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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/18838-h.zip b/18838-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..813833b --- /dev/null +++ b/18838-h.zip diff --git a/18838-h/18838-h.htm b/18838-h/18838-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..02eed23 --- /dev/null +++ b/18838-h/18838-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6954 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Belgians to the Front, by Colonel James Fiske</title> +<style type="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: medium; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: small } + +P.letter {font-size: small } + +p.dedication {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 15%; + text-align: justify } + + hr.full { width: 100%; + height: 5px; } + a:link { color:blue; + text-decoration:none; } + link { color:blue; + text-decoration:none; } + a:visited { color:blue; + text-decoration:none; } + a:hover { color:red; + text-decoration: underline; } + pre { font-size: 75%; } + + +</style> +</head> +<body> +<h1 align="center">The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Belgians to the Front, by Colonel James +Fiske, Illustrated by E. A. Furman</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: The Belgians to the Front</p> +<p>Author: Colonel James Fiske</p> +<p>Release Date: July 16, 2006 [eBook #18838]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BELGIANS TO THE FRONT***</p> +<br><br><center><h3>E-text prepared by Al Haines</h3></center><br><br> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<A NAME="img-front"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-front.jpg" ALT=""Unless you can prove that you are innocent, you will be tried as spies," said the lieutenant." BORDER="2" WIDTH="378" HEIGHT="571"> +<H3> +[Frontispiece: "Unless you can prove that you are innocent, <BR> +you will be tried as spies," said the lieutenant.] +</H3> +</CENTER> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +World's War Series, Volume 5 +</H3> + +<BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +The Belgians to the Front +</H1> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +by +</H3> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +Colonel James Fiske +</H2> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Illustrated by E. A. Furman +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +The Saalfield Publishing Company +<BR> +Chicago ——— Akron, Ohio ——— New York +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H5 ALIGN="center"> +Copyright, 1915 +<BR> +By +<BR> +The Saalfield Publishing Company +</H5> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +CONTENTS +</H2> + +<BR> + +<CENTER> + +<TABLE WIDTH="80%"> +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">Chapter</TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> </TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">I </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap01">A Discovery</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">II </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap02">The Marked Plans</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">III </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap03">The House of Mystery</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">IV </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap04">The Flight</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">V </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap05">Pursuit</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VI </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap06">At Headquarters</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap07">The Fire</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">VIII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap08">The Uhlan</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">IX </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap09">War</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">X </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap10">Prisoners of War</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XI </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap11">The Spy</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap12">A Close Shave</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XIII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap13">The Civic Guards</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XIV </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap14">Submission</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XV </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap15">The Butcher's Wife</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XVI </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap16">The Wine Shop</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XVII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap17">The Battle</A></TD> +</TR> + +<TR> +<TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">XVIII </TD> +<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top"> +<A HREF="#chap18">Victory</A></TD> +</TR> + +</TABLE> + +</CENTER> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +The Belgians To The Front +</H1> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER I +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A DISCOVERY +</H3> + +<P> +In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a +troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention. Staffs in hand, clad +in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign +hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a +spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who +stopped to watch them admiringly. Their scoutmaster, Armand Van Verde, +had been addressing them. And now in the fading light of the late +afternoon, he dismissed them. +</P> + +<P> +At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small +individual groups of two or three. The faces of the scouts were grave +for it was serious news indeed that Van Verde had communicated to the +troop at the meeting just ended. Paul Latour called sharply to his +great friend, Arthur Waller. +</P> + +<P> +"Come on, Arthur," he said. "We'd better be getting along home. There +may be something for us to do." +</P> + +<P> +"All right," agreed Arthur, cheerfully. He was a little younger than +his chum, and was nearly always willing to agree to anything Paul +proposed. +</P> + +<P> +The two boys were not natives of Liege. However, they spent their +summers with relatives who lived in the country a few miles beyond the +limits of the famous old town, in the direction of the village of +Esneux. They themselves came from Brussels, and, while not themselves +related, were both cousins of the family which they were now visiting, +that of M. de Frenard. +</P> + +<P> +So now, striking out with a good, swinging pace, they made their way +rapidly through the streets of the old town of Liege, narrow and +crooked, once they were beyond the great square. They passed over the +new Exposition Bridge and so to the new town of Liege, where the great +steel works of Seraing were beginning to cast red reflections against +the darkening sky. +</P> + +<P> +"They have begun to work all night long," said Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +"It's a good thing, too," said Paul, soberly. "If there is to be a +war, as Mr. Van Verde says, we may need all the guns they can turn out." +</P> + +<P> +"But we shall not go to war, Paul! Belgium is neutral. All the powers +joined in declaring Belgium to be a neutral state. We have learned +that in our history in school!" +</P> + +<P> +"I know that, Arthur. But will the Germans respect our neutrality? If +they don't, we shall have to defend ourselves against them. And the +first attack will be here, at Liege." +</P> + +<P> +"Then these forts that Uncle Henri showed us will really be useful? +They are strong forts, Paul." +</P> + +<P> +"I hope not. But just because there are forts there it is a sign that +the government has feared an invasion, Arthur. I hope that if there is +war we shall stay out of it. But Belgium has always been exposed to +war when her great neighbors fought. Some of the greatest battles in +the history of the world have been fought on our soil." +</P> + +<P> +"I know! Waterloo was where Napoleon was beaten finally. We have seen +that battlefield, Paul, you and I. Do you think there may be a battle +there again? That would be exciting!" +</P> + +<P> +"Waterloo was only one. Ramillies was fought in Belgium, too, and many +other battles. Even Caesar fought here. Do you remember the place +where he says that of all the tribes he conquered, the bravest were the +Belgians?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, that's so! I'd forgotten that! But, Paul, you said there might +be something for us to do. What did you mean?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm not sure yet, Arthur, and I'd rather not say anything more until I +am. But I want you to slip out with me to-night, after dinner. We'll +find out then, for certain. And I don't want to tell Uncle Henri or +anyone else, and afterward find I was wrong. We'd be laughed at then, +you see." +</P> + +<P> +"Then you have found something! Oh, tell me, Paul! I won't repeat it +to a soul!" +</P> + +<P> +"You'll know all in good time. Do you remember that man who tried the +other day to get work as a gardener?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I do. Uncle Henri didn't have any work for him, but he sent him +to the factory in Seraing, and told him they would give him a job." +</P> + +<P> +"That's the one. You know he said he was hungry, and that he hadn't +been able to get any work for a long time, so he didn't have any money. +Uncle Henri told the cook to give him a dinner." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, and I was sorry he didn't get a place. He looked as if he would +have been all right." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, Arthur, I saw him again, last night! He was in Esneux, and he +seemed to have plenty of money, though he hadn't gone to Seraing to get +work. He was in Madame Bibet's wine shop, and he was treating +everyone. Do you know what he paid with?" +</P> + +<P> +"No." +</P> + +<P> +"A German gold piece! That's how I know about it, because Madame Bibet +had never seen such a coin before, and she was afraid it wasn't good. +So she came out, and when she saw me she asked me, and I told her it +was good, of course." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, that's nothing, Paul. We often see German money here in Liege. +Isn't it like that in all places that are near a border? I suppose +that on the other side there is a lot of French money. Why, there is, +even in Brussels." +</P> + +<P> +"It may mean nothing at all, Arthur. I hope it doesn't. But I think +it's funny that that man should be staying around so. He must have +told Uncle Henri a lie when he said he didn't have money. I'd like to +know what he's up to. I'd like to be sure that he's not a German spy." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I never thought of that! A spy! Why should the Germans have +spies around here, though, Paul?" +</P> + +<P> +"It's just the place where they would have them, Arthur. The forts! +They want to find out all they can about them. Boncelles is near us; +so is the fort of Embourg. They want to know if our people are ready. +If they come through Belgium, you know, they will want to get through +as quickly as they can, to attack the French." +</P> + +<P> +"But I don't see why they should want to come through Belgium at all, +Paul. Why can't they leave us alone? They can attack the French along +their own border, I should think." +</P> + +<P> +"They can. But the French know that, and they have their strongest +fortresses all along there, from Belfort to Verdun. It would take the +Germans weeks, months perhaps, to get past these fortifications along +the border, and that would give the French time to bring up all their +soldiers. And the Germans have to beat the French quickly this time, +or else not at all. They aren't fighting France alone, but Russia as +well, and their plan must be to beat France first and then turn on +Russia. They think that here in Belgium it will be easy for them to +get around these forts. If they once get behind them, the French will +have to retreat. And the Germans think that the quickest way to bring +that is for them to go through our country and so attack Paris." +</P> + +<P> +"They ought to be stopped!" said Arthur, hotly. "England and France +would help us, wouldn't they?" +</P> + +<P> +"France certainly would, because she would have to. And I believe the +English would help, too. I hope so. Because even if the Germans +promised to go away as soon as they'd beaten France, I don't believe +they would. They'd make Belgium a part of Germany." +</P> + +<P> +"They can't do that! They shan't! Why, we're not German! We're a +free country!" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, but we may have to fight to remain free, Arthur. Free countries +have had to do that before. If there is war, I think we shall see the +Germans here within a day of its declaration. We had better hope for +peace. But we must be prepared for war—and we must not deceive +ourselves. A treaty guarantees our neutrality, but I think the time is +coming when treaties will be forgotten." +</P> + +<P> +"We shall have to teach these Germans to remember them, then," said +Arthur, valiantly. "We may be weak, but we are brave, we Belgians. I +believe we can give them something to think about." +</P> + +<P> +Paul smiled a little sadly. He understood the true facts, the real +possibilities, better than his friend. +</P> + +<P> +"If it comes to fighting, we will do our part," he said, "but we should +be helpless against Germany alone, Arthur. The only thing we could do +would be to try to hold them back long enough for the French and the +English to come to our aid. Either that, or we would have to let them +pass through without resisting them." +</P> + +<P> +"So that they could fall on France? But that would be treachery!" said +Arthur, indignantly. "I have heard of that treaty of neutrality. We +are safeguarded from attack, but we are forbidden to allow the troops +of a country that is at war to pass through our territory. If it was +the French who talked of invading us to reach Germany, I should say +that we must fight them." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, you're right, Arthur," said Paul. "I think we should make any +sacrifice to keep faith. But be sure that it will be a terrible +sacrifice, if we must make it." +</P> + +<P> +"Look there!" whispered Arthur, suddenly. "Someone started up just now +from behind the bushes. A man—and he is running away from us!" +</P> + +<P> +"After him!" cried Paul. "It looks—yes, it is the man I spoke of!" +</P> + +<P> +They ran as hard as they could, shouting as they went, in the hope that +someone might intercept the fugitive. But he had too good a start, and +in a few moments he had distanced them by climbing a rail fence and +disappearing into a thicket that came down to the edge of a field. +</P> + +<P> +"No use!" said Paul, disgustedly. "He got away from us. But I don't +suppose it would have done us any good to catch him. We couldn't have +done anything—hello!" +</P> + +<P> +He ended with an exclamation of surprise, and stooped over. They were +at the foot of the fence the flying figure had climbed a moment before. +</P> + +<P> +"What is it, Paul?" asked Arthur, eagerly. +</P> + +<P> +"This!" said Paul. He held up a small black pocket-book, and from it +he took a package of papers, wrapped in oil silk. "I struck against it +with my foot! I wonder if that man who was running could have dropped +it?" +</P> + +<P> +It was almost dark by this time; too dark, at any rate, for them to be +able to see the papers. But then Arthur remembered the pocket +flashlight he carried and produced it, switching on the light. +</P> + +<P> +"Let's have a look," he said. +</P> + +<P> +They unwrapped the oil silk covering. And, at the first sight of what +was within it, they gasped. They were holding in their hands a +complete sketch of the fort of Boncelles, the most important of the +works defending Liege to the southwest. Before they could examine it +more fully there was a shout from the fence. The spy had missed his +papers. They saw him for a moment. But now it was their turn to run. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER II +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE MARKED PLANS +</H3> + + +<P> +The fierce shouting of the man as he called on them to stop did not +terrify either of the scouts, but it did confirm Paul's guess. There +could no longer be any doubt that his presence meant mischief; that he +was indeed a spy. Or else why should he have such papers? Why, again, +should their loss so greatly disturb him? +</P> + +<P> +There was not a chance for him to catch them. Well as he might know +the country, they knew it better. They had played in these fields and +woods since they had been able to walk at all. Every hollow, every +ridge, every tree, almost, was familiar to them. Circling about, they +soon reached the garden of their summer home, a fine, spacious house, +with ample grounds surrounding it, that belonged to their Uncle Henri +de Frenard, whose wealth was derived from his considerable holdings of +coal land around Liege. +</P> + +<P> +"Did you get a good look at him, Paul?" gasped Arthur, when at last +they felt that it was safe for them to stop running. "I couldn't +really make sure of him—" +</P> + +<P> +"I think I'll know him again, Arthur. What I'm wondering is if he'll +know us." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't see what difference that makes, except that if he saw us +before we saw him, it would give him a chance to escape—" +</P> + +<P> +"We're more likely to be trying to escape from him than he from us, I'm +afraid, Arthur, for a little while. If the Germans are spying as +openly as all that, it must mean that they're getting ready to come +into Belgium. They wouldn't take such chances unless they felt that it +didn't make any difference now." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't you think we could find him, Paul? If we could, we could have +him arrested, I think." