As we turned into the square immediately facing the entrance to the prison I blanched.  The mob which had gathered here was so dense, and was lashed to such a high pitch of vicious fury, that I felt convinced we should have to succumb to overwhelming numbers.  The air was thick with missiles, and the soldiers suffered severely, although we three prisoners were not often struck.  The soldiers tolerated the fusillade with the best grace they could command for some time, but even their endurance had its limits, and at last they turned.  But the crowd was by no means daunted.  By hook or by crook they intended to prevent us reaching the prison, and, they having closed behind us, we were completely hemmed in.

“Our last chance!  Give them to us!  English spies!  Seize them, comrades!  Lynch them!  Lynch them!” were the coarse cries which rang out without ceasing.

It was a thrilling and critical moment.  The mass of screaming men and women was now so dense that we could not move.  The soldiers could no longer even swing their rifles.  The outstretched hands of the mob were snapping and tearing within an inch or two of my coat.  Had I swayed a trifle they must have grasped me.

A shrill whistle rang out.  The prison door was flung open and a number of soldiers came out at the double with arms lowered, while the officers were waving their swords.  The crowd around the entrance fell back, and the next moment a passage was being cleaved through the mass of raving humanity.  This sudden appearance of extra force created a diversion of which our escort took advantage.  We slipped through the gap which had been cut in the crowd, and the next moment were in the prison.  As the gate closed with a resounding bang I gave a sigh of relief.  We were safe from mob violence whatever other fate might be in store for us.  Personally, although I passed through many exciting experiences subsequently, and was often a victim of Prussian brutality, I regard that march from the station to the prison at Wesel as the most dangerous few minutes which I have ever encountered.

We were promptly taken into an office and subjected to another inquisition.  The questions were merely repetitions of those I had already answered half-a-dozen times previously.  Then I was submitted to my second search.  I was ordered to throw my hands above my head, a bayonet point being held at my stomach to enforce the command.  Searchers went adroitly through my pockets, taking everything which they contained.  These included a batch of letters which I had received just before starting from home, and which I had thrust into my pocket to read at leisure during the journey.