erpreter back to our coke ovens, and from there we were taken, one
at a time, to show them where we had gotten through their lines.
Blackie was taken first and he led them down a ladder and past three
sentries. Sammy and I took them over the same route; and they were
quite convinced that we escaped that way. That night we laughed when
we saw they had an extra sentry stationed there. Already we were
planning to make another attempt at getting away, and we hoped to go
the same road. But instead of night duty we were put on day shift, so
we had to wait another week. Before the week was out I had a narrow
escape. The prisoners working in the mines were under the supervision
of the large prison camp at Muenster, and once or twice a week they
would send out an officer to look us over and see how we were behaving.
The one chosen to look after our camp was a big burly brute, who showed
his teeth and snarled like a cross dog. Even the guards were scared to
death of him, and you could see them tremble and shake when he
approached. No doubt they were afraid that they might lose their job
if he could find any reason for reporting them. He seemed to hate the
English even more than the other Germans did, and that wasn't
necessary, but his chief aim in life seemed to be to catch an Englisher
disobeying any of the camp rules, and as soon as he came inside our
yard he would always make a bee-line for our hut. He paid no attention
to the French and Russians. It was against the rules to smoke in the
bunkhouse and half the time we were not allowed in the yard, so of
course we broke the rule and smoked, only some one always stayed on
guard and gave warning if they saw a "square-head" coming.

Well, this day I was on guard when I saw our friend coming on the run.
I was standing just in the doorway, and I called out "Nix!" and the
boys put their fags out of sight in a hurry. An instant later the old
jay reached the door, and he stood sniffing like a dog. It didn't
require any imagination to smell tobacco smoke, for the air was thick
with it, but there wasn't a cigarette or pipe in sight. The old
"square-head" knew that he was fooled, that some one had given them
warning, and he snarled like a dog. I was standing beside the door
because we were supposed to freeze whenever or wherever he appeared.
He must have blamed me for warning the boys, for he whipped out his
short sword, and wheeling quickly made a slash at me. That sword