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't say a word—yet," cautioned Paul. "Uncle Henri would only laugh +at us. Let's wait until we can look at his papers, and see what there +really is there besides the sketch of Fort Boncelles. If that's all +there was in the papers, I don't see why he was so awfully anxious to +get them back. Perhaps we've done even better than we know, Arthur." +</P> + +<P> +"All right, I won't say anything," said Arthur. "But you are going to +do something about it, aren't you, Paul?" +</P> + +<P> +Paul laughed. He knew that Arthur was a little disappointed at the +idea of having to keep what they had done secret, especially as he had +probably rehearsed already the astonishment with which all those at the +dinner table would greet the startling announcement of the discovery of +the spy. +</P> + +<P> +"I certainly hope we're going to do something about it, Arthur," he +said. "We'll slip away from the table as soon as we can, and then when +we're alone, we'll see exactly what it is we've got." +</P> + +<P> +But at the table there was a great surprise for them. Their uncle +(though they both called him uncle the relationship was not really so +close) was not in his accustomed seat, and Madame de Frenard's eyes +were suspiciously red. She had been crying. +</P> + +<P> +"Uncle Henri may not be back for two or three days," she said, gravely. +"He is a member of parliament, as you know, and he has been called to +Brussels on account—on account of what we all hope may not come." +</P> + +<P> +"War?" asked Arthur, in a hushed voice. +</P> + +<P> +"It looks terribly as if war must come," she said. "And if it does, I +am afraid our poor Belgium must suffer as well as the lands that are +really concerned. We have done nothing; we want nothing except to be +left alone. If they will only do that! But I am afraid we must not +hope for that. Your uncle expects to join the army at once if there is +an invasion." +</P> + +<P> +"Then we'll stay here and look after you," proposed Arthur, promptly. +"Won't we, Paul?" +</P> + +<P> +"For as long as we are needed," Paul said, gravely. +</P> + +<P> +It was easy enough for them to cut their dinner short that night. The +house was uneasy, stirring with a strange foreboding of what was to +come. Servants, everyone, indeed, seemed to look always toward the +east. There were the Germans. Often during the summer they drove to +Aix-la-Chapelle, the first city over the German border—Aachen, as the +Germans called it. Paul remembered, with a smile, as he thought of the +German city, how indignant he had been when he had first discovered +that the Germans invariably spoke of Liege as Luttich, and how he had +been appeased when he was told that he and most people outside of +Germany refused to adopt the German name for Aix-la-Chapelle. +</P> + +<P> +No one in the house, least of all their aunt, had time that night to +think of the two boys. As a matter of fact, it was that now famous +Saturday upon which Germany finally cast the die by declaring war upon +Russia in the interest of her Austrian ally, whose quarrel with Servia +she thus made her own. France, as the ally of Russia, was bound to +fight Germany. Belgium lay between the two huge powers on either side +of her, well-nigh certain to be caught in the disaster that war meant. +But the news that war had actually been declared had not yet come. +Madame de Frenard was waiting with the utmost anxiety for a telephone +message from her husband in Brussels, who had promised to send her word +as soon as there were any important developments. +</P> + +<P> +And so Paul and Arthur slipped out to the garage, which was a favorite +hiding place. Now it was especially safe, since Marcel, the chauffeur, +had gone to Brussels with their uncle, and there was no likelihood of +any unwelcome interruptions. They repaired, therefore, to the room +above the one in which their uncle's automobile was kept, and spread +out the papers they had captured from the German spy. First there was +the sketch they had already seen of the Boncelles fort; then, equally +detailed, they found sketches and maps of the other forts—Flemalle, +Embourg, Chaudfontaine, Fleron, Evegnee, Pontisse, Liers, Lanlin, +Longin and Hollogne—the great chain of detached forts that made Liege, +in the opinion of military engineers, one of the strongest fortified +towns in Europe. +</P> + +<P> +These forts were not immediately in the town; they were about five +miles, on an average, from the old citadel, long since disused as a +place for actual fighting. The connections between the various forts, +intended, as both boys knew, for the greater facility of their defence +by means of troops fighting more or less independently, were carefully +traced on another map, in which the contour of the land and the natural +shelter were shown. And on this map, at certain spots, there were +strange marks—well beyond the perimeter of the forts themselves, that +is, outside the line that might be drawn around Liege and passing +through each of the forts. +</P> + +<P> +"Look at those crosses," said Paul. "What do you suppose they mean, +Arthur?" +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know," said Arthur, frowning. "But we can find out, you know." +</P> + +<P> +"You mean by going to one or two of these places? They're some +distance off." +</P> + +<P> +"But we ought to find out—don't you think so?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, you're right, of course. We can find them easily enough." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. All we've got to do is to take the map along with us. Then when +we get near we can make sure by looking at it." +</P> + +<P> +"We could do that, but I think we won't, Arthur. Suppose we ran into +the man it belongs to again? We might not get away from him another +time, and I think it would be just as well to leave these maps here. +We can hide them, and then write a note and leave it where it will be +found in the morning, telling them where we hid the maps." +</P> + +<P> +"What's the use of hiding them if we tell some one where they are, +Paul?" +</P> + +<P> +"Can't you see? Suppose something happens to us, so that we can't get +back? We'd want the maps to be found and taken to the commander of the +forts, wouldn't we?" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course. I didn't think of that, that's all. But if we come back +we can get the note back before anyone sees it. Is that what you mean, +Paul?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. Now study that map very carefully. I think we can remember +where the cross marks are, all right." +</P> + +<P> +"I can remember this one," said Arthur. "It's exactly on the spot +where that new house was built last summer, near the Ourthe. Don't you +remember? We stopped and got some milk there, and we wondered how a +farmer could build such a solid looking house when he didn't seem to +have much money or much of anything else. A stupid fellow, he was. He +scarcely knew enough to give us the milk we wanted." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I remember now," said Paul, looking at the map again. He was +thinking hard, trying to fathom the connection between what they both +remembered of that house and the strange, significant cross on the map. +There was a connection; the cross did have some significance. Of so +much he was sure. But for the life of him that was all he could guess. +It was a perplexing problem. +</P> + +<P> +"Come on," he said, at last, impatiently. "I may be very stupid, but I +don't understand. The only way we'll find out will be by going there." +</P> + +<P> +"All right," agreed Arthur, grinning. "I'm wiser than you for once, +Paul. I haven't even tried to find out. I know I can't guess, so I'm +not wasting time trying to. I think we'll be lucky if we find out when +we do get there." +</P> + +<P> +"So do I, come to think of it," said Paul. Somehow he felt better; +before he had been inclined to blame himself for being stupid. "After +all, you know, Arthur, even if they didn't expect anyone like us to get +hold of these maps and sketches, that doesn't mean that they would make +everything on them so plain that you could guess it at first sight. +That sort of mark is awfully easy to understand when you have the key, +but it's as bad as a cipher if you haven't." +</P> + +<P> +It was quite dark, of course, when they finally set out. Though it was +Saturday night few people were about, and the locality was a lonely +one. Then, too, all of those who could had gone into the town. It was +there that news of what was going on in the great world outside would +first be had; it was there that the country people could count upon +getting the first hint of the intelligence that was to have so +frightful a meaning for them. +</P> + +<P> +The course the two scouts took carried them along the bank of the +placid Ourthe, flowing peacefully, calmly along toward its confluence +with the more important stream of the Meuse at Liege. Behind them one +strange thing proved that all was not quite normal. From Fort +Boncelles a searchlight began to play. They had seen that light +before, but only when it was being tested or when there were manoeuvres +in progress. Now it seemed to have a sinister meaning. +</P> + +<P> +"I think that means that there is war," said Paul. "They are keeping +the searchlight going so that they may be sure to escape a surprise." +</P> + +<P> +"I think it's the Germans who will get the surprise," said Arthur, +confidently. +</P> + +<P> +But most of the time they walked on in silence. Both were thinking a +good deal; thinking of what war might mean, and wondering what part +they themselves might play if it came. Of one thing they were sure. +All Belgium would rise to repel the invader, no matter what the pretext +for the invasion might be. +</P> + +<P> +"Here we are," said Arthur, suddenly. "That's the house, Paul." +</P> + +<P> +"It looks quite dark, Arthur. But let's go along toward it. Not by +the road—we'll cut through this field here." +</P> + +<P> +This they proceeded to do. But suddenly, as they neared the house, the +ground seemed to give way beneath Paul. He suppressed a cry, and the +next moment he was vigorously turning back the treacherous ground with +his foot. Arthur turned on his light. And there, beneath the soft +loam, they saw a plate of shining steel. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER III +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY +</H3> + + +<P> +Utterly bewildered, they stared down at the steel. +</P> + +<P> +"Put out your light!" said Paul, suddenly. His voice was tense. "Keep +still a moment! See if you can hear anyone moving around near us." +</P> + +<P> +They were absolutely still for a full minute, but there were only the +familiar sounds of the night. +</P> + +<P> +"All right," said Paul. "Now you watch and listen while I dig down +here and see what this is about." +</P> + +<P> +"Why can't I dig, too?" +</P> + +<P> +"Because it's better for you to watch. Besides, I want to dig so that +I can put the earth back in a hurry, and fix this place so that it +won't look as if it had been disturbed." +</P> + +<P> +Then he fell to, working silently and quickly, like a mole, digging +with his hands until his nails were torn and his fingers were raw and +bleeding. But Paul did not mind that. He had already made a guess, +and a shrewd one, as to the meaning of this strange discovery that they +had made. It was not long before he found that the steel plate +extended for only a short distance. Around this, and spreading beneath +it, was a bed of cement. As soon as he had satisfied himself of that, +using Arthur's flashlight, Paul stopped digging, and began carefully to +replace the earth. Then, calling on Arthur to help him, he trampled +down the earth. +</P> + +<P> +"There!" he said. "I don't believe anyone would know we had been here, +unless they were suspicious already." +</P> + +<P> +"But what is it?" asked Arthur. "Paul, tell me!" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going to, Arthur. Don't worry. But come away from here. We +don't want to be caught around here—and, besides, there's still a good +deal for us to do." +</P> + +<P> +Swiftly they made their way to the road, away from the cottage and the +field where they had made their discovery. +</P> + +<P> +"Now!" said Arthur, after a little distance had been covered, stopping +short. "I won't go a step further until you tell me what that place is +meant for!" +</P> + +<P> +"It's meant for a big gun—that's what it's meant for!" said Paul, +vehemently. "Can't you see? A siege gun can't be fired from a +carriage, or even from ordinary ground. The recoil would bury it in +the earth if they tried that. There's got to be a regular emplacement +for it—a firm base of concrete and steel, so that it will withstand +the shock of firing!" +</P> + +<P> +"You mean they'd mount a gun here?" +</P> + +<P> +"I mean just that! It takes days, almost weeks, to do that. They have +to pour the concrete and let it stand until it's set. But here they've +got everything ready! They can bring up their guns, place them, and +begin firing, all in less than twenty-four hours! They must have been +preparing for this for months—perhaps for years!" +</P> + +<P> +"The cowards! We've never done anything to them!" +</P> + +<P> +"No, they're not cowards," said Paul, thoughtfully. "I suppose they +think they're right, and that as long as that is so, they are justified +in using any means at all to win. But I think we can put a spoke in +their wheel, just the same." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't see how, Paul. There aren't enough soldiers in Liege to watch +every spot where there's a cross marked on these maps." +</P> + +<P> +"No, but that's not the only way, Arthur." +</P> + +<P> +"It's the only way to stop them from bringing up their siege gun, isn't +it? I know what the plan is in case of an attack. It is for the forts +to hold off the Germans until there's time for the French army to come +up and relieve them. And they're not supposed to be able to stand the +fire of heavy guns. The plan was made for use against an army that +wouldn't have time to bring up its siege artillery." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, that's true enough. But, just the same, I think we can help. +I'm so sure of it that I'm going to take these plans into Liege +to-night and try to get them to General Leman." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm with you, Paul! Are we to go now?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not quite yet. I'm interested in this house, too. I want to find out +whatever we can about it before we go in. Don't you see what our +finding that gun mounting means, Arthur? Finding it just where we +did—in a field that belongs to that house?" +</P> + +<P> +"You mean there may be spies there now?" +</P> + +<P> +"I don't say that they're there now. But I think they have been there. +And I know I'm going to find out all we can." +</P> + +<P> +"All right. I think we ought to do that, too. Let's get along! It'll +be awfully late when we get into Liege, I'm afraid." +</P> + +<P> +The house that had suddenly assumed such an air of mystery, so great an +importance, was dark as they approached. Not a light showed from its +windows. But they took no chances, none the less. They got very close +to it without detection; they were able to go up to the windows. And, +listening there, they heard not a sound inside to indicate that anyone +was within. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going in," said Paul, suddenly. "Let me have your light, Arthur." +</P> + +<P> +"Can't I come in, too?" +</P> + +<P> +"One of us must stay outside and keep watch," said Paul. "It's the +hardest part of the job, Arthur. If you stay outside, watch carefully, +especially near the door. Hide, so that you won't be seen, but in a +place where you can see anyone who comes. And if anyone is coming, +call like a quail. I'll be listening, and I'll slip out of this back +window and get back to you. But if they catch me, go back and get the +plans, and then hurry into Liege. Tell General Leman, if you can get +to him, or a staff officer, if you can't, everything that has happened +since we found these papers, whether it seems important to you or not. +Something that may not seem to mean anything at all may really be very +important." +</P> + +<P> +"But it seems to me you're taking all the risk," protested Arthur. +"That isn't fair." +</P> + +<P> +"It's just as risky outside as in," said Paul. "Here goes! Off with +you, now, and find a good place to hide! We haven't any time to lose, +I can tell you. If there's no one inside now, they won't leave a place +like this deserted very long, I'm sure." +</P> + +<P> +Arthur went off reluctantly, but, as usual, he obeyed Paul to the +letter. He found a clump of bushes from which, without being seen +himself, he could watch the door of the house, and there he crouched +down to wait. It was dull work, and, after he had once settled +himself, he was afraid to move lest unseen eyes be watching somewhere +in the neighborhood. +</P> + +<P> +Meanwhile Paul was busy getting into the house. It was easier than he +had thought it likely to be. The catch on the window was simplicity +itself and he forced it with his penknife without any difficulty at all. +</P> + +<P> +"I feel like a burglar," he thought to himself, as he climbed in. "But +I don't care. Even if there's nothing wrong in here, I've got the +right, in a time like this, to make sure. Every Belgian has to think +of his country first now." +</P> + +<P> +And he was pretty sure that there was a decided connection between this +cottage, so strangely stout in its construction, and the unquestionably +threatening and sinister discovery he and Arthur had made in the field +only a stone's throw away. +</P> + +<P> +Inside, he found himself in a large room that took up all save a very +small part of the ground floor of the cottage. To the left there was a +wall, and in it an open door—he could see that much through the very +faint light that filtered through the windows. Seemingly, he was in +luck. There was absolutely nothing to make him doubt that he was alone +in the house. Everything was still. There was not even the ticking of +a clock, the one sound he might reasonably have expected to hear even +in a temporarily deserted house. But he waited for quite a minute, to +make sure that no one was about. He felt certain that, had anyone been +there, he would have heard breathing, no matter how anxious the other +occupant of the house might be to conceal his presence. +</P> + +<P> +Then he switched on the light, shielding it with his hand, so that no +reflection of its faint glow should betray him, by means of the +windows, to anyone approaching from outside. +</P> + +<P> +About the big room in which he found himself there was nothing to +excite suspicion at first sight. The room seemed ordinary enough; the +usual living-room of a peasant. One thing was curious; he could see a +trap door, evidently leading to a cellar below. But that he reserved +for later inspection, preferring at first to look upstairs. He reached +the second floor by the stairs; there, too, there seemed at first +nothing out of the ordinary. But when he threw aside all scruples and +looked everywhere, he found something that confirmed some at least of +his suspicions—a bundle of letters, all written in German script. He +did not stop to read the letters, but on the chance that they might +contain something that would prove valuable or important, he slipped +them into his pocket. +</P> + +<P> +As yet, however, he had made no real discovery. The letters might +prove a great deal; for the moment he was obliged to leave them unread, +since his time might prove to be very short. Down he went, light out, +pausing in the big living-room to listen for some sound from the +watcher outside. There was none. +</P> + +<P> +Now he lifted the trap door, and found, as he had been sure he would, a +ladder leading to the cellar below. He hesitated for a moment now. +There seemed to be no safe way of propping up the trap door. To +descend, closing it after him, meant that he would be shut into the +cellar, where he could not hear the warning signal from Arthur, should +it be sounded. But his hesitation lasted only a minute. +</P> + +<P> +"It's a chance, but I've got to take it," he said to himself. "After +all, I haven't really found anything anywhere else. The cellar's the +last place to look—and the most likely, too." +</P> + +<P> +One thing was a relief; when he was safely down he could turn on his +light, unafraid. From the cellar, without a window, with no means of +egress save that by which he had entered it, there was no danger that a +stray beam of light would betray his presence to the lawful dwellers in +this cottage, should they chance to return while he was there. And +what he saw in the light when he switched it on was ample reward for +his daring in braving the dangers of the place. +</P> + +<P> +The place was an arsenal! Arranged against one wall were the parts of +three powerful guns, all ready to be assembled. And all about, neatly +stacked, were shells. He looked at them, pointing his light at them, +to make sure. They bore the stamp of the Krupp works at Essen in +Germany, the world-famous works whence the greater part of German +munitions of war come. +</P> + +<P> +Here was a discovery indeed! The Germans were ready to attack Liege. +Of that there could no longer be even the shadow of a doubt. Not only +had they prepared a place for the reception of guns; they had even +smuggled the guns themselves over the border. It was, as he could see, +not a matter of really great difficulty. The border was not far +distant; the guards, on the Belgian side at least, had had no great +reason in the past year or so to be especially vigilant. But Paul was +horrified by this proof of the determination of the great power to the +east and north not to hesitate to invade Belgium, should that course be +necessary to enable it to reach its most formidable antagonist, France. +</P> + +<P> +There was something horrible and cold-blooded about such minute +preparation. He was thrilled by his discovery. No less was he +thrilled by the feeling that it was within his power now really to +serve the land he loved. He was not old enough to be a soldier, but he +felt that if he could get back to Liege with the information that he +and Arthur had garnered that night they might serve Belgium as well as +soldiers could do. +</P> + +<P> +Light in hand, he made his way back to the ladder. Then he switched +off the light and started to climb the ladder. And as he did so, he +stopped, appalled. Above there was the sound of a closing door; then +heavy footsteps sounded on the trap door over his head. