sidering that their influence has
been practically _nil_ in the War, on account of their being in such a
minority, I suppose they will be bound to suffer with the rest.

The number of escaped French and Russian soldiers was surprising.
However they must have had many excellent opportunities, while
working in the fields near the frontier, to cross the dividing line.
It did not take me long to discover three British privates, who were
distinctly bored and very pleased to see me. The eldest was a South
African, escaped from a reprisal camp, while the other two belonged to
the Warwicks. Though little more than boys they had in all probability
seen more of the hardships of life than many men of treble their age.
Great excitement prevailed when, by dint of much cajoling, I managed
to procure a mandoline from the town, for, though the meals were very
much looked forward to and enjoyed, the rest of the time passed very
slowly. It is not easy to play tunes to satisfy the cravings of
different nationalities at a moment's notice. A few Russians flung
themselves about to the lilt of some of their rowdiest cake-walks,
while the "Marseillaise," seeming a universal favourite, was
repeatedly called for. On the morning of the fourth day three
weird-looking figures, wearing a queer mixture of ready-made Dutch
garments, entered the camp with a guard. I could scarcely believe my
eyes when I recognised some of my former companions at Stroehen. Two of
them, Captain Harrison, of the Royal Irish, and Lieutenant C. F.
Templar, 1st Gloucesters (since then, I regret to say, killed in
action), were "old Contemptibles," having been captured about the
beginning of the War, while the third, Lieutenant J. Insall, V.C.,
R.F.C., had been in captivity two years. They had all made many
previous attempts to escape, and consequently had sampled many German
prisons, and now at last succeeded. Captain Harrison, I have since
heard, was again captured, during the German advance in the spring of
'18, but was fortunately able to regain our lines the same night. Our
delight at meeting again outside Germany was mutual, and, having so
many notes to exchange, the time then passed much more rapidly. After
various communications with the British authorities, we were
successful at last in getting in touch with the British Minister at
the Hague, who almost immediately obtained our release from the
quarantine camp, to the unbounded astonishment of the local Dutch
magnate