[Transcriber's Note: Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as possible, including obsolete and variant spellings and other inconsistencies. Text that has been changed to correct an obvious error is noted at the end of this ebook.] OUTWITTING THE HUN [Illustration: LIEUT. PAT O'BRIEN, R. F. C.] OUTWITTING THE HUN _My Escape from a German Prison Camp_ BY LIEUT. PAT O'BRIEN _Royal Flying Corps_ ILLUSTRATED [Illustration] HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS NEW YORK AND LONDON OUTWITTING THE HUN Copyright, 1918, by Lieutenant Pat O'Brien Printed in the United States of America Published March, 1918 TO THE NORTH STAR WHOSE GUIDING LIGHT MARKED THE PATHWAY TO FREEDOM FOR A WEARY FUGITIVE, THIS BOOK IS INSCRIBED IN HUMBLE GRATITUDE AND ABIDING FAITH CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE PREFACE xi I. THE FOLLY OF DESPAIR 1 II. I BECOME A FIGHTING-SCOUT 7 III. CAPTURED BY THE HUNS 21 IV. CLIPPED WINGS 34 V. THE PRISON-CAMP AT COURTRAI 53 VI. A LEAP FOR LIBERTY 77 VII. CRAWLING THROUGH GERMANY 88 VIII. NINE DAYS IN LUXEMBOURG 97 IX. I ENTER BELGIUM 112 X. EXPERIENCES IN BELGIUM 132 XI. I ENCOUNTER GERMAN SOLDIERS 145 XII. THE FORGED PASSPORT 159 XIII. FIVE DAYS IN AN EMPTY HOUSE 186 XIV. A NIGHT OF DISSIPATION 207 XV. OBSERVATIONS IN A BELGIAN CITY 219 XVI. I APPROACH THE FRONTIER 225 XVII. GETTING THROUGH THE LINES 236 XVIII. EXPERIENCES IN HOLLAND 250 XIX. I AM PRESENTED TO THE KING 273 XX. HOME AGAIN! 281 [Transcriber's Note: Illustrations were interleaved between pages in the original text. In this version, they have been moved to be between paragraphs. Page numbers below reflect the position of the illustration in the original text.] ILLUSTRATIONS LIEUT. PAT O'BRIEN, R. F. C. _Frontispiece_ THE AEROPLANE WHICH LIEUTENANT O'BRIEN USED IN HIS LAST BATTLE WITH THE HUNS WHEN HE WAS BROUGHT DOWN AND MADE PRISONER _Facing p._ 30 THE IDENTIFICATION DISK WORN BY LIEUTENANT O'BRIEN WHEN HE WAS CAPTURED BY THE HUNS. IT REVEALED TO THEM THAT HE WAS AN AMERICAN " 36 LIEUT. PAUL H. RANEY OF TORONTO AND LIEUT. PAT O'BRIEN " 50 MAILING-CARD SENT BY GERMAN GOVERNMENT TO PAT O'BRIEN'S SISTER, MRS. CLARA CLEGG OF MOMENCE, ILLINOIS " 60 OBVERSE SIDE OF CARD SHOWN ABOVE " 60