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE FLIGHT +</H3> + + +<P> +From his hiding place outside the cottage, Arthur had been watching +faithfully while Paul explored the inside. He heard the steps that +heralded the approach of a man, and whistled at once, imitating the cry +of a quail, since he thought it better to take the chance of giving a +false alarm than of letting his chum be trapped inside. But it was +already too late, as it turned out. Paul had gone down into the cellar +and let the door fall behind him. So Arthur's warning fell on deaf +ears. +</P> + +<P> +The steps came nearer, and Arthur, wondering why Paul did not appear, +and only half guessing the reason, whistled louder. It was hard for +him to refrain from dashing at once to the rescue. But after a +moment's thought he realized that this would do Paul no good, and that +it was all important for him to remain free, so that, if Paul was made +a prisoner, he could carry the news to Liege and so serve not only +Belgium, but Paul, since that would be Paul's only chance of rescue. +At least so it seemed then. +</P> + +<P> +Now the man whose approach had alarmed Arthur came in sight. He was +trudging along, looking like a veritable peasant. But, now, in the +light of the suspicions that had been aroused that day, Arthur could +see things about this man that distinguished him from the Flemish +dwellers in the neighborhood. +</P> + +<P> +"He is a German!" he thought. "What shall I do?" +</P> + +<P> +For the moment he could do literally nothing. He could only lie still +and watch the man go up to the front door of the cottage and unlock it. +But then, after the German had gone in, Arthur saw that there was still +a light—a light that became visible as soon as the pretended peasant +lighted his lamp. Plainly the door had not been quite closed; the +little streak of light showed that. +</P> + +<P> +Arthur waited breathlessly for some sign that Paul's presence had been +discovered. But none came. He was close enough to the door to hear +the man in the cottage stamping about, and he could guess, of course, +that Paul was concealed in some fashion. He had even the idea of the +cellar but of course he could not be sure that Paul was not above—safe +as long as it did not enter the German's head to climb the stairs. At +any rate, Arthur was grateful for a respite, no matter how brief it +might prove to be. Almost anything was better than the actual +knowledge that his chum had been caught. +</P> + +<P> +"While there's life, there's hope!" he said to himself, grimly. +</P> + +<P> +But it was a good deal easier for him to determine that he would make +some sort of effort to release his chum than it was for him to discover +a practical way of doing so. He had the feeling that at any cost to +Paul he must secure his own freedom; that was the thing that Paul had +impressed most vividly on his mind. At last he determined to risk a +trip to the window by which Paul had made his entrance. He wanted to +look inside; to see, at least, what was going on. Then some means of +helping Paul might suggest itself. +</P> + +<P> +Of course Arthur had seen nothing of the inside of the room, since it +had been dark when Paul had climbed in. Now the first thing he saw +after the man of the house himself, was the trap door that led to the +cellar. He understood at once that Paul must be down there. +</P> + +<P> +"That's why he didn't hear me, of course!" he said to himself. "Now to +get him out!" +</P> + +<P> +Suddenly, just as he was about to leave the window, Arthur was startled +into a stiff and rigid halt by the sound of a heavy knock on the door +of the cottage. The German inside, busy just then in cutting up a huge +sausage that was evidently to be his dinner, seemed to be almost as +startled as Arthur himself. He jumped up, upsetting his chair, and +flung the door open. At once his whole manner changed. He started +back, then stiffened himself and stood at attention. A young man, +dressed in a uniform of a greenish-gray cloth that Arthur had never +seen before, and covered now with dust, walked in. Arthur could +scarcely believe his eyes. Everything about the newcomer pointed to +the fact that he was a German officer, for if the color of the uniform +was unfamiliar, its cut was not. But a German officer in uniform here! +</P> + +<P> +"Zu befehl, Herr Hauptmann!" said the man of the cottage. +</P> + +<P> +"It's come, Froebel," said the captain. He stretched his arms, as if +glad of the chance. "I've had a fine trip from Aachen! The worst +roads I ever tried to push a motorcycle over! But I'm here—so that's +even! There are more coming. General von Emmich's army is on the +march already. We have even now taken possession of Luxembourg. +To-night the Belgian government finally declined to give us the right +to move our troops through their little toy country! So we must fight +them, too." +</P> + +<P> +"I'm not sorry," said Froebel. Some of the stiffness had gone out of +his manner. "I'll be glad to get a chance to do some fighting instead +of this eternal spying! And who knows? If I am lucky, I may get a +little swifter promotion than I had hoped for." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I forgot," said the other. "Congratulations, Froebel! You have +your captaincy, and a staff detail. That's unofficial, of course. But +I've seen the order." +</P> + +<P> +"Good," said Froebel, impassively. "But if you stay with the line, +Poertner, you'll be a colonel before I'm a major. Enough—to business! +I have bad news." +</P> + +<P> +"Bad news? What sort?" +</P> + +<P> +"It's that clumsy fool Ridder! He has been mapping the whole field of +operation here, as you know—details of the forts, and the location of +all the concealed gun mountings and platforms we have put in in case +the Belgians should be foolish enough to try to stop us by force." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, yes! What of it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Eh? He had those papers—those simply invaluable papers! And he was +alarmed by two Belgian boys in Boy Scout uniform—thought they were +soldiers coming to arrest him! He took to his heels and naturally, +being boys, they followed! He dropped his papers going over a fence! +When he missed them he went back. But he found no trace of them. He +is sure that the two boys got them." +</P> + +<P> +"Donnerwetter! That's a bad business, Froebel! I fear for our friend +Ridder! The intelligence department will not be altogether pleased by +this. But what if the boys have them? Is there a chance, do you +think, that they will understand them?" +</P> + +<P> +"Who knows? Some devil might lead them to take them to a Belgian +officer! However—even so, there is this much of good about it. There +is no time for them to do anything. They can't get at our gun +platforms. If they had a week! But you say General von Emmich is +already on the march? That means that war has been declared?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, only that it has begun," said Poertner, with a smile. "It is no +longer the fashion to declare war formally—-unless the enemy is like +Russia with us—so far away that we can't strike first. No. The +modern way is to begin fighting and let the other side declare war. So +they seem to take the aggressive." +</P> + +<P> +"I see," said Froebel. "Well, at any rate, it is the time I am +thinking of. They are fairly well prepared here at Liege. The forts +are in order; they have good men, and plenty of ammunition for their +guns. But against our Krupp pieces—" +</P> + +<P> +He laughed to express the chance that the stout forts of Liege were to +have against the German artillery. And outside Arthur, listening, +ground his teeth. He was glad that he had come; already he had learned +facts likely to prove of the first importance. No matter how well the +garrison of Liege was prepared for any emergency, it would be vastly +helpful to know when the blow might be expected to fall. It is one +thing to be prepared for a trouble that may come some day; it is quite +another to know that it is imminent, and to make plans accordingly. +</P> + +<P> +In Arthur's mind an idea now began to take root. The voices of the two +Germans inside died away, and he seized the opportunity to make his way +quietly to the front of the cottage. There, lying on its side, was the +motorcycle of which the new arrival had spoken. Arthur had ridden +motorcycles himself, and now he went up to this one and examined it +carefully. He found that while it was different from the ones he had +ridden, the points of difference were really trifling and that he could +understand it easily enough. +</P> + +<P> +Then he went back for another peep in the window. The two German +officers were busily engaged now in eating, and were washing down the +sausage, amid a good deal of laughter at the rough fare, with two +bottles of wine. +</P> + +<P> +"When we have finished," said Poertner, "we will have a look at your +little arsenal below." +</P> + +<P> +"It's a real arsenal," said Froebel, proudly. "That was rather well +managed, I think. We have managed to bring in the guns, one part at a +time and the ammunition piecemeal, in the same way. These stupid +Belgians never even suspected. It is only just lately that they have +even begun to dream that there might be danger for them if it came to +war. Before they woke up everything was here!" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, your guns will be at work before many hours if all goes well," +said Poertner. "This sausage of yours is not so bad, after all! Food +is food when you are hungry! Ah, it will be some time, at best, before +we can eat again in Berlin, my friend!" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. There will be garrison work, even after we have taken Paris. +Still, even so, it should not be so long. Three weeks perhaps—that +should be enough to beat the French this time. We are better prepared +than we were in 1870." +</P> + +<P> +"So are they, I hear. Well, they couldn't be worse off than they were +then! No matter, though—we shall outnumber them from the start. Will +the English fight, do you think?" +</P> + +<P> +"Pah—the English! No! They will be too busy with their troubles at +home. They will have a rebellion on their hands in Ulster. No, +England will have too many troubles of her own at home, to be able to +cross the sea to look for more." +</P> + +<P> +Arthur had heard all he needed. Now he drew back from the window, +picking up several good-sized stones as he did so. And when he was +some distance away, but still able to see the two Germans, he stopped +and waited. +</P> + +<P> +He waited until the two officers had finished their meal and had risen. +Even then he waited until they moved, together, to the trap door. +Then, raising his arm, he let fly the first of his stones. It crashed +through the window, shattering the glass. At once he threw another, +and then still another. He had counted, and not in vain, on the +instinct that would move the two Germans. With a single motion they +leaped to the door. As they did so, even as they rushed out, he ran +diagonally, so as to get away from them, toward the front of the house. +As they stormed around in the direction from which he had thrown the +stones, and so out of sight of the front of the house, he stopped. +They passed within half a dozen feet of him, but, naturally, they had +not expected him to come right toward them, and they passed him +unnoticed. +</P> + +<P> +Then, as soon as they were out of sight, he made for the cottage. He +meant to call Paul. But Paul was at the door as he reached it for he +had understood, from what he had been able to hear, something of what +had happened. +</P> + +<P> +"Come on! Here's a motorcycle we can take!" cried Arthur, eagerly. +</P> + +<P> +He lifted the machine. In a moment he had started the motor, and Paul +leaped up behind him as he got it going. +</P> + +<P> +"Hurry! Here they come!" shouted Paul. +</P> + +<P> +The put-put of the motor had aroused the Germans to what was going on. +Now they stormed back around the cottage. They were just in time to +see the motorcycle being ridden madly off; in time, too, to fire a +couple of shots apiece from their pistols. But their aim was bad: the +boys heard the bullets whistling over their heads. In less than a +minute they were safe! +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER V +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +PURSUIT +</H3> + + +<P> +They had no thought of any further danger, as they sped along the road +on the stolen—or, rather, the captured motorcycle. The road was +smooth and good. There was nothing to detain them. Behind them the +furious shouts of the Germans, even the firing, died away, until the +only sound they could hear was the noise of the engine. The machine +was a good one, evidently built for the hard work of an army in the +field. +</P> + +<P> +Before them now was the searchlight from Fort Boncelles, picking up one +patch of darkness after another, flooding it suddenly with light, and +then passing on to the next, swinging about endlessly in a great arc, +so that the slightest movement that was out of the ordinary was sure to +be seen. From time to time the great beam of light struck the road, +before them or behind them. Then they were in the midst of it, riding +in a sea of light. The searchlight winked off, came back to them, and +went with them for nearly half a mile. +</P> + +<P> +"They've spotted us, Arthur!" said Paul, with a laugh. "Well, I hope +they're not frightened!" +</P> + +<P> +"They must want to make sure of what we're doing, I suppose, Paul! +Look at the other lights! It's a great sight when they all swing up +together, isn't it?" +</P> + +<P> +From the forts that ringed the ancient city the darting searchlights +swept the heavens. At times all of them met, for a moment, making a +blinding reflection against the sky. They would stay thus; then, one +after another, the lights would go swooping down, keeping their vigil. +Behind each were watchful eyes, ready to report immediately the first, +the slightest sign of what might come now at any moment. +</P> + +<P> +"Those searchlights make the idea of war seem more real than anything +else has, Paul," said Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +Paul gave a short laugh. +</P> + +<P> +"If you'd seen those shells and the parts of the guns, all ready to be +put together in that cellar, you wouldn't say that!" he exclaimed. +"And how about the German officer—in uniform, on the soil of a +friendly country? That's almost an act of war itself, Arthur! He has +no business here!" +</P> + +<P> +"I don't see what difference it makes, Paul. If they're coming, +there'll be so many more that one more or less won't count." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, they're coming! I'm more sure of that than ever since we found +that house. I say, Arthur, I think you'd better stay right out here in +the road with the motorcycle, while I run in and get the plans. If we +both went, we might be caught—and I don't want to have to explain +anything until we've told what we know to the staff officers." +</P> + +<P> +"All right, Paul. But don't be long." +</P> + +<P> +"I won't! Here we are! Now you wait—and I'll get back just as soon +as I can." +</P> + +<P> +It was an easy matter, as it turned out, for Paul to slip into the +grounds and retrieve the plans. But it took time, and time, had he +only known it, was the one thing he could not afford to waste just +then. Somehow neither he nor Arthur had given a further thought to the +two Germans they had so cleverly eluded in the mysterious cottage. +They had felt that these two enemies, at least, might be counted out +for that night. +</P> + +<P> +And so Paul, returning to the spot where he had left Arthur, took no +particular pains to conceal himself. He called out as he vaulted the +low wall between the grounds of his uncle's place and the road. +</P> + +<P> +"It was easy!" he cried. "No one was about. They're probably so +excited that they haven't even missed us yet! Start your engine! +We've got to hurry now." +</P> + +<P> +Arthur tried to obey. But there was some slight hitch in the starting +of the engine. Then the spark worked, and the motor began to throb. +The cycle started; Paul leaped up to his place behind. And then, +behind them, came a sudden roar, the sound of another motorcycle, and a +flash of light swept over them. +</P> + +<P> +"Stop!" cried a voice—a voice they knew! It was one of the Germans! +</P> + +<P> +"Go on! Hurry!" cried Paul. "Perhaps we can get away from them—we're +ahead, anyhow!" +</P> + +<P> +The motorcycle leaped forward now, but from behind they could still +hear the barking of the exhaust of the other machine, and the excited +cries of the Germans. Luck was with them, however, for just at that +most critical of moments something must have gone wrong with the +pursuing machine. The noise of its motor ceased behind them. The +shouting continued, but only one voice was raised. Plainly the other +man was busy. While their luck held, Arthur pushed the machine at the +best speed he could get out of it. And it was well that he did, since +the trouble with the other motor was soon mended. It sprang into +sputtering life again behind them. But now they had a good lead and +were racing on toward the forts, toward the circle of wide swinging +searchlights. +</P> + +<P> +</P> + +<P> +"How are we getting on, Paul?" asked Arthur. "Are we gaining?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm afraid—no, we're not. They're coming along awfully fast. That +must be a much more powerful machine than this." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't think it's that. I'm awfully afraid that our gasoline is +running low! That German must have ridden a long way. Probably he +expected to fill his tank back there! There's so much noise that I'm +not sure, but I'm afraid one cylinder is missing. That's what is +making us slower." +</P> + +<P> +Over their heads now a bullet sang out sharply. There could be no +doubt about it at all, now; the other motorcycle was rapidly making up +lost ground. Then while they still raced on, and when the other +machine was less than a hundred yards behind, the whole road was paved +in light again, as the Boncelles searchlight swung around and down, and +was focused full on the chase. +</P> + +<P> +Still the other cycle gained, but there were no more shots. The reason +for that was made plain in a few moments by a call to surrender. +</P> + +<P> +"They're only boys!" one of the Germans had yelled to the other. "We +can catch them. Don't let's hurt them." +</P> + +<P> +And then, with the distance between the two machines being reduced +every minute, they could hear one of the Germans shouting to them. +</P> + +<P> +"Stop! Surrender!" he cried. "You can't escape—we're gaining all the +time! If you stop now, you won't be hurt!" +</P> + +<P> +Then the searchlight swung away, and in that same moment Paul had an +inspiration. He remembered that in his pocket was a glass flask that +had contained water. He took this out now, and broke it against the +steel frame of the motorcycle. The fragments cut his fingers, but he +ignored the cuts and the flow of blood. At the risk of hurting himself +still more, he broke the fragments again in his hand. Then he began +dropping the sharp pieces of glass. And in a minute he had his reward. +From behind came two sharp explosions, and looking back, he saw the +other motorcycle swerve and fall. The two riders went sprawling. +</P> + +<P> +"Get all you can out of her, Arthur!" he shouted. "I spilled them. +The glass punctured both their tires! That was luck! It won't stop +them for long, but it's given us a little more time. I don't believe +they'll put on new tires, even if they're carrying them. And if they +don't, it will make them much slower. You can't go so fast on rims as +you can on rubber tires!" +</P> + +<P> +"That was fine! I never thought of doing that!" exclaimed Arthur. "I +do believe it's going to save us, too. We can't be more than a mile +and a half from Boncelles now." +</P> + +<P> +"We'll get there—unless our gasoline gives out altogether before that, +Arthur. And it may. The engine is certainly missing all the time, +now. Oh, if it will only hold out!" +</P> + +<P> +Their speed was greatly reduced now. And from behind the other motor +started again. +</P> + +<P> +"I admire those Germans!" said Paul. "A good many people wouldn't keep +at it the way they're doing. It's no joke to ride on a motorcycle with +both tires gone. They'll remember to-night for some time, I think! +They'll be sore and shaken to pieces before they're done." +</P> + +<P> +"They'll be better off than their machine," said Arthur, +philosophically. "There won't be enough of that left to sell for junk +if they ride it very far in that condition." