I should be free! I wondered if we could by any chance hear
what had happened on the battle-front. Right away I began to feel
that I was part of the world again--and a sort of exultation came to
me...

They--had--not--broken me!

CHAPTER XVIII

PARNEWINKEL CAMP

The key turned at last!

Entering, the guard, with face as impassive as ever, motioned to me
to sweep out. I wondered if I could have mistaken the number of days,
or if... we were going to get longer than the two weeks.

He did not enlighten me! I was taken out to wash, and filled my brown
pitcher at the tap--just as usual. Then came the moment of tense
anxiety.... Would he lock me in?

He gave me the usual allowance of bread, which I put in my pocket, as
a man who was going on a journey and wants to be on his way, without
waiting to eat.

Then he motioned to me to come out, and I knew we were free! Ted was
at the door of his cell, and we followed the guard downstairs without
speaking.

In the room below our things were given back to us. I dared not
examine my cap to see if my maps had been touched, but I could not
keep from turning it around as if to be sure it was mine. Certainly
it looked all right. Our two little parcels, still unopened, were
returned to us, and the guard from Vehnemoor who had come for us had
brought one of the prisoners with him to carry our stuff that had
been left there, blankets, wash-basin, clogs, etc.

[Illustration: Map which Private Simmons got from the Canadian Artist
at Giessen, and which was sewed inside the Pasteboard of his Cap / His
successful journey from Selsingen to Holland is indicated by the dotted
line ............ / The unsuccessful attempt is shown ---------- from
Oldenburg]

From the prisoner we got the news of the camp.

"How are the folks at home?" we asked him.

"Ninety of the worst ones--since you two fellows and Bromley
left--were taken to another camp, and when they were moving them
McKinnon and another fellow beat it--but we're afraid they were
caught."

"Why?" we asked him.

"They catch them all; nobody gets out of Germany alive."

"You talk like a guard!" Ted said.

"Well," said the boy (I am sorry I forget his name), "look here. Who
do you know that has got away? You didn't; Bromley didn't; the two
Frenchmen who went the night before you went didn't. Do you hear of
any who did?"

"Keep your ear to the ground and you will!" said Ted.

"They'll shoot you the next time," he sai