You were
spotted by a non-commissioned officer at the last station, and while
I was in the telegraph office he came in and sent a telegram to the
Commandant of the terminal station, reporting that a German spy had
been examining the guns and was travelling by this train in this
carriage."
I at once laughed genially at the mistake made, and explained to him
that I was not a German at all. He replied that that would not avail
me--I should be arrested all the same if I went on to the end of the
journey.
"But," he suggested, "I shall be getting out myself at the very next
station to go back to my farm, and my advice to you is to get out
there also. You will find a good inn where you can put up for the
night, and to-morrow morning the early train will take you on clean
through that very station where the military commandant will be on the
look-out for you to-night."
I replied that, as an Englishman, I had nothing to fear, and I should
go on.
At the next station accordingly he got out, and after an affectionate
farewell, I went on. But there was yet another station between this
and the night stop, and on arrival there I took the hint of my friend
and got out and spent the night at the little inn of the place.
Following his advice still further, I took the early train next
morning and ran through the place where they had been looking out
for me.
Pages:
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79