Within a short time my brother rejoined me from the manoeuvre area,
but by doing so he at once came under observation and under suspicion,
and we were practically a pair of prisoners. So much was this the case
that a few days later we received a visit at daybreak one morning,
from a friend in power, who was also in touch with the police, and
he advised us that the best course we could take was to escape from
the country while it was possible, he undertaking quietly to make
arrangements for us. The idea was that we should slip away to a
seaport, where we could get on to a British steamer as two of the crew
and so pass out of the country.
That was the scheme. But the difficulty was how to play it off. A ship
was found whose captain was willing to receive us provided that we
could get to him without being observed. With the aid of our friendly
waiter, we let the detective at the hotel understand that we were
tired of being under suspicion, and that we were boldly going to take
the train and leave the country.
At ten o'clock a cab was to come round to take us and our luggage to
the station, and if anybody interfered with us--why, we were freeborn
British, and subject to no man's rule, and the Ambassador and all the
rest of the Powers should hear about it! This was for the information
of the detective, and he merely telephoned it to the police office at
the railway station, where we should be arrested at the point of our
departure.
We got into our cab and drove off down the street towards the station
until we were out of sight of the hotel. Then we called to our driver
and said we should like to go to a different station. This course
involved our going to the river-side and taking the ferry.
It was an anxious time. Had we been spotted? Should we be missed? Were
we being followed?
These questions would answer themselves as we progressed with our
plot. The answer, when it came, would mean a tremendous lot to
us--triumph or five years' imprisonment; so we had every right to be
fairly anxious. And yet, somehow, I don't think we were worrying much
about the consequences, but rather were busy with the present--as to
how to evade pursuit and recapture.
Arrived at the ferry we paid off our cabman and made our way to the
quay-side. Here we found a boat which had already been arranged for;
and we made our way safely off to the ship, which was waiting under
steam in midstream to start the moment we were on board.
At this supreme moment my brother had the temerity to argue with the
boatman over the fare. Being now in the last stage of tender-hooks, I
adjured him to give the man double what he asked, if only to be free.
But the brother was calm, and for once--he was right! His display of
want of all anxiety quite diverted any kind of suspicion that might
have attached to us, and in the end we got safely on board and away.