were making a faint, but
disconcerting, noise. Though it was only just possible to discern the
opposite bank, there seemed to be a similar line of marshy ground
between it and the water's edge. I determined to see if it was
possible to get through the marsh with any degree of safety, but gave
up the idea when some of the old decayed reeds on which I was standing
suddenly gave way and let me through into the water up to my waist. No
matter how good a swimmer, a reedy swamp is more than one can contend
with, therefore I gave up the idea. Crawling out and walking a little
way along the bank, something loomed up in front of me out of the
darkness, which turned out to be a long iron bridge. Looking
cautiously along it, I saw a couple of dim lights burning near the
other side. What an easy way over; how I should have loved to stroll
across; but it could not be, for a German guard was waiting there to
receive me with open arms. Reluctantly I turned away and struck
inland, intending to travel parallel to the river for some distance
and then try my luck at another place. Shortly afterwards, when
tramping along on the grass at the side of a road in search of a
hiding-place, I heard footsteps approaching. At either side of the
road grew a row of young trees, but, unfortunately, the trunks were
not large enough to hide behind. The conditions were such as to render
discovery inevitable should a hasty retirement be effected. For
several precious seconds I stood paralysed with indecision, seeing my
danger, yet unable to avoid it; meanwhile it seemed that cruel fate
was carelessly deciding my destiny, weighing freedom against captivity
in a balance, which my indecision was slowly causing to turn against
me. For a brief period my brain refused to work, except vaguely to
bring to my notice a few lines from "Eldorado," which affirm that
there exists a loophole of escape in every difficult situation. This
seemed to affect my present critical position, though it in no wise
suggested a course of action.

As I looked at the dyke which ran along at the side of the raised
road, calculating that the noise made by a passage through it would
only lead to detection, I clearly remembered an incident in "Lorna
Doone," in which John Ridd, when a boy, had completely avoided
discovery by his enemy (Carver Doone) by submerging himself in a
stream and breathing through a straw. Without waiting to remove the
pack, I followed his example by throwing mysel