r of right or permission I had taken possession of the kiosk I
politely referred him to a certain officer in the camp. When the latter,
upon receiving the complaint, interrogated me in a similar vein, I
referred him to another official. When this third individual appeared
upon the scene I switched him off to another officer. By playing off the
officials one against the other in this manner I precipitated such a
tangle among them that no single official could say whether he had or
had not given me permission. While these tactics were being pursued I
was gaining the valuable time I desired, and took the opportunity to
entrench myself firmly in my position. The outcome was that when finally
the matter had been trotted through the Ruhleben German Circumlocution
Office, and my eviction was officially sealed, I warded off the fate by
announcing that I was overwhelmed with engraving orders for the military
officers of the camp. It was a desperate bluff, but it succeeded.
Officialdom apparently decided that I was better left alone, so I
suffered no further molestation.

The whole of the night before opening my engraving business I sat up
writing flaring signs and tickets to advertise my intentions far and
wide, and soliciting the favour of orders which under my hand would
convert this or that object into a priceless souvenir of our novel
experience. I also canvassed the camp to explain my ideas, and, as I
expected, orders commenced to flow in. The souvenir idea caught on to
such a degree as to compel me to take in two fellow-prisoners, who
evinced an aptitude for the work, as apprentices, and they speedily
blossomed into craftsmen. My first week told me I had struck the correct
money-making line at last. I found I had scooped in 200 marks--L10!
This was not bad for the first week's trading and I entertained no
apprehensions concerning the future. Out of this sum I was able to repay
many little debts I had incurred.

The business developed so rapidly that an extension of premises became
urgent. I rigged up an addition to the kiosk, but it had to be of a
portable character, so that it could be taken down every evening. As I
found my time was so occupied I reluctantly decided to keep only to the
kiosk. I dressed its interior with shelves and further improved my
premises by contriving show cases for attachment outside.

When I felt my feet I blossomed out in various directions. I bought a
small stock of odds and ends in the cheap