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I don't believe they'll care about that, if they only catch us +and get the plans—" +</P> + +<P> +It was a sudden lurch of the machine, accompanied by a sputtering and a +stopping of the motor, that interrupted him. The two scouts sprang off +just in time, steadying the machine. +</P> + +<P> +"Drop it! Into the fields here!" cried Paul. "We can't run any +longer. We must try to elude them by tricking them. Come on!" +</P> + +<P> +And so they were obliged to abandon the machine that had served them so +well, leaving it lying in the road. They ran across a ditch that +bordered the road, and into a field where they managed to conceal +themselves in a hedge. They could still see the white road, and the +collapsed motorcycle, but there was a chance, even if it was a slim +one, that they themselves would not be seen. +</P> + +<P> +Arthur wanted to run across the field, but Paul stopped him. +</P> + +<P> +"That's what they'll expect us to do, isn't it?" he said. "And, +besides, they could see us. There's no shelter for a long way. Here +they may overlook us, just because we're so close—and it's the only +chance we have, anyhow." +</P> + +<P> +"Here they come!" cried Arthur, and crouched down, staring. For a +moment it seemed that the pursuers might ride straight by, and Paul +groaned suddenly. +</P> + +<P> +"We ought to have dragged the machine in here with us!" he said. "Then +I don't believe they'd have known we had stopped for quite a distance! +I never thought of it, though, and now it's too late!" +</P> + +<P> +It was too late, indeed, for the other machine stopped within a few +feet of the overturned cycle. +</P> + +<P> +"Ha! Now we'll have them! They can't have gone far!" said one of the +Germans. "Accursed boys! They have given me a fright!" +</P> + +<P> +"You haven't caught us yet!" whispered Paul, defiantly. +</P> + +<P> +It was true, as the Germans soon discovered. For when they began +looking for the two boys, they found that it was one thing to know that +they must be somewhere about, and quite another to find out just where. +They did not begin to look immediately in the field, but went along the +road, toward Liege, evidently looking for footprints. Then when they +did take to the field, they crossed the ditch fully a hundred yards +further along the road. +</P> + +<P> +"Come on!" said Paul, suddenly. "We got one of their machines—why +shouldn't we take the other?" +</P> + +<P> +Arthur saw the point as quickly as Paul. The carelessness of the two +Germans had once more given them an opportunity. In a moment they +dashed out, and, just as the Germans, with a yell of fury, saw them, +they were off. Bullets flew about them, but they bent low over the +machine, and they were going fast. Still two bullets found their mark, +one puncturing the rear tire, the other perforating the gasoline tank. +Once more they seemed to be caught. And then a searchlight swept down +upon them again. But this time it was not the great light from +Boncelles. It was the huge headlight of an automobile, and behind it +they saw an armored car. Soldiers sprang from it, and in a moment the +tables had been completely turned. +</P> + +<P> +It was the two German officers who were made prisoners, while officers +eagerly pressed about the scouts, asking question upon question. +</P> + +<P> +"I must be taken to General Leman at once," said Paul, stoutly. "We +have information of the utmost importance." +</P> + +<P> +The Belgian officers laughed at him at first. But he was so earnest +and persistent that he had his way at last. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +AT HEADQUARTERS +</H3> + + +<P> +The armored automobile, a queer looking affair with its machine guns +and its steel parapets, pierced with holes through which rifles could +be fired, made good time on the way back to Liege. It was really a +fairly large motor lorry, converted very readily from a commercial use +to its new purpose, and even the untrained eyes of the two scouts could +see that it was likely to prove a formidable weapon in time of war. +</P> + +<P> +"It would take a heavy gun to stop it. Rifle fire wouldn't bother us +at all, you see," explained one of the Belgian officers. "Even the +driver is thoroughly protected, because he could only be shot from +above. I expect we'll have a lot of use for these." +</P> + +<P> +"Are there many of them?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not so many here. We don't need them. But at Brussels, where the +field army is being mobilized now, there are a lot, and all through the +open country where there will probably be a good deal of fighting." +</P> + +<P> +"Will the Germans get so far?" +</P> + +<P> +"They're sure to. We'll hold Liege with a small force as long as we +can. But you must remember that they can send a million men against +us! We're not supposed to beat them—no one expects us to do that. +All we have to do is to hold them back as long as possible." +</P> + +<P> +"But if there are so many of them, why can't they go right around us +here?" +</P> + +<P> +"They can, and they probably will. But even so, they'll have to +account for the fortress of Liege and of Namur, as well, before they +can get so very far." +</P> + +<P> +"That's what I don't quite understand," said Arthur. "It seems to me +that unless we have soldiers enough here to stop them they could go +right on without bothering about Liege at all." +</P> + +<P> +"You haven't studied strategy yet, I can see, my scout!" said the +officer, with a laugh. "But I'll try to explain. You see, the Germans +want to reach France—to conquer the French army and capture Paris, as +they did in 1870. Then they went right through Alsace and +Lorraine—beat the French around Metz, locked up the beaten army in +that fortress, beat the only other army France had and captured it at +Sedan, and then walked right through to Paris." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I've read of that," said Arthur. "They didn't go through Belgium +then, either." +</P> + +<P> +"They didn't have to. But since then, you see, the French have learned +their lesson. They've got the most powerful fortified line in the +world, I suppose, all the way from Belfort to Verdun. It would take +the Germans weeks to break through there, and by that time the whole +French army would be mobilized behind that line of fortresses, and +ready for them. If they were only fighting France they might try it. +But now they've got to fight France and Russia too. And the only +chance they have is to beat France even more quickly than they did in +1870. I happen to know that their plans require them to capture Paris +within six weeks." +</P> + +<P> +"Six weeks! Do you think they can do it?" +</P> + +<P> +"No! Not if we do our part! And if they don't, they're likely to fail +altogether. Because then Russia will have had time to mobilize, and +more than half of the German army will have to help the Austrians to +hold back the Russians from Vienna and Berlin. What they're counting +on, you see, is smashing France, so that they can hold only a few corps +back on this side, and throw all the rest of their army against Russia. +Then they'd have a chance—more than a chance." +</P> + +<P> +"But still I don't understand about Liege yet, and why it's so +important," said Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm coming to that. Now, to get at the French, they've got to go +through Belgium. Well, they've got to supply their armies. They've +got to send guns, and ammunition, and food from Germany. To do that +they have to keep their line of communication open. Liege is right on +one of their important lines of communication—the one that really +starts at Aix-la-Chapelle, just across the border. Liege, if it wasn't +reduced, or at least 'masked'—that means surrounded—would threaten +these communications all the time. We could raid the railway, for +instance. And if communications are interrupted, even for a day or so, +it may mean the loss of a battle. They use a frightful lot of +ammunition, for instance, in a modern battle. And if troops didn't get +their supplies, they might be crushed utterly. That's why we'll hold +them back." +</P> + +<P> +Meanwhile the armored car was approaching Liege. And now they were +near the old citadel, where, as both the scouts knew, General Leman had +established his headquarters. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know whether the General will see you," said a captain, +doubtfully. "But you can see one of his staff, anyway. Won't that do? +He can decide whether what you have is important." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, and I think he'll take us to the General when he hears our +story," said Paul. "But please hurry! There really isn't any time to +be lost." +</P> + +<P> +"I'll speak to Major du Chaillu," promised the captain. "I think he'll +be able to arrange matters for you." +</P> + +<P> +After a short delay, Major du Chaillu, a tall, harassed looking man, +under whose eyes there were great, dark circles as if he had not slept +for many weary hours, received them in his office. He was busy with a +great map of Liege and the surrounding forts, on which he was arranging +and rearranging many small flags. +</P> + +<P> +"Now tell me briefly what you have discovered," he said, his manner +quick and abrupt. It was plain that exhaustion had made him nervous. +</P> + +<P> +"We have found out that the Germans have secretly prepared foundations +for heavy guns all around Liege, sir," said Paul, quietly. +</P> + +<P> +"What?" The major spun around and stared at them. +</P> + +<P> +Paul repeated the statement, and produced the packet of papers they had +gone through so much to retain. +</P> + +<P> +"We didn't know what these marks meant," he explained. "So we decided +to try to find out. And when we reached the place that was marked on +this map we found not only a concrete and steel foundation for a big +gun, but some smaller guns, all ready to be assembled and a store of +ammunition." +</P> + +<P> +"Tell me exactly what happened," said du Chaillu. But already he was +comparing the sketch maps Paul had given him with his own big wall map, +and was using his compasses and other instruments to determine ranges +and distances. His eyes were shining, too. Busy as he was, however, +he listened attentively. +</P> + +<P> +"That was well done—well done, indeed!" he said, heartily. "You will +hear more of this, I promise you, and from those whose praise will mean +more than anything I can say. I shall take you at once to General +Leman, although there are positive orders that he is not to be +disturbed." +</P> + +<P> +And so in a few minutes they found themselves in the presence of the +heroic defender of Liege, the kindly faced, middle aged general who was +to win a European, a world-wide reputation, indeed, in the course of +the next few days. He heard du Chaillu's report; then he questioned +both the scouts. +</P> + +<P> +"You have served Belgium well to-day," he said, finally. "I shall +report your conduct to His Majesty the King. Major, see to it that +these boys reach their homes in safety, and if an escort is needed, or +any other help, to enable them and their relatives to reach a place of +safety, supply it. I shall see you again, I hope, my boys!" +</P> + +<P> +"What we discovered will really prove useful, then?" asked Paul, when, +with the major, they had left General Leman. +</P> + +<P> +"Useful?" exclaimed the major. "Eh—but yes! Listen! What you have +found is the location of all the heavy guns that will soon be +thundering at our brave forts. Now we shall know just where those guns +are. We can give the gunners the exact range, the exact spot at which +to drop their shells. We shall put their heavy pieces out of business. +Do you see? If you had not brought us this word we might have wasted +many shots trying to do that. We should have sent up aeroplanes, we +should have guessed by the smoke and the reports just where their guns +were placed. But now we need not guess; we need risk nothing to learn +the truth. We know it in advance." +</P> + +<P> +"I was hoping there would be time to send men to destroy such places as +we found," said Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +"There might be time, but it is far better not to do so, you see," said +the major. "As it is, we could destroy only the mountings. But if we +wait until their guns are in position, we can smash the guns as well. +It may well be that you have dealt a blow to Germany to-night more +severe than the loss of a battle and fifty thousand men would be!" +</P> + +<P> +"I hope so!" said Arthur, vindictively. "They have no business coming +into peaceful Belgium, which asks only to be left alone!" +</P> + +<P> +The major laughed a little bitterly. +</P> + +<P> +"That is true," he said. "But our poor Belgium! They call her the +cockpit of Europe, for whenever there is a general war, it is here in +Belgium and in Flanders, both French and Belgian, that the fighting is +at its fiercest, it seems. Marlborough fought Louis the Fourteenth +here; it was near Brussels that Wellington crushed Napoleon. Blood and +fire have been known in Belgium always. But perhaps after this war our +neutrality will no longer be but a word. It may be that we shall be +able to cease to think of danger then." +</P> + +<P> +Outside there was a sudden bustle. Officers were running about, +forgetful of their dignity. From the room in which they had left +General Leman there was a constant double stream of officers and +orderlies, one going in, the other coming out. Major du Chaillu looked +startled. +</P> + +<P> +"There must be something new!" he said. "Wait for me a minute—I will +find out." +</P> + +<P> +When he returned his face was very grave. +</P> + +<P> +"A German army corps has occupied Luxembourg, against the formal +protest of the Grand Duchess Marie Adelaide," he said. "And Belgian +soil has felt the footprints of armed Germans at last! What we have +known must come has come! The German invasion of Belgium has begun!" +</P> + +<P> +"That means war," said Paul. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. I am afraid that we shall be fighting them within twenty-four +hours. They will move swiftly. You had better hasten back to your +home. If there are no men left there you may be badly needed." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well, sir," said Paul. "I hope, though, that we may be of some +service during the defence, after we have done what is necessary for my +aunt." +</P> + +<P> +"We shall see as to that later," said du Chaillu. "You have been of +the greatest service to Belgium already. I shall order an escort for +you." +</P> + +<P> +"Please don't," said Paul. "We can get along all right. There can be +no danger now. And I believe that every man in the garrison here will +be needed." +</P> + +<P> +"Well—" Du Chaillu hesitated. "Perhaps you are right. I myself +cannot see of what use an armed escort can be to you. There is not the +slightest real chance of any trouble between here and your home. Good +luck to you—and may we meet again in a time when our anxieties and our +fears for our country shall be at an end!" +</P> + +<P> +"Good-bye, sir, and thank you!" said Paul and Arthur together. +</P> + +<P> +In the town they got bicycles at a place where they were well known. +Du Chaillu had given them the countersign, and they needed it near +Boncelles, since they were challenged. They rode swiftly along, and as +they neared the house, they saw a bright glare in the sky. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE FIRE +</H3> + + +<P> +"That's from a fire, Paul!" said Arthur. "And +it looks—" +</P> + +<P> +"As if it came from Uncle Henri's house? It +certainly does, Arthur! Oh, but I hope it isn't! +That would be dreadful!" +</P> + +<P> +They raced on now, and as they hastened, the sky +before them grew ever brighter. They could no +longer doubt that the glare they saw came from a +conflagration, and it grew more and more certain +every minute that it was their own summer home +that was burning. There was no other house in +that direction that would produce such a splendid +reflection were it afire. +</P> + +<P> +And soon, too, they came in sight of the house, +and all hope that they were mistaken vanished. +It was M. de Frenard's house, and a single glance +showed that there was no hope of saving it. +Flames were spurting from every window, and +through the roof, even as they came into plain +sight of the house, there burst a great pillar of +fire. There seemed to be an explosion of some sort, +for a great mass of sparks shot upward toward +the heavens, raining down a moment later. In the +light of the fire they could see the men-servants +and some of the peasant neighbors busily engaged +in dragging a few pieces of furniture and some +pictures across the lawn—evidently what little +there had been time to drag from the burning +house. They could see also a group of women, +where Madame de Frenard was calming the +women-servants and trying to bring order out of chaos. +</P> + +<P> +Dropping their bicycles, they ran quickly +toward her, calling her name. As she heard them +she turned, and they saw that her face was radiant. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, you are safe, then!" she cried. "Now +nothing else matters, since no one is hurt! No one +had seen you two since dinner—I was so frightened!" +</P> + +<P> +"We're all right," said Paul, a little remorseful. +"There was something we had to do, that I +will tell you about later. But how did this fire +start?" +</P> + +<P> +"No one knows," said Madame de Frenard, her +eyes darkening. "All that is certain is that we +were awakened by a cry of fire. There was +scarcely time for all of us to get out, and for the +men to save a few of the best pictures. It seemed +that oil must have been spread about, for the fire +to burn so quickly! I do not believe it was an accident." +</P> + +<P> +Paul and Arthur looked at one another. The +same thought had come to both of them. It was +Arthur who voiced it. +</P> + +<P> +"The Germans?" he said, doubtfully. +</P> + +<P> +"Just what I was wondering," said Paul. "But +why should they?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I thought of them, too!" said their aunt. +"And I, too, asked why. There is war but, even +so, we have nothing to do with that. There is no +reason for them to burn our home!" +</P> + +<P> +"I think a great many things are going to +happen for which it will be hard to find a reason," +said Paul, thoughtfully. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, the first thing to be done is for us to get +a roof over our heads for to-night," said Madame +de Frenard, with decision. "Your uncle is still +in Brussels, unless he has already rejoined the +army. I think we had better go into Liege and +stay at a hotel." +</P> + +<P> +"We can get into Liege," said Paul, rousing +himself from his mood of reflection, "but I'm not +sure about staying there. I think you had better +take your maid and go to Brussels, Aunt Claire. +The rest of the servants ought to go home, I think." +</P> + +<P> +It was curious to see how their positions were +reversed in this emergency. It was Paul who was +in command now, not his aunt. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you think so?" she said. "Why, Paul?" +</P> + +<P> +"Because I am afraid that there will be hard +fighting around Liege. I do not think the town will +be defended for very long; it cannot be. It is +supposed only to check the German advance, to gain +a little time, so that the French and the English, +if they come to our aid, may have time to mass +their troops to the west and the north. I am sure +Uncle Henri would say I was right, and I can +arrange it for you to be sent to Brussels, I am sure." +</P> + +<P> +Madame de Frenard was a little inclined to +smile, in spite of the fire and all the woe it had +brought with it. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, Paul, how can you arrange anything?" +she asked. "Have you, perhaps, suddenly +acquired influence with the army?" +</P> + +<P> +"He certainly has!" interrupted Arthur, his +eyes shining. "Oh, Aunt Claire, we've done so +many wonderful things to-night!" +</P> + +<P> +So he let the cat out of the bag, and, with so +much of a start, Madame de Frenard was not +satisfied until she had the whole story out of them. +She caught her breath when she heard of the shots +that had been fired at them, but she looked very +proud and happy, too. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, that was splendid!" she cried. "We may +be a little nation, we Belgians, but we can meet +them when even our boys can defy them and outwit +them so magnificently! Now I know that I can +trust you! Paul, it is as if your uncle were here! +You shall take his place, and I shall do whatever +you say is right." +</P> + +<P> +Paul grew red, and embarrassment checked his +speech for a moment. +</P> + +<P> +"It was just luck, of course," he said, confusedly. +"Anyone could have done what we did, you +know. But I'm glad you'll go on to Brussels, +Aunt Claire, and I think Major du Chaillu will be +glad to make the arrangements, before the railway +is interrupted. I will go now and get out the carriages." