in the evening from his home on to the brightly lighted street and
made our way along the edge of the canals. The tall,
round-shouldered German shadowed us through the crowded streets to
the Amstel Hotel. Then we shadowed him, while he telephoned for
help which came in the form of a persistent Hollander, who insisted
in sitting at the table next to us, although it had just been
vacated by diners and needed re-arranging, whereas many other
tables were entirely free.

That is a sample of the manner in which we were systematically
spied upon. In order to make arrangements it was necessary for us
to travel together so that we could talk, as our time was limited.
It was absolutely impossible for us to go into a restaurant or get
into a railway compartment without having a satellite at our elbow.
They were very persistent and very thorough; but the system in
Holland has the same glaring flaw that is common to the German
system everywhere--too much system and not sufficient cleverness in
the individual.

Von Kuhlmann, the German Minister, certainly does not lack men. We
encountered them everywhere. Travelling first class gives one more
or less privacy in Holland, so that it was decidedly irritating to
have a listener make for our compartment, while adjoining
first-class compartments were entirely empty. If the intrusion
resulted in our going to another compartment, an ever-ready
_Kamerad_ would quickly join us.

In all countries Germany considers certain telephone connections to
be of great strategic importance. It is practically impossible to
be connected with the British Consulate at Rotterdam, until the