sual, I understood "mein Host" to say that he
would come down. My knowledge of the laws of internment of a neutral
country being very limited, it behoved me to act with extreme caution
if I wished to follow in the footsteps of brother escapers, whom I
knew had preceded me to England.

Though I had committed no act of war, such as crossing the frontier
carrying arms, I did not feel very sure of my ground. Therefore when
the elderly innkeeper, holding a flickering candle, shot back the
bolts, he found me wearing only a khaki shirt and grey flannel
trousers, the soaking raincoat and tunic having been hurriedly
secreted in my pack, so that he could not assert that I was in uniform
when he first saw me, in case the subject should be raised later. As
soon as he heard the facts of the case, the Dutchman motioned me to
accompany him along the street, which I did wonderingly. I imagined
myself shortly being interviewed by a fat, sleepy-eyed and pompous
burgomaster, who would either fall upon my neck, or order me straight
back to Germany. After half-an-hour's walk, when my guide halted
beside a long wooden hut and knocked vigorously, I decided that there
was nothing to fear in that direction, for no such distinguished
person would deign to live in so humble a residence. Presently, in
answer to our repeated efforts, we heard several grumbling voices, a
door was opened, and I was bidden to enter. As soon as I was
accustomed to the glaring gas-light, I experienced a considerable
shock. Occupying the whole length of the room in which I stood was a
double line of beds, mostly containing sleeping men, and from the
walls hung many greenish uniforms, rifles and bayonets! On recovering
from my first surprise, I turned to a fully dressed soldier I took to
be a sergeant, who by this time, presumably, understood that I was an
escaped "Inglesman," and asked him, in German, for an explanation. In
the midst of his almost unintelligible reply I caught the word
"_Grenswacht_" (frontier guard). Seeing that we were at cross
purposes, the sergeant roused a man who spoke very fair English and
acted as interpreter. I soon learnt that I was in the local
headquarters of the Dutch Frontier Guard, and would have to remain
there until seen by an officer the next day. This suited me only too
well, so having duly impressed the fact that I was not in uniform, I
retired to a bed arranged for me in the N.C.O.'s room, and commenced
to pull off my wet clothes.