and
endeavoured to prepare our minds for all contingencies, even capture.
We talked the matter over with Simmons and Brumley at every
opportunity, so as to benefit also by their plans. This required
caution so we were careful at all times that we should not be seen
together; rather that we should even appear unfriendly. We developed
the cunning of the oppressed. Once we even staged a wordy quarrel over
some petty thing for the benefit of our guards and others of the
prisoners whom we distrusted. At other times we foregathered in dim
corners of our huts as though by chance. We conversed covertly from
the corners of our mouths and without any movement of the lips, as
convicts do. This avoidance of one another was made the easier because
of the arrangement of the personnel of each hut. The various
nationalities were pretty well split up in companies, presumably to
prevent illicit co-operation and each company was separated from the
others by the wire.

Our chance came at last. We were "warned" for a working party on a
railroad grade near by. As compliance would enable us to get on the
other side of the wire, we made no protest. This work was a part of
the authorities' scheme of farming prisoners out to private
individuals and corporations who required labour. In this case it was
a railroad contractor. As a rule the contractors fed us better than
the authorities, if for no other reason than to keep our working
strength up.

We were marched out of the laager without any breakfast each morning
to the work and there received a little sausage and a bit of bread for
breakfast. At noon we received soup of a better quality than the camp
stuff. It was cooked by a Russian Pole, a civilian; one of many who
was living out in the town on parole. These had to report regularly to
the authorities and had to remain in the local area.

We were on the job a week before things seemed favourable. We had only
what we stood in, excepting the rough map, which was drawn from
hearsay and our scanty knowledge of the country. We planned to travel
at night, lay our course by the stars and perhaps walk to Switzerland
in six weeks.

We worked all morning, grading on the railroad embankment. At noon we
knocked off for soup and a rest. We were on the edge of a large wood.
Some of the men flung themselves on the bank; others went to see if
the soup was ready. A few went into the wood. The solitary guard was
elsewhere. We said good-bye to the few who