To be sure, the German command had other things to rely on than mere physical pursuit.  There were the long arms of the telegraph and telephone, through which every division on the sector might be warned to be on the lookout for him.  But it was wholly unlikely that this would be done.  On the eve of the great drive, the authorities were too busy to expend their energies on the recapture of an escaped prisoner. Even if he should fall into the hands of another body of his enemies, it was unlikely that they would know anything of his recent exploit.