The two officers, not wishing to hurt K——­’s feelings more than was absolutely necessary, and residing in the vicinity, suggested that they should meet us at a certain point at a given time to escort us into Cologne.  The appointment being settled to mutual satisfaction they departed and we at once busied ourselves with preparations for another sojourn in prison, which we considered to be our certain fate.  Our hostess packed a huge reserve of dainties of all descriptions sufficient to last us several days, by which time we fondly concluded that any formalities demanded by the authorities would be completed, and we should once more be allowed to go free on “passes.”

We kept the appointment with the two officers who, out of respect for our host, had discarded their uniforms for mufti.  Consequently, to the casual man in the street, we appeared to be only a little party going into the city for a mild junketing.

We were told that the official fiat had gone forth that all Britishers within the German Empire, both resident and touring, were to be arrested.  All sorts of reasons were advanced to explain this action but they were merely speculative.  There is one feature about the Teuton Government which is far from being characteristic of the British authorities.  The Germans never do things by halves.  What they authorise to be done is carried out to the letter.  What they say they mean and there is no delay in executing an order once it is issued.  The Teuton system may have shortcomings but hesitation and vacillation cannot be numbered among them.  Directly the order concerning the re-arrest of the British was issued, extreme activity was displayed in carrying it out.  Possibly it was a mere temporary measure, as K——­ half hoped, but that was immaterial.  Every alien was rounded up within a few hours and placed safely under lock and key.

We were not kept in doubt as to our future for many minutes.  We learned at the Polizei Prasidium that we were to be immured in Klingelputz prison.  Many of our number were gathered there, having once been released on “pass,” and from the circumstance that they were business men in practice and residence in Germany the confident belief prevailed that after re-registration all would be released.  But we were speedily disappointed.  All of us without the slightest discrimination were placed under restraint.

Directly we entered Klingelputz and had passed into the main building I could not restrain my curiosity.  This penitentiary was vastly dissimilar from Wesel.  It is a huge building not only covering a considerable tract of ground, but is several floors in height, thus providing cell accommodation for hundreds of prisoners.

But it was the method of securing the prisoners which compelled my instant attention.  Ahead of me I saw what I first took to be an iron-railed barrier behind which a number of men were crowding as if to catch a glimpse of us.  But to my astonishment I discovered, as I advanced, that this was not an iron barrier keeping back a curiosity-provoked crowd but the cells and their inmates.  I was startled to hear frantic hails, “Mahoney!  Mahoney!  Hooray!  Come on!”