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four prisoners. One Gefreiter from No. 3 Company on two days' detention. One tank gunner and one Obergefreiter from No. 7 Company on six days' detention. All three for staying out without night passes, And one Gefreiter dog on three days' detention for dirtying the floor. Report humbly to Herr Oberstleutnant that nothing special has occurred!'
    With great interest the Oberstleutnant studied the purple-faced Reinhardt:
    'Who am I?'
    'You, sir, are the commandant of the depot of the 27th (Penal) Panzer Regiment, Oberstleutnant von Weisshagen.'
    Pluto gleefully announced to Reinhardt:
    'Herr Guard Commander! Obergfreiter Eicken, leader of the barracks patrol consisting of two men, humbly reports that we arrested the Oberstleutant behind No. 2 Company's parade-hall. As we got no answer to our challenge, and on request of papers were threatened with a pistol, we fired according to standing orders a warning shot from my rifle, model 98. The prisoner's hat was blown off and holed by the bullet. We disarmed the prisoner and led him unwounded to the Herr Guard Commander. Humbly awaiting further orders.'
    Silence, long velvet silence.
    Reinhardt gulped. This was beyond him. The commandant looked inquiringly at him. Everybody waited, but silence reigned. The blood came and went under the skin of Reinhardt's baboon face. Everyone waited for the bumpkin to speak. At last the commandant lost his patience, his bland voice sounding faintly hurt as he addressed the unhappy sergeant:
    'We know now that you know me. You are the guard commander. The security of the 27th Regiment's barracks lies in your hands. What do you order, Unteroffizier. What are you going to do? We can't stand here all night!'
    Reinhardt did not know what on earth to do. His eyes rolled in desperation. We could almost hear him search for an expedient. On the table the pillow and greatcoat were silent witnesses to his illegal sleep. They did not escape his attention either. His eyes came back to Pluto and me with the commandant between us. All three of us waited with badly concealed glee for what the base-hero would order. Fickle fate had suddenly against his will given him more power than he cared for. Before him stood a human being, an ordinary human being with a body, two legs, two arms, a face, eyes, ears, teeth made like all other human beings, but - a large but - a sinister but - this particular being wore a black leather coat, patent-leather boots, Sam Browne and gold stars on plaited silver shoulder-tabs. To Reinhardt he was God, Devil, World, Power, Death, Life, everything connected with destruction, torture, promotion, degradation and, last but not least, he was able to pronounce the few words which could send a certain Sergeant Reinhardt to a battle unit. Behind that, under its ghostly snow, waited the Eastern Front. Whether he was now to escape such a fate or not depended entirely on his not offending his God standing before him smiling mockingly.
    Slowly Reinhardt's brain connected with his tongue and now bluster took over. Bellowing like a bull he roared at Pluto and me:
    'Are you both mad! Release the Herr Commandant immediately. This is mutiny!'
    A more relaxed and even satisfied expression shone on his face as he went on:
    'You are under arrest! I'll call the orderly officer at once. You'll pay dearly for this. You must excuse them, Herr Oberstleutnant.' He addressed the commandant and clicked his heels together: 'They are only two stupid animals from the front. I'll see to it that a report is made out right away. Of course this is a court-martial offence ...'
    The commandant practically hypnotized the room with his eyes. This was better than he had hoped for. Just his opportunity to make one of his dreaded examples.
    'Well, Unteroffizier, that's what you think!' He brushed an imaginary speck of dust off his big coat lapels as he received his pistol and holed cap from Pluto, who was openly grinning.
    Without a sound the commandant walked on his rubber-soles