s an ordinary barbed-wire fence with four or five strands,
through which we were forbidden to go.

Outside the camp at the northwest corner was the hut where the guards
lived when not on duty, and beside this hut was the kennel where the
watch-dog was kept. He was a big dog, with a head like a husky! The
camp was lighted by great arc-lights about sixty feet apart. German
soldiers were stationed outside and all around the camp, and were
always on the alert.

We planned to go on Friday night, but an unforeseen event made that
impossible. A very dull German soldier had taken out about a dozen
Frenchmen to work on the moor. Two of them had slipped away some time
during the afternoon, and he did not notice he was short until he
got in. Then great excitement prevailed, and German soldiers were
sent out in pursuit. We watched them going out, dozens of them, and
decided this was a poor time to go abroad. The moon was nearly full
and the clouds which had filled the sky all day, were beginning to
break, all of which was against us.

On Saturday, just as we feared, an extra guard of about twenty-five
men was sent in from Oldenburg, and as the guard changed every two
hours, and this was about 5.30 o'clock in the evening when they came,
we reasoned that the double guard would go on at seven. After the
guard had been doubled, there would be but little chance for us.

It was now or never!

CHAPTER XIV

OFF FOR HOLLAND!

The eastern fence was the one we had marked as our point of
departure, and, Saturday being wash-day, there was nothing suspicious
in the fact that we had hung our clothes there to dry. They had to be
hung somewhere.

The boys were expecting parcels that night, for a canal-boat had come
up from Oldenburg, and every one was out in the yard. Several of the
boys were in our confidence, and we had asked them to stroll up and
down leisurely between the hut and the east fence.

Just at the last minute the fourth man, Edwards's friend, came to me
and said:--

"Sim, we will never make it. The guards will see us, and they'll
shoot us--you know they'll just be glad to pot us to scare the
others. It is madness to think we can get away from here with these
lights shining."

I told him I thought we had a chance, but did not try to persuade
him. Of course, we all knew we were taking a grave risk, but then,
why shouldn't we? It was the only way out.

"Don't go, Sim," he said earnestly.

I told him we were goin