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well, Paul, do so. It is lucky that we +have those left, at any rate." +</P> + +<P> +Paul and Arthur helped the men to get out the +carriages and harness the horses, frightened by +the noise and confusion of the fire. And Paul and +Arthur, too, rode in the carriage that took their +aunt and her maid into Liege. +</P> + +<P> +"I didn't think we would be coming back to +Liege quite so soon," said Arthur, a little ruefully. +"This isn't as exciting as the first trip we made +to-night, either." +</P> + +<P> +"No, but I think it's safer," said Paul, rather +dryly. "And there'll be more than enough excitement +to make up for it when the Germans come, Arthur." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I suppose so!" +</P> + +<P> +"I am going to take you two boys to Brussels +with me," said Madame de Frenard, suddenly. +</P> + +<P> +Paul was quiet at that; it was Arthur who cried +out in vigorous protest. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, no, Aunt Claire!" he exclaimed. "There's +so much for us to do here!" +</P> + +<P> +"There will be plenty for you to do in Brussels," +she said, with decision. "It's settled. I +can't allow you to stay here if it isn't safe for me." +</P> + +<P> +Arthur looked to Paul for help, but Paul only +smiled. His aunt looked at him curiously. +</P> + +<P> +"So you are willing to go without arguing, +Paul?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +"You said it was settled, Aunt Claire," he +replied. "If a thing is settled, there is no use in +arguing about it, is there?" +</P> + +<P> +She smiled faintly. She knew Paul well enough +to know that when his mind was made up he never +was willing to admit that a thing was settled until +it was settled as he wished. She wondered what +he had up his sleeve, for she was sure that he was +quite as anxious as Arthur to stay in or around Liege. +</P> + +<P> +As a matter of fact, Paul was the only one of +them all who had even a remote idea of what was +coming. He could not foresee all the horrors of +invasion and battle. No one can do that, or wars +would never be begun. But he did realize that +dire trouble was in store, and that a good many +civilians, and especially women and young +children, would be sent away from Liege before there +was any fighting, if that were possible. There was +something else that Paul grasped better than +either Arthur and his aunt, and that was the +probable course of the invasion. +</P> + +<P> +He knew that in a few days Liege, strong +fortress though it was, would be engulfed. It might +hold out for a long time; he thought it probably +would. But the Germans would be all about it. +The Uhlans would sweep along, far beyond the +range of the guns of the forts, cutting communications, +interrupting railways, blocking the roads, +and Liege must depend upon itself for food, for +ammunition, for all the things that would be +needed. For that reason, he thought, General +Leman would encourage all who could to get out +of the city before the actual siege began. And he +had an idea that there was no real question of his +going, or Arthur; that they would have to wait +their turn, at least. That was why he submitted +so quietly to his aunt's declaration that he and +Arthur were to go with her. +</P> + +<P> +When they arrived in Liege he found that, late +as it was, the city was still awake and stirring. +Outside of the railway station there was a great +crowd. There were women there with children +clinging to their skirts. They carried odd-shaped +bundles. Plainly this was a sudden flight for most +of them, and they had snatched up their greatest +treasures, and wrapped them as best they could.' +</P> + +<P> +"Why, it looks like a regular panic!" said +Madame de Frenard. "I don't see what there is +to be afraid of yet, at any rate. I don't see how we +are going to get away, either, Paul." +</P> + +<P> +"I'll try to find Major du Chaillu," said Paul. +"Arthur, will you stay here while I go?" +</P> + +<P> +He went off when Arthur nodded, and threaded +his way through the confusion and the crowds to +General Leman's headquarters. There, after a +good deal of difficulty, and after he had been +turned away several times by impatient sentries, +he succeeded in finding his friend the major. To +him he explained the situation. +</P> + +<P> +"Your aunt and her maid?" said du Chaillu. +"Yes, I shall be able to manage that." +</P> + +<P> +"My cousin and I cannot go, I suppose?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not to-night, I'm afraid, my boy. The orders +are very strict." He looked a little puzzled, but +went on: "I'd like to make an exception in your +case, for you have done so much for Belgium—" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I don't want to go and neither does +Arthur!" cried Paul, with a laugh. "It's just as +I thought. Only my aunt wants us to go, and I +was afraid that perhaps we could." +</P> + +<P> +The major laughed, too. +</P> + +<P> +"That's more like what I had expected from +you," he said. "Yet it would be better if you did +go. However, women and children first. We've +made the rule, and we must make no exceptions, +or it would be impossible to enforce it at all." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, we'll get along all right," said Paul. +"And—well, I have an idea that may not be of +any use, so that I'd better not say anything about +it yet. But I hope that Paul and I can still do +something for Belgium and Liege." +</P> + +<P> +"I've no doubt that you will try to do that," +said du Chaillu. "Come, show me where you left +your aunt, and I will see that she is allowed to go +out on the next train. I will take her into the +station by a private entrance for there is little chance +of getting through the crowd in any other way." +</P> + +<P> +He was as good as his word. Madame de Frenard +listened to his explanation of how impossible +it was for Paul and Arthur to be allowed to go +on the train, and glanced at Paul. She thought +that she understood his submissiveness better now! +</P> + +<P> +"But—women and children?" she said. +"Surely these boys?" +</P> + +<P> +"We are not children!" protested Paul and +Arthur in one breath. +</P> + +<P> +Major du Chaillu smiled rather sadly. +</P> + +<P> +"No, they are not children in such times as +these, Madame," he said. "We have not quite +come to the point of calling upon boys to fight, +but we cannot treat them as children. Still, I +shall see that they are looked to, as well as I can, +be assured of that, Madame de Frenard." +</P> + +<P> +And with that assurance she had to be content. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER VIII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE UHLAN +</H3> + + +<P> +"Come along with me," said du Chaillu, when they had left Madame de +Frenard in the station. "I'll see that you're put up for the rest of +the night, and to-morrow we'll make other arrangements." +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you," said Paul, "but I think we'd better go back. A good many +things were saved, after all, when the house was burned. When so much +was destroyed I think we ought to try to safeguard what remains, for my +uncle's sake. And there is a place there where we can sleep very well, +thank you." +</P> + +<P> +"H'm!" Du Chaillu looked more than doubtful. "But there is no telling +how soon the Germans will be there. Had you thought of that?" +</P> + +<P> +"They won't hurt us, sir," said Paul. +</P> + +<P> +"No, I suppose not. There's no reason for them to make war on boys or +any other non-combatants. One word of warning, though. If the Germans +do come before you can get away again, don't make any move against +them. All the fighting must be done by soldiers. The Germans consider +it is murder if a civilian fires on them, and they are in the right, +according to the rules of war. They are justified in making any +reprisals. So be careful yourselves, and warn all the men about your +place. Tell them the message is from me. General Leman has issued +orders that no civilians are to oppose the Germans or give them any +excuse for destroying undefended places." +</P> + +<P> +"I understand, sir," said Paul. "Then we may go?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. But be careful. We have seen aeroplanes of the Germans +already—one of our flyers chased one of their Taubes early in the +evening. They dropped bombs on Fort Boncelles." +</P> + +<P> +"I never thought of that!" exclaimed Arthur, sharply. "Do you suppose +one of their aeroplanes could have dropped a bomb that would have set +our house afire?" +</P> + +<P> +"It is possible," said du Chaillu, shortly. "They might not have +realized what they were doing. I hope they did not, if that is what +happened. It is not the sort of work for soldiers." +</P> + +<P> +"It makes very little difference now," said Paul. "The house is +burned, so it doesn't matter, I suppose, how it came to catch fire. We +will go back, then, major." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well. Report to me at headquarters here when you return, +although by that time I may be on duty in one of the forts. I cannot +tell; we of the staff are in one place one minute, and far away the +next. Good-night, again, and better luck, this time, than my wishes +brought you before." +</P> + +<P> +"Good-night!" they echoed, and set out to find their carriage. But +before they reached it Paul stopped. +</P> + +<P> +"I want to go to Henri Creusot's house," he said. "There is something +in the stable there we shall need. I suppose we can't wake him up, but +I shall get what I want, even if we cannot." +</P> + +<P> +Arthur followed him willingly, although Paul volunteered no explanation +of what it was that he was after. And he remained on guard outside the +stable while Paul went in, to reappear presently with a large and +cumbrous burden—a sack bulging with the spoil of his little raid. +Then they went to the carriage, and soon they were driving back toward +the ruined house. When they reached it the dawn was beginning to break +in the east—toward Germany! It was a red, menacing dawn—the sort of +daybreak one might well have expected to see in such a time. About the +smouldering remains of the fine house the men employed about the place +were still grouped. It seemed all had decided that in some mysterious +fashion the Germans were responsible for the ruin that had been +wrought, and they were talking sullenly of what they meant to do to the +enemy. +</P> + +<P> +Paul gave quick directions for housing and hiding the pictures and the +few fine pieces of furniture that had been saved. When all that he +ordered had been done there seemed a good chance that what the flames +had spared would be safe from further risk. Then he and Arthur went +over to look at the garage, which had not been touched by the fire. +</P> + +<P> +"This is a piece of good luck, anyhow," said Paul, when he found the +little building untouched. "I think we'll live here as long as the +Germans will let us, Arthur, which probably won't be very long, even if +we pretend to be stupid. We can be mighty comfortable." +</P> + +<P> +"Of course we can," said Arthur. "It will be like a picnic, or like +camping out, won't it?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm afraid it won't," said Paul. "But we'll make the best of it, +anyway. Come along to the house. I think the ruins are cool enough +for us to find out what I want to know." +</P> + +<P> +He led the way and Arthur followed. But it was not to the house that +Paul went first. Instead, he led the way to a post that had carried +the telephone wire, and, finding the wire, began to follow it toward +the wing where it had entered the house. +</P> + +<P> +"What on earth are you looking at that telephone wire for?" asked +Arthur, completely mystified. "It seems to me that that's the least +important thing there is left." +</P> + +<P> +"I think it's going to be about the most important thing!" said Paul, +surprisingly. "Go get a shovel, will you? Or rather two, for we've +got some digging to do." +</P> + +<P> +Arthur obeyed, as he always did, but he was thoroughly mystified. And +no light was shed upon the mystery when he returned, to find that Paul +had disconnected the wire in the ruins of the house and was dragging it +away from the post where it entered the grounds. But now Paul +explained. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you remember that several of the crosses on those maps we found +were right over there?" he asked, pointing in a direction east of the +burned house. +</P> + +<P> +"Y—es," said Arthur, with an effort to remember. "Oh, yes, I do, now!" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, that means that there will be a battery there. Do you see how +it's screened? The woods hide it completely. It doesn't make any +difference to the Germans that they can't see their target—they've got +a fixed range, because they know just where the forts are, and they'll +get the range of anything else from their aeroplanes." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I see that." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I think this battery is likely to turn out to be the most +important one on this side. I think that they will depend on it to +silence Boncelles and Embourg. We haven't many aeroplanes and it's +going to be mighty hard for our people in the forts to tell what the +effect of their shell fire is, and to correct the range, especially if +the Germans use comparatively light guns that they can move about, as I +think they will. Now do you see?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not quite—" +</P> + +<P> +"Suppose we stay here in the garage? There's a chance that they may +let us, isn't there? Well, if they do, we can see whatever goes on, +with a little care. And if we have a buried telephone wire leading to +Boncelles we can report just what happens when a shell is fired, and +they can correct their aim. That's why I want to dig a trench for that +wire from some distance outside the grounds here, and run it under the +garage—into the pit, you know." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, now I see! You mean we would stay here and pretend not to have +any idea of what's going on, while we were really sending information +to the forts?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. Now the first thing we've got to do is to tap that wire and tell +them in Liege what we are doing, so that they can give us direct +connection with Boncelles. Then we'll try to hide the wire, so that +the Germans won't find it." +</P> + +<P> +Now the mysterious errand Paul had had in Liege was explained. He had +brought with him all he thought he could use of a lot of wire and +telephone instruments that one of their fellow scouts had used in +setting up a miniature telephone exchange of his own, with wires +connecting his house with that of some of his chums. +</P> + +<P> +"We'd better dig the trench and bury the wire first because we've got +to be very careful in filling it up again, so that no one will notice +what's been done," said Paul. "That's the most important part. You +see, if we were caught at this we'd be treated as spies—and that's +what we'll really be." +</P> + +<P> +"Isn't there a chance that they won't really come as far as this?" +asked Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, there is and a very good chance, too, I think. Really, if they +do come up to this point, I believe we won't have much chance. But the +grounds here will be well within the range of the guns from the forts, +and I don't think they'll do any infantry work until they've tried to +beat down our forts with their big guns. Not from this side, anyway. +If they try to take Liege by storm they're more likely to attack +between Liers and Pontisse, or between the Meuse and Barchon. The +country's more open there. Here, you see, the Ourthe runs between +Boncelles and Embourg, and the two forts command all the approaches. +So I think there's a good chance for us. But we have got to take +precautions, of course, because they are almost sure to throw out their +scouts as far as this in the beginning, even if they recall them after +the guns start firing." +</P> + +<P> +Neither of the scouts thought of being tired after that. Arthur began +the work of digging out the shallow trench in which they meant to bury +the wire, while Paul tapped the main wire and explained to an officer +at headquarters in Liege what they planned. It took him some time to +overcome the doubts of this officer, but finally it was arranged that +his wire should be connected with Fort Boncelles direct, and he talked +to that important link in the chain of defending forts for some time, +making final arrangements. +</P> + +<P> +"No matter what happens, of course," he said, "you mustn't call us, +because if we're quiet for any length of time, it may mean that the +Germans are around us. We will watch the firing, after it begins, and +tell you whatever we can find out." +</P> + +<P> +Then he returned to help Arthur, and they worked until it was broad +daylight. By that time they had the wire well hidden, so that it was +entirely invisible. It came out under the garage, and the instrument +at its end was well concealed in the pit under the place where the big +car stood when repairs were to be made. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, that's done!" Paul exclaimed at last, with a deep sigh of +satisfaction. "Are you tired, Arthur?" +</P> + +<P> +"I wasn't just a minute ago," said Arthur, rubbing his eyes. "But now +I'm so sleepy that I feel as if I could go off standing up!" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, there's no reason why we shouldn't get some sleep now. I'm like +you. As long as we still had something to do I didn't feel tired. But +now,—" +</P> + +<P> +A great yawn interrupted him. They surveyed their work with blinking +eyes, then they crept up to the little room above the garage, and in +less than a minute were sound asleep. +</P> + +<P> +It was broad daylight when they went asleep; when they awoke dusk had +fallen. Paul woke first, and he went to the window and looked out. +Everything, seemingly, was just as it had been when they had last +looked out. The scene was one of profound peace. From the window he +could not see the burned house, a patch of blackened ruin in the fair +landscape. The fading light played on the leaves just as it had a +thousand times before; shadows lay along the little mossy patches, the +corners of the lawns that he knew so well. +</P> + +<P> +"Wake up, Arthur!" he said, turning to his chum. +</P> + +<P> +He had to shake Arthur before he could arouse him. +</P> + +<P> +"It isn't time to get up yet—it's still dark, Paul," protested Arthur, +sleepily. But then he began to recover his wits, and he dragged +himself up, and went with Paul to the window. For a few moments they +were quiet, listening. +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps they're not coming—perhaps it's all a false alarm. I don't +hear any guns." +</P> + +<P> +"Look!" said Paul, gripping him suddenly by the shoulder. He pointed +to the road. Against the sky stood a horse, on its back a silent rider +with a spiked helmet, in his hand a long lance. A German Uhlan! +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER IX +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +WAR +</H3> + + +<P> +"They've come, then!" said Paul. "That means war. Look at his +uniform—I never saw a German soldier looking like that before." +</P> + +<P> +It was true. The uniform seemed to melt into the landscape; it was +indeterminate, greenish gray in color. Even the spike of the helmet +did not catch the rays of the sinking sun; it was covered with the +dull, neutral colored cloth. +</P> + +<P> +"I hope he isn't going to stay there," said Arthur. Their voices had +sunk to whispers. Though there was no chance that the vidette would +hear them, his very presence had the effect of quieting them. There +was a tremendous difference, somehow, between thinking of an invasion, +between realizing that it was inevitable that German troops should pour +into Belgium, and the actual sight of one of the enemy. