Besides, I hear we are permitted straw mattresses when in Germany." "That begins to sound like luxury," laughed Dick.
"And there our friends can send us food through neutral agencies." "Do you suppose, if they do, we shall be allowed to have some of the food ?" Dick asked.
"Some of it, at least, or our friends would quickly stop sending it to us when they heard from us that we did not get it." "It will be a dog's life," broke in another, "even with such better treatment as may be accorded to officers." Dick Prescott's heart was as stout as any American's heart could be, but as he listened to the talk of his French brothers in arms he could not help feeling glum.
For one thing, it was hardly for this that he had sailed from America to be taken at the outset and to be shut off from all service with the men of his own country! A German under-officer who spoke French came to the wire to call out: "You officers will march from here soon.

Begin to get your packs ready.

There must be no delay." "It won't take me long," Dick told his new friends.

"When captured I had only my uniform and my pistol.

The latter was taken." He turned to, however, to help his French brothers who possessed blankets, water bottles and other small belongings, for some of them appeared almost too weak to prepare for the march.
The same order had been given to the enlisted men in the next enclosure.