This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1919 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVIII THE ESCAPE Cond1t1ons at Villingen were much worse after the search. We were watched very closely and it looked as if any plan we might make would be discovered before it could be put into effect. I was completely discouraged, but continued my exercise to keep in good physical condition. About this time I received my first mail from home. I had been a prisoner four months and I knew that letters had been written me from the first. Although they arrived late they were very welcome and put new hope in me. In every letter I found the same words: "I am praying that you will be home by Christmas." With that incentive I determined that I would be home by Christmas. Some aviators had just come in from the castle prison at Landshut. They told of several attempts to escape from the castle and also from the train on the way down. The German commandant at Landshut had their shoes taken from them every night; and when an attempt to escape proved unsuccessful he would punish them with two or three weeks of solitary confinement in a cell until whatever sentence was awarded by the Bavarian Government should arrive. This was usually eight days' solitary confinement; and although they would already have served double their sentence he would keep them in the cell eight days more. On one occasion he placed two aviators in solitary confinement on the mere suspicion that they were going to try to escape. Such procedure was unheard of. The two Americans threatened dire things and finally wrote the Danish, the Dutch, and the Spanish Embassies demanding that steps be taken to procure their release. When the commandant saw these letters he was thoroughly "bluffed," and released them immediately after a stay of nine days in the cell. But the more...