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't think he will," said Paul. "He's just scouting, I think. +Probably he will ride back soon. And they can't be very near—the main +body, that is. If they were we'd hear something of them." +</P> + +<P> +Then before Arthur could answer, something happened. The air trembled, +and a dull sound, echoing again and again, came to them. The two +scouts stared at one another; then they turned, together, to look at +the Uhlan, and saw that he had heard it, too, and was listening +sharply. The light was full on his face, and they could see that it +wore an awed expression. And well it might! They had heard the sound +of the first heavy gun that was fired in anger in the war of the +nations! +</P> + +<P> +"That gun was some distance away. I should think it might have been +fired at Fleron," said Paul. "The siege must have begun." +</P> + +<P> +And now the air was full of sound. First from one side, then from the +other, batteries and forts joined in the chorus. All around them, it +seemed, the great voices of the guns were speaking. Soon individual +explosions ceased to stand out; everything was merged into a heavy, +dull roar that beat against their ears and filled the air with a +continuous tremor. Sometimes the roar rose in volume when a new +battery came into action. For a few minutes Paul and Arthur were +absorbed. They listened, spellbound, to the roar of the guns. There +was something unreal about it. It did not seem possible that those +guns were being fired to kill and destroy, for, as they looked out, +everything was peaceful still. Save when their eyes fell upon the +Uhlan, mounted on his horse. He sat in his saddle, stiff, erect, the +very type of the vast army of which he was a tiny, undistinguishable +part—as a rule. Now he was that army, for the two who watched him. +Still they stared while the shadows advanced, eating into the light +spaces that remained, until grey dusk settled over everything, and he +seemed to slip into it, and become a part of the landscape. Then his +horse moved; he turned, and cantered slowly out of sight. +</P> + +<P> +His going somehow seemed to break a spell. +</P> + +<P> +"Come! We must see what's going on back there," said Paul. "We can +see the battery, you know, if those crosses really mean that a battery +was to be located on the spot we had placed from the map." +</P> + +<P> +They went to the other side of the little garage and looked out. And, +to the east, on a piece of rising ground, that would have been hidden +had the de Frenard house still stood, as it had stood before the fire, +they saw something that looked like a picture of an inferno. +</P> + +<P> +There was a great gash in the woods, where trees had been cut down +ruthlessly. Against the background of the woods that had been spared, +a lurid glare threw everything into relief. Great arc lights had been +strung, so that a space of ground was as bright as day, and in the +light hundreds of men were working. In one place a great furnace was +blazing, and the ruddy glow from that cast a crimson light against the +cold, white radiance of the electric lamps. Steam cranes were at work; +huge cannon were being moved into place on the pedestals that had been +prepared for them in advance. +</P> + +<P> +"We were right!" said Paul, exultingly. "That is to be a great +battery. They must be very powerful guns, too, or else they would have +been ready with the rest, and in action by this time. Ah! I'm glad I +thought of the telephone!" +</P> + +<P> +"How fast they are working!" said Arthur. That was what caught his eye +in the strange, weird scene. There was no confusion, despite the +extraordinary efforts that were obviously being made to hasten the +work. Every man, as they could see, even at that distance, knew +exactly what he was to do. It seemed that the whole operation must +have been planned far in advance, even rehearsed. Such perfect team +work could not be the result of chance, nor even of unusually good +discipline. No, somewhere in Germany just such scenes must have been +enacted in time of peace, that when the grim, harsh test of real war +came there might be no delay, no lost motions, no trifling, unforeseen +hitch to render useless all the elaborate plan that had been made. +This might be war, but it was a grim, cold business, too. +</P> + +<P> +"It's like going to see the steel works at Seraing at night," said +Paul. "Except that there's less glare from the blast furnaces, of +course." +</P> + +<P> +"A good many of those men aren't in uniform," said Arthur, his keen +eyes taking in details as he grew more accustomed to the strange and +awe inspiring grandeur of the scene as a whole. +</P> + +<P> +"They're probably workmen from Essen," said Paul. He had a pair of +binoculars out now, and was looking closely at every detail of the +scene. +</P> + +<P> +"But why should they be there? This is a time for soldiers." +</P> + +<P> +"Not altogether, Arthur. I know—don't you remember what Uncle Henri +told us?—that a lot of the workmen from Seraing would have to be along +with some of the new field artillery pieces, because the secrets of +some things are kept even from the soldiers. Those are probably some +of the men from the Krupp works, brought here just to handle these big +guns." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, they take their chances, just like soldiers, if they do that, +don't they?" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course. They really are soldiers, just as much as the others, but +they have special work to do, that they're trained for. That's the +only difference." +</P> + +<P> +"What are we going to do now?" +</P> + +<P> +"We're going to try to spoil the little surprise these Germans are +preparing for Boncelles and Embourg," said Paul, gritting his teeth. +"You stay here by this window, Arthur. I'm going down to telephone to +Boncelles. If anyone comes near, tell me at once. It's awfully +important, you know, to keep them from finding out about our telephone +wire just as long as we can. And listen, in case I call to you. I'll +want a quick answer, if I do." +</P> + +<P> +"All right, Paul." +</P> + +<P> +Down Paul went, then, to the gasoline pit. Lying at full length, he +drew the telephone instrument from the cunningly devised hiding place +he and Arthur had arranged for it. He was fearful for a moment; there +was a chance, and more than a chance, that the German scouts might have +found and cut the wire; they would certainly have tried to cut every +telephone and telegraph wire in the neighborhood, as the first and most +obvious precaution. But after a brief delay he was delighted to hear +an answering voice. +</P> + +<P> +Quickly he explained who he was, and found that his call had been +expected. In a moment an artillery officer, who said he was Lieutenant +Delaunay, was speaking. +</P> + +<P> +"What information have you?" he asked, quickly. "I have your maps here +before me." +</P> + +<P> +"Find the one that shows the Ourthe and the ground before Boncelles and +Embourg," said Paul. +</P> + +<P> +"Right!" +</P> + +<P> +"Mark the house of M. de Frenard, destroyed last night by fire." +</P> + +<P> +"I have it!" +</P> + +<P> +"Good! To the east of the house the ground slopes upward. It is well +sheltered from observation by the fort. Your searchlights would be +blocked by the woods between the fort and the house. But there is a +spot marked on the map by a group of crosses. Do you see it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Right! We decided that would be a battery. The other forts report +that they have been fired on from points marked on the maps that you +supplied, and that by concentrating their fire on the points indicated +on these maps they have silenced a number of field guns." +</P> + +<P> +"I am glad," said Paul, quietly. "I was sure that the information +would prove to be valuable. Well, then, this battery is not of field +guns. That is why you have heard no firing from it as yet. They are +working now, by electric light, and are placing heavy guns—not the +very heaviest, I should say, but far heavier pieces than would usually +be at the front so soon—probably seven inch mortars." +</P> + +<P> +"Seven inch mortars! That sounds almost incredible!" +</P> + +<P> +"None the less, it is true. You may open fire at once on the spots +marked on your map, and do great damage. We are in a position here to +tell you whether your shells land properly or not—we can see the +battery from here. Will you fire?" +</P> + +<P> +"At once!" said Delaunay. "Go and watch for the shells—then report to +us, if you can, whether they were properly aimed. You will be of the +greatest service to us if you can do that. It is of the last +importance that that battery should not come into action against +us—these forts were not intended, when they were built, to withstand +the battery of such heavy guns as that!" +</P> + +<P> +Thrilled by the knowledge that the risks he and Arthur had run the +previous night had not been in vain, Paul went upstairs and rejoined +Arthur. To the east, where the frantic efforts of the Germans to get +their heavy artillery into position for the opening attack were still +continued, there was no apparent change in the situation. +</P> + +<P> +"No one has come near," said Arthur. "Was the wire working? What did +they say at Boncelles?" +</P> + +<P> +Paul told him, and they settled down to wait It was nervous work, tense +and anxious. Two of the guns—they counted six of them, in all—were +already in position, and finishing touches were being put to them. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, why don't they hurry?" complained Arthur. "The Germans are not +going to wait for them to be ready to fire." +</P> + +<P> +"Listen," said Paul. "The fire is slackening a little, I think. You +can see that what we did had some use—they have silenced a good many +German guns already, through knowing just where to aim." +</P> + +<P> +"What's that?" exclaimed Arthur, suddenly. +</P> + +<P> +Overhead a strange noise filled the air; a shrieking, whining, +whistling sound. It rose, as it came nearer, to a wild whistle, like +the blast of a factory signal, releasing the workers at the end of the +day's work. The two scouts stared at one another; then, without +knowing why, they turned to look at the busy scene to the east. +Suddenly, before their eyes, there was a flash; a puff of white smoke +rising in the ghostly radiance of the arc lamps, and, after a distinct +pause, a dull crash. Then, as the smoke cleared, and they still stood +awe stricken, they saw that the bursting shell had torn a great hole in +the ground. They saw men running; others were crawling, dragging +themselves painfully along. And others still lay very quiet. +</P> + +<P> +For just a moment there was a scene of wild confusion. But then order +was restored, and a knot of men ran to the two guns that were uninjured +and ready. Paul dived down at once. Quickly he told what had +happened, then raced up again. Another whistling overhead, and then a +terrific explosion. The two guns lay overturned, ruined. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER X +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +PRISONERS OF WAR +</H3> + + +<P> +For five minutes the two scouts, appalled, horrified, stood as if glued +to the floor, staring at the scene of destruction. The guns in Fort +Boncelles had the range now. Nothing more than Paul's hurried message, +"Your shell landed beyond the guns," had been necessary. Now shell +after shell was dropped in the midst of the battery that had been wiped +out before it could fire even a single shot. There was a deadly, +terrifying accuracy about the whole proceeding. Miles away the Belgian +gunners, safe in their concrete and steel turrets, were producing this +waste and destruction—not by fighting, it seemed to Paul and Arthur, +but by a blackboard exercise. That was all it really was. +</P> + +<P> +"You see, they know just where their gun is, and they can adjust it to +fire a certain distance. They can take a map, and fire a shell at any +given spot, just by mathematics. They know the angle they must use, +and they know just how far, and how fast that shell will go. It won't +always go quite true, of course; that was why the first shell didn't +strike just the right spot." +</P> + +<P> +"But why is that, if everything is so exact? I shouldn't think they'd +ever make a miss." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, there are lots of reasons. For one, after a gun has been fired a +few times the inside is affected. The rifling is worn in places, and +that gives a slightly different spin to the shell. It doesn't take +much of a change in conditions to alter the course of a shell a good +deal. And the weather counts, too. Sometimes there is more air +resistance; on a day when it is damp and foggy, with low lying clouds, +for instance. So, though they have the range exactly, they may have to +alter what they call the formula a little." +</P> + +<P> +"And they find out by shooting how nearly right they are?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, that's just what they do. It's the only way they can do it, too. +That's why it's so important, when guns are being fired at targets +miles away, to have some one report the effect of the first shot or +two. In a regular battle, in open country, both armies will probably +use aeroplanes in this war. The man in the aeroplane can see just +where the shells strike, and send back word." +</P> + +<P> +"How?" +</P> + +<P> +"In lots of ways. Some of the bigger ones have a small wireless +equipment. Sometimes they drop bombs, that make a smoky patch in the +air when they explode—they drop them right over the place the +artillery wants to hit, and then the men with the guns get their +instruments and figure out just what the range is." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't think the Germans are so very brave, after all," said Arthur, +in a moment. "They all ran as soon as the shells began to come." +</P> + +<P> +"That doesn't show they're not brave—it only shows that their officers +have some common sense. What good could they do if they stayed there +to be killed? They couldn't save those guns, could they? I'm sorry +they couldn't have been warned, that's all. You see, they might have +thought the first shell was just a chance, lucky shot and so they +stayed after that, and tried to fire themselves. But when the second +one came plumping into them they knew the truth—and the officers sent +them to cover, just as any officers who knew their business would have +done." +</P> + +<P> +"I suppose it's war," said Arthur, a little gloomily. "But—" +</P> + +<P> +"It's war right enough," said Paul, with a shudder. "It's not like the +pictures we've seen of Waterloo, but it's war. But there'll be plenty +of the other sort, too, before it's over, Arthur. You needn't worry +about that. The Germans haven't had time to bring up very many men +yet, but I expect they will, and they may try to rush the forts. Did +you notice that they were stretching a lot of wire fencing near Fort +Boncelles when we passed it last night?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. What was that for?" +</P> + +<P> +"To stop an infantry charge, or to help to stop it. You see, an attack +by infantry is likely to be made at night, when it's harder to see the +men being massed. And the wire fence piles up a charge. Oh, I think +there'll be some pretty bad fighting of the old-fashioned sort before +they capture Liege!" +</P> + +<P> +"I don't see how they can capture Liege at all," said Arthur, stoutly. +"The firing of the guns has almost stopped; it seems to me that they've +been beaten back." +</P> + +<P> +"It seems so, but I'm afraid it isn't really true," said Paul, with a +smile. "The Germans haven't begun yet, Arthur. And there are millions +of them. They can put thousands of men in the field to our +hundreds—they will outnumber us ten to one, at least. Liege isn't +supposed to hold out against them very long. No one expects it to. If +it checks them, keeps them from spreading all over Belgium in their +first rush, it will have done its part fully." +</P> + +<P> +"I'd like to see them beaten here, just the same," said Arthur, +stubbornly. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going down to report what happened," said Paul. "Keep watch, +Arthur, but I don't think we can do much more here. I believe that we +won't have to stay here very much longer." +</P> + +<P> +Boncelles had ceased firing by this time, and the close, immediate din +was at an end for the time, at least. There was still heavy firing +from the northwest, which Paul guessed was from the guns of Fort +Pontisse, replying to an attack launched from Vise and Argenteau. +Major du Chaillu had said that the Germans would almost certainly try +to cross the Meuse at Vise, which was the best place they could choose +to launch the cavalry raid he said would be likely to form a part of +their strategy. +</P> + +<P> +"We will have troops there," he said, "to try to hold them back, +supported by Fort Pontisse. But if they come in great force they can +probably break through there, for the place is not well suited to +defence." +</P> + +<P> +Everywhere else in the circle that was closing about Liege the firing +seemed to have died away. And Paul was anxious to know how the opening +skirmish—as he correctly judged it to have been—had gone, as well as +to make his report of what he and Arthur had seen. Delaunay was +waiting at the Boncelles end of the wire. +</P> + +<P> +"You are there at last!" he said, relief in his voice. "I was afraid +you and your brave friend had been hurt." +</P> + +<P> +"No, we're all right. It's the Germans who were hurt! You smashed +that battery to pieces, lieutenant! They never got a single gun ready +to fire. Your second shell smashed the two that were in position, and +the shells after that simply swept the location of the battery. I +don't think the guns can be of much use—not for a long time, and until +they have been thoroughly repaired, at any rate. How has the fighting +gone elsewhere?" +</P> + +<P> +"We are holding them along the Meuse, north of Pontisse. They attacked +with their infantry there, but we beat them back easily." +</P> + +<P> +"That is good news! We are holding them all along the line, then?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, for the present. But they have not brought up large forces yet. +When they do, it will soon be over unless we receive heavy +reenforcements. You two had better come in, if you can get away from +your position without being detected. There is no more for you to do +there. You have already accomplished far more than we hoped." +</P> + +<P> +"We are to report to you at Fort Boncelles?" +</P> + +<P> +"It makes no difference. No, I think you had better try to get into +Liege itself and find Major du Chaillu. Good luck!" +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you, lieutenant, and the same to Fort Boncelles! We will try to +escape from here. I should think we ought to have no great trouble, +for the Germans will be busy at their battery again, as soon as they +find the shelling has ceased." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. We will give them another round or two at intervals during the +night, just to let them know that we still think of them." +</P> + +<P> +When he had finished talking to the fort, Paul proceeded to hide the +telephone as well as he could. Sooner or later the Germans were +certain to come to the garage and it was desirable, for a good many +reasons, that they should find no evidences of the use to which it had +been put. For one thing, it was impossible to tell what was going to +happen. It might well turn out that further use could be made of the +telephone later. And when Paul had done, he felt that it was highly +improbable that the Germans could discover the installation. And then, +just as he finished, Arthur cried out in a voice sharp with alarm, and +Paul rushed up to join him. +</P> + +<P> +The ground about the garage seemed suddenly to have sprouted soldiers. +There were men everywhere, hundreds of them, advancing in loose order. +For a moment Paul hung to the window, fascinated by the sight. Then he +caught himself. +</P> + +<P> +"It's an attack on Boncelles!" he said. "I'm going to warn them if I +have time. I don't care what happens. Arthur, get away from here! If +they come in, pretend you can't speak at all." +</P> + +<P> +And on the word he was off, rushing down again, tearing away the cover +he had provided for the telephone. He had to wait an agonizing two or +three minutes before there was any answer, and once more he was sure +that the wire must have been discovered and cut. But at last there was +an answering voice in his ear, and he gave his news. +</P> + +<P> +"Infantry?" asked Delaunay. "They must be mad!" +</P> + +<P> +"They are planning a surprise attack, I suppose," said Paul. "There +are a great many of them—and I am almost sure I saw some machine guns." +</P> + +<P> +"If their battery hadn't been put out, I could understand," said +Delaunay. "They might have attacked under the cover of a heavy fire +from that. But to bring infantry against fortifications! It seems +like suicide." +</P> + +<P> +"I must go now," said Paul. "They are all around us. I don't know how +soon they may come in. You will be ready for them?" +</P> + +<P> +"Don't worry about that! We'll give them a hotter reception than they +expect!" +</P> + +<P> +Paul smashed the telephone now. Perhaps the Germans, if they found it, +would think it had been useless from the beginning of the fighting. +And, just as he went upstairs, there was a crash at the door, and half +a dozen German soldiers, led by an officer, broke in. In a moment Paul +was seized; in another two men had gone upstairs, and returned, each +with a hand gripping one of Arthur's arms. +</P> + +<P> +"What are you doing here?" asked the officer, in German. Paul +understood him very well, but thought it better to pretend ignorance. +He answered in French, saying he did not understand, and the German +officer repeated his question in French. +</P> + +<P> +"We—we lived in the house that was burned,"' said Paul, pretending to +be greatly frightened. "We did not know where to go or what to do. So +we stayed here." +</P> + +<P> +"How long have you been here?" +</P> + +<P> +"Since last night." +</P> + +<P> +"You heard the explosions just now?