­it was the six o’clock parade—­and facing us, roared: 

“You English dogs!  Barracks are too comfortable for you!  You should be made to feed from the swine-tub!  Bring all your luggage out—­everything you’ve got, and your sacks of straw!  I’ll give you ten minutes to do it.  Then you’ll parade again!  Hurry up!”

We were thunderstruck at this order.  What was in the wind?  Major Bach was adept in springing surprises upon us, but this excelled anything to which we had been treated hitherto.

Speculation was idle.  We had only ten minutes to do as we were bidden, and we bustled around to be on parade as demanded.  The excitement was intense.  We collected every stick to which we could lay a claim, and with all our worldly belongings, as well as our sack of straw, on our shoulders, we trotted out and formed up.

As we paraded, the guards made a diligent search of the barracks to see that we had left nothing behind.  Also to make sure that no prisoner was lurking in hiding.

We received the order to march.  We tramped along under our bulky and ungainly loads, and found we were being escorted to the enclosure which we had fenced in.  We swung through the gate, which was closed behind the last man, and a soldier mounted guard over it.  In a flash the truth burst upon us.