There were the real prisoners, mostly English and French, and there were humbugs.

The humbugs were treated, apparently, like the others, but not really, as I soon perceived.

There was one man who passed as an English officer, another as a French Canadian, and the others called themselves Russians.

None of the honest men suspected them, but they were there as spies to hatch plots for escape and get the poor devils caught in the act, and to worm out confidences which might be of value.

That is the German notion of good business.