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. I did not know what they were." +</P> + +<P> +"Take them back," said the lieutenant to a corporal. "You are in +territory occupied by our forces where no civilians have any right to +be," he added, speaking to Paul. "Unless you can prove that you are +innocent, you will be tried and condemned as spies. Have you any arms +here?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, sir," said Paul. +</P> + +<P> +A quick search confirmed his statement. But though that seemed to +count in their favor, the order was not countermanded. In a few +moments they were on their way through the German lines, and in half an +hour they reached what was plainly the headquarters of a brigade at +least, perhaps of a whole division. There they were thrust into a +small hut that already contained three other prisoners, Belgian +peasants. Outside the door there was a guard. They were prisoners of +war and if the truth about their doings came out, they would almost +certainly be shot, despite their youth. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE SPY +</H3> + + +<P> +"What will they do to us, do you think?" asked Arthur. He was +trembling, but with excitement, not from fear. +</P> + +<P> +"Nothing, unless they can prove that we have actually been working +against them," answered Paul. "And I don't see how they can." +</P> + +<P> +"If those two who chased us when we ran off with their motorcycle saw +us, they'd be able to prove it," said Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I hadn't thought of them. But they're prisoners fortunately. I +hope they'll be well looked after, too. It would be mighty awkward if +they turned up here suddenly. They know just how important were the +plans we got and these others don't know anything about that, at all. +I believe that our people knowing just where the German guns were +placed made a great deal of difference." +</P> + +<P> +The coming of a soldier interrupted them. He told them that they were +to be examined at once. +</P> + +<P> +"Then you will be shot," he said, showing his teeth. "As you deserve," +he added, trying to look fierce. +</P> + +<P> +But there was a twinkle in his eye that both Paul and Arthur saw. They +had been treated very well so far. They had seen nothing, as a matter +of fact, to make them think that the Germans were brutal. They made +war, and that is brutal in itself. The gentlest men, when they are +engaged in a campaign, must do things that they would never attempt of +their own free will. +</P> + +<P> +The soldiers now led the way to a house that both boys knew well, for +it belonged to a friend of their uncle, whom they had often visited. +It was being used as headquarters now by a part of the German staff, +and was full of officers who looked at them curiously. They still wore +their Boy Scout uniforms. There had been no opportunity, as a matter +of fact, for them to change their clothes before the fire, and all the +other clothes they possessed had been destroyed, of course, at that +time. +</P> + +<P> +"You were caught by our troops in territory occupied by us—within our +actual battle line, indeed," said a colonel who received them. "Did +you not receive warning that all civilians were to leave the zone in +which you were found?" +</P> + +<P> +They could deny that truthfully, and did. Paul was rather glad, as the +matter had turned out, that his plan of pretending to be dumb had not +been tried. He knew that it would be very hard for Arthur to tell an +untruth, even by suggestion, excellent as was the excuse for doing so. +Arthur could understand, of course, that to deceive the enemy was +permissible, and, more than that, praiseworthy. It was a question +simply of whether he could hope to do so successfully. +</P> + +<P> +"The thing to be done now is to get rid of you," said the colonel. He +frowned severely, but, as with the soldier who had brought them for +examination, there was a smile behind the frown. "I might have you +shot, but we should save ammunition. And I might send you back to +Germany, to be confined in a fortress, but that would mean that we +should have to feed you. If I let you go through the lines toward Huy, +will you promise not to come back?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, sir," said Paul, heartily. He was amazed, by the prospect of +release, but he realized, of course, that while he and Arthur knew what +dangerous enemies they had already proved themselves, the colonel did +not. +</P> + +<P> +And so, to their surprise and Paul's relief, they were soon being +escorted through the German lines, their direction being southwest, in +the general direction of Huy, the Belgian city nearest to Liege of the +border line of fortresses. Huy, though not as strong as either Liege +or Namur, was a link in the chain, having been designed chiefly to +supply a base for the centre of an army resisting the advance of an +invader, with its wings resting on the more powerful fortifications of +Liege and Namur. +</P> + +<P> +Their escort was the same good-natured soldier who had taken them +before Colonel Schmidt, and he paid little attention to them. Perhaps +he thought that there was no need to watch them closely; perhaps he was +simply negligent. But, whatever the reason, Paul was able to discover +the composition of the force upon which they had stumbled with a good +deal of exactness. He learned to what regiment their escort belonged, +and he also saw numbers on helmets and other identifying marks that +supplied him with much other information. Neither he nor Arthur knew +the real meaning of what they saw, but both boys knew that if they +reached the Belgian lines they would find officers of the intelligence +department to whom such facts would be valuable in the extreme. It was +important, as both knew, for the Belgians and their allies to know +something of the German plan. +</P> + +<P> +Paul, indeed, had spoken of that very point to Arthur after their +arrest. +</P> + +<P> +"If we see what regiments are here, others can use what we tell them to +determine what army corps are being used in this attack, and perhaps +what the general plan is," he had said. "Then the French will know +where to mass their troops." +</P> + +<P> +"Last stop!" said the soldier, finally. Some time before they had +passed a sentry and for nearly a mile they had seen only outposts. "I +must go back now. You are all right. We have passed the last of our +posts. The next soldiers you see will be Belgians, unless we have +cavalry in this direction. Perhaps this is a mistake. It might be +better if I shot you myself, to make sure—eh?" +</P> + +<P> +"You needn't trouble," said Arthur, and the soldier roared with +laughter. +</P> + +<P> +"All right, then, I won't!" he declared. "You are good boys. I am +glad they let you go. But what will you do? You live in Liege, don't +you? You can't get back there." +</P> + +<P> +"We have friends in Brussels," said Paul. "I think we shall do very +well now, thank you." +</P> + +<P> +"Good! Then I will go back, and you will go forward—so! Good-bye!" +</P> + +<P> +"Good-bye!" they echoed. +</P> + +<P> +He drew himself up, stiffly, saluted, and then, laughing, broke into +the famous German goose step, used as a mark of respect to superior +officers, for a few paces. In a few moments he was gone. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't believe he wanted to come into Belgium and fight against us," +said Arthur. "He was splendid to us, wasn't he? And the colonel was +kind, too. It made me feel—oh, I don't know—" +</P> + +<P> +"As if we were being sneaky? I know just what you mean. I felt like +that, too. But I told myself that we couldn't think of whether we +liked a few Germans who were good to us—that they weren't just people, +they were part of the enemy." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. That's what I thought of, too. But it was hard just the same, +Paul. I did feel like a sneak. But I suppose we are doing what is +right." +</P> + +<P> +"I wish there was some way of getting the news of what we've learned +to-night into Liege," said Paul, frowning. "I don't see just what it +all means, but I'm quite sure it's important. I tell you what—I +believe they're sending even more troops into Belgium than anyone +thought they would. That soldier was from a regiment that is stationed +with the army corps that has its headquarters in Koenigsburg, near the +Russian border. It seems to me they are going to leave fewer troops +there than anyone expected. Perhaps the staff knows that, but then +perhaps it doesn't." +</P> + +<P> +"If we get to Huy they can send word from there," said Arthur. "They +must have wireless working, even if the Germans have cut all the wires." +</P> + +<P> +"That's so! I hadn't thought. I don't know just where we are, though, +do you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not exactly. They tried to keep us from finding out, I think. But I +watched the stars whenever I could, and I think if we turn to the right +here and keep on northeast, we'll come to the river road from Liege to +Huy. Then we shouldn't have any trouble at all, so far as I can see." +</P> + +<P> +Paul looked up at the stars himself, studied the lay of the land for a +moment, and then nodded in agreement. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," he said. "That's what we'll have to do. Come on, then. We'll +cut across the fields. I'd rather do that than take chances on finding +a path or a road. It can't be so very far, do you think so?" +</P> + +<P> +"No. Listen, Paul! What's that?" +</P> + +<P> +The exclamation was prompted by a sudden roar in the direction as +nearly as they could guess of Fort Boncelles. At the same time the +great searchlights that were steadily sweeping earth and air from the +forts around Liege seemed to focus on one spot—the spot, they soon +determined, from which the renewed sound of heavy firing came. +</P> + +<P> +"That must be the attack on Fort Boncelles that we were afraid of," +said Paul. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, they were ready for it, Paul. You don't think it can succeed, +do you?" +</P> + +<P> +"I think we ought to know pretty soon. No, I don't see how a fortified +position can be carried by an infantry attack when its garrison is +entirely prepared, unless the force is so overwhelming that the +attacking force can lose an awful lot of men—more men than the Germans +have altogether, if we saw all, or even nearly all, of them." +</P> + +<P> +They stayed where they were for a few minutes, listening to the firing. +For the first time the note of real hand-to-hand fighting came into the +battle din. They could hear the crashing volleys of rifle fire, and +the explosive crackling of machine guns coming into play for the first +time. That was confirmation enough of their guess that a regular +assault on the line of forts was in progress. +</P> + +<P> +"You see that just shows how important it is for them to capture Liege +quickly, Arthur," said Paul. "They know perfectly well that when they +bring up a few more army corps and their big guns they can batter the +forts to pieces and just overwhelm our garrison." +</P> + +<P> +"But they want to have the path clear for the extra army corps. That's +what you mean, isn't it, Paul?" +</P> + +<P> +"Exactly. They want the way through and around Liege clear, so that +the great army, when it's all ready, can sweep straight on and strike +the French before they're ready for them. They don't want to bother +with us at all. So they're willing to lose all those men just to save +a few days." +</P> + +<P> +"But why are a few days so tremendously important to them?" +</P> + +<P> +"They've got to strike before France is ready, because they can't use +their whole army against France. They must keep a great many corps to +use against Russia, or else Russian soldiers will get to Berlin before +the Germans get to Paris. And their chance is to do it in the first +few days of the war. France takes nearly a week longer than Germany to +mobilize, and Russia almost a month longer than either France or +Germany. You see what we will do at Liege and Namur is to hold up the +Germans long enough to make up for their being able to mobilize more +quickly." +</P> + +<P> +The firing was dying away now; the heavy guns resumed their work, and +the lighter machine guns were silent. +</P> + +<P> +"I think they've repulsed the attack all right," said Paul. "That's +why the fire has slackened. Come on! We really haven't so much time +to lose." +</P> + +<P> +So they struck off from the road, crossing into a field full of grain. +</P> + +<P> +"It seems a shame to trample down this grain, but it's got mighty +little chance of being harvested this season anyhow," said Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. The German army will advance this way probably, and, even if it +didn't, I don't believe there would be men enough to garner the crop." +</P> + +<P> +Suddenly Arthur stumbled. He had walked against a man who was lying +amid the grain. Now the man started up with a cry. And they both +recognized Ridder—the man who had dropped the all-important plans! +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap12"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +A CLOSE SHAVE +</H3> + + +<P> +Blind instinct sent them both running, though a moment of reflection +would have told them that to run was the worst thing they could have +done. Ridder had been asleep and he did not arouse himself fully at +first. And perhaps that saved them. He did fire after them once but +his aim was bad, and before he could fire again they had leaped a hedge +and dropped out of his sight into a sunken road that crossed the fields +parallel to the course they were taking toward the river road to Huy. +They had a good start and Ridder was fifty yards behind them when they +reached the shelter of the road. Here Paul pulled himself together. +</P> + +<P> +"Stop!" he said to Arthur, seizing his chum by the arm. "Here, get +right into the shadow of the hedge here, at the side of the +road—there's almost a ditch, too. If he follows us, he may go +straight on, and he won't know which direction we took. It's the best +chance we have to escape." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you think he recognized us?" asked Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know. But our running away like that made him suspicious—we +can be sure of that much, anyhow. Look out! I hear him coming!" +</P> + +<P> +Down they crouched, just in time. Ridder came tumbling through the +hedge, growling fiercely. +</P> + +<P> +"If I were sure!" he said fiercely and under his breath, so that they +could scarcely hear him. "Those verflutchen boys! If I knew that they +were the ones who stole my papers!" +</P> + +<P> +In the middle of the road he paused and rubbed his eyes. He reeled a +little as he stood; it was plain that the man was in the last stages of +exhaustion. The two scouts, even without knowing in detail what the +duties of a spy in wartime might be, could understand Ridder's +exhaustion. They could guess how much he must have done since they had +last seen him. +</P> + +<P> +As they crouched, watching him, he dropped his head, like a dog looking +for a scent suddenly vanished, and seemed to hesitate, wondering which +way to go. He circled around, apparently looking for something to +guide him. The road was hard, and baked dry. There had been no rain +for a good many days, and so their footprints did not show. Ridder +tossed his head at last in decision. The two scouts began to breathe +again in a more normal fashion when he turned down the road and went +along, still muttering. He swayed from side to side as he walked. +</P> + +<P> +"Poor chap!" said Paul, finally. "I feel sorry for him! And I'm +certainly glad he was so tired! I wouldn't give much for our chances +if he had caught us. He knows by this time, you can be sure, what we +did with those plans." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't feel sorry for him—he's a spy!" said Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +"We're spies, too," said Paul, soberly. "And a good many Belgians will +be spies, and Frenchmen, too, before this war has been going on very +long. It's not nice work. There isn't the glory and the excitement +about it that there is for the soldiers who are doing the fighting. +But a spy does more for his country, if he succeeds in getting some +really important information, than a whole regiment of men who do +nothing but fight." +</P> + +<P> +"I suppose so," admitted Arthur, grudgingly. "It's safe to go on now, +isn't it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. I don't think we'll find our friend Ridder in the next field! +And I hope we won't run into any more Germans of any sort." +</P> + +<P> +As they walked along, the searchlights still flashed to their right and +at intervals sounds of heavy firing came to them from the same +direction. But the steady, ceaseless cannonading was over, and there +had been no renewal of the sounds that indicated fighting at close +quarters. Liege, it was easy to understand, was holding out. +</P> + +<P> +Their course across the fields finally brought them to the river road, +where they felt themselves at home. This road they knew thoroughly, +having traversed it many and many a time. Now they were well on their +way to Huy and felt that there was no reason now why they should not +arrive safely. But suddenly Paul stopped. +</P> + +<P> +"There's no use in our getting to Huy before morning, before it's +light, anyway," he said. "The sentries wouldn't let us by. You know +this is wartime. We're not used to that yet. Everything is changed. +I'm tired, and I know you are, too. I think the best thing we can do +is to get some sleep. We can't tell what we may not have to do after +we get to Huy, and we'd better be fresh and ready for whatever turns +up." +</P> + +<P> +"I am tired," admitted Arthur. "I think you're right. Where shall we +sleep?" +</P> + +<P> +"We'll find a place before long," said Paul. "How peaceful it is here! +If we couldn't see the searchlights and hear the guns now and then +there'd be nothing to make it seem as if there was real fighting going +on within a few miles." +</P> + +<P> +Houses were fairly frequent as they went along, but all were dark. +Their occupants, if they had not fled from the nearness of war, were +all asleep. They were farm houses in the main; here, as everywhere in +Belgium, the land was cut up into innumerable tiny patches, even +smaller than the peasant farms of France. In the fields were endless +rows of vegetables—beans, turnips, cabbages, and garden truck of all +sorts. This was the sort of country that had made Belgium known for +years as the vegetable garden of Europe. Finally they stopped near a +dark house, and made themselves comfortable in the lee of a haystack. +And there they slept until the light of the sun came to rouse them. +They awoke to see a peasant boy staring stupidly at them. +</P> + +<P> +"Good-morning!" said Paul, rousing himself. "Can we get breakfast in +your house if we pay for it?" +</P> + +<P> +"I suppose so," said the peasant. "My mother may have some for you. +My father has gone to fight." +</P> + +<P> +They followed him to the little cottage, and there they got what the +woman could give them for breakfast—eggs and milk, as it turned out. +In a few days, though she did not realize this, neither would be +obtainable thereabout at any price; the German host would have spread +over the countryside like a swarm of locusts. Perhaps it would pay for +what it ate, but it would eat at all events, regardless of that, and +the money it might leave in the place of the food it took would be +valueless, since money can buy nothing when there is nothing to be sold. +</P> + +<P> +But these were things of which neither the peasant woman nor the two +scouts thought. They ate their breakfast with relish, not having +realized until they saw the food how hungry they really were, and then, +refreshed in mind and body, they began the last stage of their journey +to Huy. They had not so very far to go and they entered the Belgian +city to the tune of the distant cannon at Liege. +</P> + +<P> +In Huy there was little to make one think of war. People were grouped +in the streets, waiting eagerly for the news of what was going on at +Liege, for all sorts of rumors were spreading about. On one side it +was said that England had already declared war and had destroyed the +German fleet; on the other that England had refused to fight at all. +But most of the people of the town went about their business in the +most unconcerned way, as if the invasion of the country could not +possibly affect them, and their own affairs were still the most +important things in the world for them. +</P> + +<P> +There was only a small force of Belgian troops in Huy, as Paul and +Arthur soon learned. And, to their dismay, they found that the officer +in charge refused absolutely to listen to them! He was a pompous, +greatly excited little man, most of whose service had been in the +Congo, and he laughed at the suggestion that they could have +information of value. +</P> + +<P> +"But if you will send a wireless message to Liege Major du Chaillu will +tell you that our information is correct," pleaded Paul. "At least he +will tell you that we gave valuable news before, and that we can be +trusted." +</P> + +<P> +"There are other things for the wireless to do in times like these," +said the officer pompously. "Be off with you, now. I have no time to +waste on boys!" +</P> + +<P> +"No wonder the Germans can win!" said Paul, bitterly. "What chance has +an army with an officer so stupid as that?" +</P> + +<P> +He had given up the attempt to convince the commandant, for it was +obvious that they would only waste time and breath if they persisted. +</P> + +<P> +"But what are we to do?" asked Arthur. "We must let them know in some +way." +</P> + +<P> +"We must go to Brussels," said Paul. "There are those there who will +know that we can be trusted, and we may find a way of getting a +wireless message through to Major du Chaillu." +</P> + +<P> +But, as they soon found, it was one thing to decide to go to the +capital, and quite another to accomplish their desire. The railway was +choked by military movements. Troops and supplies of all sorts had +usurped every means of travel, except by walking. Though Huy itself +might appear to be normal, no other part of the country was, as it was +easy to discover when an attempt was made to do even the most ordinary +things. