and, if possible, to create a disturbance to
hold the attention of the Germans for a little. They had succeeded in
saving the situation three times when a surprise roll-call was made
during the night--thanks to another wire which carried an electric
alarm signal underground from the dormitory. Baylis, who had been an
electrical engineer in time of peace, had managed the wiring; it was
believed among the syndicate that when Baylis needed any electric
fitting very badly he simply went and thought about it so hard that it
materialized, like the gentleman who evolved a camel out of his inner
consciousness.

One of the romances of the Great War might be written about the way in
which prisoners bent on escape were able to obtain materials for
getting out, and necessary supplies when once they were away from the
camp. Much of how it was done will never be known, for the
organization was kept profoundly secret, and those who were helped by
it were often pledged solemnly to reveal nothing. Money--plenty of
money--was the only thing necessary; given the command of that, the
prisoner who wished to break out would find, mysteriously, tools or
disguises, or whatever else he needed within the camp, and, after he
had escaped, the three essentials, without which he had very little
chance--map, compass, and civilian clothes. Then, having paid
enormous sums for what had probably cost the supply system a few
shillings, he was at liberty to strike for freedom--with a section of
German territory--a few miles or a few hundred--to cross; and finally
the chance of circumventing the guards on the Dutch frontier. It was
so desperate an undertaking that the wonder was, not that so many
failed, but that so many succeeded.

Jim Linton had no money. His was one of the many cases among
prisoners in which no letters over seemed to reach home--no
communication to be opened up with England. For some time he had not
been permitted to write, having unfortunately managed to incur the
enmity of the camp commandant by failing to salute him with the
precise degree of servility which that official considered necessary
to his dignity. Then, when at length he was allowed to send an
occasional letter, he waited in vain for any reply, either from his
home or his regiment. Possibly the commandant knew why; he used to
look at Jim with an evil triumph in his eye which made the boy long to
take him by his fat throat and ask him whether indeed his letters e