We were faced with a heavy problem; one which would require every ounce of our combined physical effort, which was low owing to our deplorable condition, while the sun, heat, and dusty roads would be certain to tax our endurance to the utmost.

The guards bustled round, supervising the hitching of the towing ropes, while the men were lined up like oxen with the ropes passed over their shoulders.  The order was given and off we went.  But that engine was, or at least appeared to be, exceedingly heavy, while the roads seemed to be exasperatingly difficult, the wheels having a magnetic attraction for the sand.  Progress was maddeningly slow, and before many minutes had passed every man was puffing and blowing like a spent horse.  A cup of acorn coffee and a fragment of brown bread could scarcely be declared ideal fare upon which to pursue such energy-consuming labour.  And we had three miles to go!

We had covered about half the distance and were nearly done in.  The ponderous, ungainly engine was just moving, and that was about all.  The progress had so fallen that the guards were becoming somewhat alarmed and doubtless considered that if they only badgered us sufficiently they would be able to spur us to such a degree as to enable us to reach the camp.

While tugging for all we were worth we descried a horse flying along the road at break-neck pace towards us.  As it approached we saw it was carrying Dr. Ascher.  When he drew up to us he stopped.  The guards were holding forth in their most truculent manner at the moment.  The doctor rapped out a few words, and the guards instantly dropped their hostility and arrogance to become as meek as lambs.  Turning to us the doctor ordered every man to drop the ropes.  We did so and fell into line at once of our own accord.

The doctor surveyed us, and we must have looked miserable specimens of humanity.  Our faces were glistening with perspiration which had been pouring out of us freely, and which, mixing with the grimy sand which had been enveloping us, had formed runnels wrought into a wild and weird variety of fantastic designs.  One or two of the weaker boys stood half-bent as if upon the verge of dropping.

Within a few seconds the doctor had taken in the whole situation, and saw how completely we were played out.  With a voice which cut like a knife he ordered the guard to escort us to a wayside inn.  The soldiers, thoroughly cowed, obeyed his instructions silently.  He strode along beside us, distracting our thoughts by a dissertation concerning the countryside, which was bathed in the full splendour of its autumn garb, and which certainly presented a peaceful and entrancing aspect.

Reaching the inn we seated ourselves on the balcony.  Then the doctor, turning, remarked: 

“Order what you like!  Don’t stint yourselves and take your time.  Now then have anything you wish to drink!”

If our guards had been sufficiently relenting, we would willingly have paid them for permission to have regaled ourselves by the way at our own expense.  We all had money.  At the doctor’s instructions we dived our hands into our pockets to extract our worldly wealth to ascertain what we could afford.  The doctor arrested our action.