of us who were by no means sufficiently flush in pocket to
indulge wildly in amusements, and yet money was absolutely
indispensable, because with the sinews of war we were able to secure
supplementary food from the canteen.

Some of the methods which were practised to improve the shining hour
were distinctly novel. There was a young Cockney who, upon his return
home, will undoubtedly blossom into a money-making genius, that is if
his achievements in Ruhleben offer any reliable index to his
proclivities. He would gather a party of seventy or eighty prisoners
round him. Then, producing a five-mark piece, he would offer to raffle
it at ten pfennigs--one penny--apiece. The possibility of picking up
five shillings for a penny made an irresistibly fascinating appeal. It
struck the traditional sporting chord of the British character and a
shower of pennies burst forth. The deal was soon completed, and everyone
was content with the result. Someone bought the five-shilling piece for
the nimble penny, while the Cockney chuckled with delight because he had
raked in some seven shillings or so for his five mark piece!

When I decided to experiment in commerce I was in some doubt as to what
would offer the most promising line. After due reflection I decided to
start as a launderer, specialising in washing shirts at ten pfennigs, or
one penny, apiece. A shirt dresser was certainly in request because the
majority of the prisoners, possessing only a severely limited stock,
were compelled to wear the one garment continuously for several weeks.
At the end of that time it was generally discarded once and for all. But
the shirts I found to be extremely soiled, and demanded such hard and
prolonged scrubbing, in which operation an unconscionably large amount
of soap was consumed, that I found the enterprise to be absolutely
unprofitable, while I received little else than a stiff, sore back and
soft hands. So this first venture, after bringing in a few hard-earned
shillings, was abandoned.

Then I undertook to wash up the table utensils, charging a party
twopence per meal. This would have brought me greater reward had I
adhered to my original intention. But one day the member of a party
genially suggested, "We'll toss for it! Twopence or nothing!" I accepted
the offer good-humouredly and--lost! By accepting this sporting
recommendation I unfortunately established a ruinous precedent. The
practice became general, and I, having a wretched run