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, if we can't ride, we can start walking," said Paul. "If we wait +here we'll never get anywhere, that's sure. There's more confusion +here than there was at Liege, and a lot less reason. The thing to do +is to get away before they close the town up absolutely, so that we +can't even do that." +</P> + +<P> +But even that resolution could not be carried out without difficulties. +For some reason—they learned later that it was because new troops were +advancing from that direction—they were not allowed to pass along the +road leading to Namur, which was the logical one for them to take in an +effort to reach Brussels. Their plan had been to pass through Gembloux +and Wavre, after turning around Namur. They were obliged, instead, to +start back toward Liege, turning north after a few miles and heading +for the railroad at Saint Trond. +</P> + +<P> +"If we get that far I think we'll have a chance to get on a train," +said Paul. "From all I hear, there will be troops there, covering +Brussels." +</P> + +<P> +"Covering Brussels? But it's nowhere near the city!" exclaimed Arthur +in great amazement. +</P> + +<P> +"That doesn't matter, Arthur. Brussels will be defended at long range +or not at all. If the Germans get past Tirlemont and Haelen they will +get to Brussels, I think, without any more opposition." +</P> + +<P> +"But why? There are no fortifications there." +</P> + +<P> +"I believe there are—by this time," said Paul. "Earthworks, at least. +You see, it would simply mean terrible destruction and suffering if a +city like Brussels were defended. It has no forts, and it would be a +simple matter for the Germans to stand off and bombard it. It is like +that with Louvain. It would be better to let the Germans capture that +town without resistance than to force them to bombard it and destroy +the famous old buildings there. If a great city cannot be defended by +an army fifty miles away, it is better not to defend it at all." +</P> + +<P> +The idea of such a tame yielding of Brussels, where he had been born +and had lived most of his life, seemed to depress Arthur greatly. For +a long time they went along in silence. Then a peasant came along with +a cart and offered them a ride. This man seemed to know little or +nothing of the war, although, like them, he must have been able to hear +the sullen growling of the cannon from Liege, that showed the fortress +was still holding out. They rode for several miles with this man, +until he had to turn off. Then they began walking again. And now, +before them, directly in their path but still some considerable +distance away, they saw smoke rising on the horizon, a pall heavy, +brownish smoke with patches of black. It was not at all like the faint +haze that hung over Liege, the result of smokeless powder. +</P> + +<P> +"There must be a fire," said Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +"I should think so," said Paul, grimly. "The Uhlans are ahead of us, +Arthur." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap13"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE CIVIC GUARDS +</H3> + + +<P> +That this was no mistaken guess they soon learned. Half a mile of fast +walking brought them to a small village, and there they met a stream of +panic-stricken refugees, fleeing from their own burning homes a little +further on. The people of the village swarmed about the newcomers, +exclaiming in horror and anger at their stories. Paul and Arthur +listened. +</P> + +<P> +German cavalry, it seemed, had ridden in early that morning, and posted +notices, in German, French and the Walloon dialect that many of the +peasantry still used. These notices warned all the people that the +German army had occupied the town or village, and that no act of +violence against the invaders must be committed. All arms, it read, +were to be surrendered, and certain rules about keeping lights in every +window and having all doors unlocked must be strictly obeyed. +</P> + +<P> +If obedience were given, said the Germans, no harm would be done to the +occupied places or any of their citizens. +</P> + +<P> +"Then they rode away," a woman was saying. "And presently foot +soldiers came in their places. And—a shot was fired. It struck an +officer. Then they went into the house where the man who fired the +shot had been, and they brought out every man they found in it, and +killed them right before all of us, before they set the house on fire. +And they set other houses on fire, too, where they said they found guns +and pistols! They said we were murderers! Is it murder to defend +oneself in time of war? My man is with the army! Is he a murderer?" +</P> + +<P> +Arthur was panting with anger as he listened. Paul, seeing this, drew +him aside. +</P> + +<P> +"I suppose you think she's right, don't you, Arthur?" he asked, quietly. +</P> + +<P> +"Of course! If you were in your home and you saw German soldiers +coming, wouldn't you shoot as many as you could?" +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps. But I'd expect them to take me out and shoot me, when they +caught me, and burn my house. I wouldn't call them brutes and +barbarians for doing it." +</P> + +<P> +"But why? Isn't it war to attack the enemy?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, if soldiers do it. Soldiers ought to fight soldiers. If women +and men who aren't in uniform fight, they must expect to be attacked +themselves. Listen, Arthur! If our soldiers were in Germany they'd +have to do just what the Germans are doing here, to protect themselves. +They'd have to frighten the people into playing fair, if it couldn't be +done any other way. It isn't fair to hide and shoot a man who isn't +expecting it, is it? At any rate, those are the laws of war. France +and Belgium have agreed to them, and bound themselves by them, just as +the Germans have done. So we can't complain if the Germans stick to +the rules. Don't do anything foolish now. The Germans may be here any +minute, if they're as close to us as these people say." +</P> + +<P> +"I'll do whatever you say, Paul," Arthur agreed, finally. "But it +doesn't seem sensible to me." +</P> + +<P> +"It is sensible and right, believe me," said Paul, earnestly. "And I +think we'll stay here, Arthur, for a little while, anyway. I believe +there'll be a chance for us to do some good work here. If we can keep +these poor people from acting so that the Germans will destroy their +village it will be a good thing, won't it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Ye—es, I suppose so. Yes, I can see that, Paul. Even if I think +it's all wrong, I can see that the Germans are too strong. They can do +whatever they like, whether it's right or not." +</P> + +<P> +"That's one way to look at it," said Paul. "That's one of the things I +hope to try to make them understand—that they'd better submit to +injustice than lose their homes. Might makes right, though the Germans +have a good excuse for acting in the way they do." +</P> + +<P> +"Still I don't see what good we can expect to do, Paul. These people +here don't know us, and I don't believe they'll pay any attention to +anything we say," deep doubt written on his face. +</P> + +<P> +"I think perhaps they will, Arthur. You see, we're in uniform and I'm +hoping that they don't know anything about the Boy Scouts here. They +may think our uniform means that we're connected with the army in some +fashion, and respect it." +</P> + +<P> +"I didn't think of that! I say, that would be rather good fun, +wouldn't it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Look!" said Paul, suddenly. "That's just what I was afraid of!" +</P> + +<P> +A dozen men, in ill assorted and badly fitting uniforms, were coming +from the inn that was the dominating feature, aside from the inevitable +parish church, of the village. +</P> + +<P> +"They belong to the civic guard," said Paul. "I'm afraid they are +going to try to resist the Germans. Look at those guns!" +</P> + +<P> +"They're the old-fashioned ones they used in the army years ago, aren't +they, Paul?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, and they'd be about as much good against the new German rifles as +so many pea-shooters!" +</P> + +<P> +The sight of the patchwork uniforms, worn by armed men, seemed to be a +magnet for the panic-stricken inhabitants of the village. So far the +people had been far too busy with their fears and their eagerness to +save themselves to pay any attention to the two scouts, and so Paul and +Arthur were able to attach themselves to the crowd and follow the civic +guardsmen without exciting too much attention. There were curious +glances at their uniforms, but Paul was well pleased by this. He +wanted the people to notice their khaki suits, and he was glad that +they seemed to be rather mystified. +</P> + +<P> +The leader of the guardsmen was a big, burly man, by trade a butcher. +Under his direction his men and a host of volunteer helpers proceeded +to erect a barricade across the road by which, it seemed, the Germans +must enter the village if they came. Old furniture, broken down +wagons, mattresses—anything that came to hand was used in building the +barricade. Then it was covered in front with branches of trees and +bushes. +</P> + +<P> +"There!" said the big butcher, when it was done to his satisfaction. +"Now we can take up our place behind that—and God help the German +pigs! Jean, do you and Marcel go up in the windows of Boerman's house, +there, and make holes in the shutters to shoot through. If they drive +us from this barricade we will take to the houses and the roofs, and do +what we can from there." +</P> + +<P> +A cheer greeted his speech. +</P> + +<P> +"Now we shall be safe!" said one woman. "Ah, if they had had one like +Raymond the butcher to show them how to fight, those poor people would +not have been driven from their homes! He is a man!" +</P> + +<P> +"I think so, too, Paul!" whispered Arthur. "It's something to make a +fight like this, isn't it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, it is something," said Paul. "It's suicide, that's what it is! +How long can they stand against the Germans? They will throw their own +lives away and they won't save the village. Instead, they will simply +make it certain that it will be destroyed. The Germans won't fight +them on even terms. If they find that the place is to defended they'll +bring a couple of guns into action! and shell the place. In five +minutes every house will be on fire, and they will shoot down the men +as they try to run from the flames. Wait! I'm going to see what I can +do!" +</P> + +<P> +Arthur did not seem to be convinced. But when Paul ran forward and +stood before the crowd by the barricade, Arthur was by his side. He +was like a good soldier, obeying his superior officer, as he felt Paul +was, even though he neither understood nor approved the orders he +received. +</P> + +<P> +Now, indeed, the khaki uniforms of the scouts attracted their share of +attention. There was a murmur of surprise; one or two lads laughed +aloud. But the chief emotion of the crowd was one of curiosity. As +Paul walked up to the big self-satisfied butcher, the noise behind the +barricade died away. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you the leader here?" asked Paul. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes—chosen by the Garde Civique of the village of Hannay, in this +time of danger!" announced the butcher, swelling up with pride. +</P> + +<P> +"Then it is your duty to save the people entrusted to your care by +ordering them to go to their homes and to stay there quietly if the +Germans come," said Paul. "Also to call upon your guards and all +others in the village to give up their arms and on no account to fire a +shot against the Germans if they come." +</P> + +<P> +"Eh?" said the astonished Raymond. "Is that the way to save the +village from the Germans?" +</P> + +<P> +"Is it not better to give in to them and know that no one will be hurt +than to make it necessary for them to fire with their cannon? As for +your men, they can do nothing here. If they want to serve their +village and their country, let them enlist in the army." +</P> + +<P> +"Eh?" said Raymond again. He was half angry and wholly puzzled. Paul +did not defer to him at all; he spoke aggressively, and as if he were +entirely sure of himself and of what he was saying. "Who are you, that +you come here giving orders?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm giving no orders," said Paul. "I am only telling you what the +government wishes. The Germans do not recognize the Garde Civique as +soldiers at all. They are treated as spies, or as outlaws. Any man +who bears arms against the Germans, or shoots at any German, will be +shot as soon as he is caught." +</P> + +<P> +Paul spoke purposely in a loud tone. He saw that his words were making +an impression, not so much on Raymond as on some of the others. +</P> + +<P> +"They won't make prisoners of war of you, you see," he said. "Those +who aren't killed by the shells will be caught, and then they will be +shot or hung. They won't be sent back to Germany, to be safe and +sound, with plenty of food and a good place to sleep. They will be +treated just like men who kill other men in time of peace, except that +they won't have a trial." +</P> + +<P> +"What of it?" asked Raymond, who was beginning to realize that this +sort of talk was bad for his authority. "We can only die once for the +Fatherland! Isn't that so?" +</P> + +<P> +"Then die so that it will be of service for you to die!" said Paul. +"Tear down your barricade. Give up your arms. And then let those of +you who want to fight go to Huy and enlist. There will be plenty of +fighting for you then, and if you are captured you will be treated like +soldiers, and not like murderers and robbers. If you were not patriots +you would not be willing to do this. Then why not do what will be +useful?" +</P> + +<P> +For a moment there was silence. Raymond stood still, his mouth open, +staring at the two scouts. And then there came sudden aid for Paul. +From behind the barricade a small, determined looking woman appeared. +She marched straight up to Raymond. +</P> + +<P> +"Give me that gun!" she said. +</P> + +<P> +There was a titter and in a moment it had spread until it became a roar +of laughter. Raymond the blusterer, wholly unnerved by the sudden +appearance of his small wife, surrendered at once, and without +conditions. +</P> + +<P> +"Be off, the rest of you!" she said. "I daresay the young gentleman is +quite right! As if you could fight against the Germans here!" +</P> + +<P> +Raymond's wife had given the rest a cue. In a few moments the +barricade was being dismantled. In five minutes peace reigned. And +Raymond, entirely subdued now, came to Paul. +</P> + +<P> +"Need we give up our arms?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"You know what the Germans order," said Paul. "Perhaps they have no +right to do so, but they have the strength to enforce their orders, and +that is what counts, after all. Believe me, I would like to fight. +But when there is no chance of winning, the wise soldier saves himself +for a day when things will be more even. Look, there are the Germans +coming now!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap14"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XIV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +SUBMISSION +</H3> + + +<P> +It was true. A dozen Uhlans rode into the village, trotting along on +their big, rawboned horses, as coolly as if they had been on parade in +Berlin. Only these men did not look like parade soldiers. Their +uniforms were of the neutral gray that faded into the background at +short distances, and they were dirty and travel worn, besides. Their +horses, however, were still in fine condition, for it was a part of +their training to see to it, wherever they were, that their mounts were +properly cared for. +</P> + +<P> +The soldiers ignored entirely the few people who still remained outside +their houses. Most of the villagers, impressed by what Paul had said, +or, like Raymond, the blustering butcher, more afraid of their wives +than of the foreign enemy, had gone within, and the place was very +quiet. But those who had not gone in greeted the Germans with sullen +looks, which did not provoke so much as a smile. +</P> + +<P> +One of the Uhlans, evidently detailed in advance for the duty, produced +proclamations and orders, like the ones the refugees had described. +These he affixed to posts and buildings in conspicuous places. Then he +joined his fellows, and the little troop rode on, with a clattering of +hoofs to the mairie, the official centre of Hannay. There stood the +maire, a small, spectacled, frightened man, with the parish priest to +support him, waiting for them. Paul and Arthur drew near to listen. +</P> + +<P> +"Which is the burgomeister?" asked a young lieutenant with closely +cropped head and a tiny blonde moustache, which he had tried in vain to +cultivate so that it would resemble the moustache that the German +Kaiser's pictures have made famous. Paul noticed that this young +officer spoke excellent French, with hardly a trace of an accent. It +impressed him as showing how well the Germans had prepared for this war +that apparently only they had known was bound to come. +</P> + +<P> +"It is I," said the little man very promptly. +</P> + +<P> +"Say 'Sir!' when you speak to a German officer!" thundered the +lieutenant. "And salute! Tell all your people to do so, also." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, sir," said the maire. "But how are we to know it is an officer +we see? We poor people do not understand all about your uniforms." +</P> + +<P> +"If you are in doubt, salute every German soldier," said the officer +contemptuously. "They are worthy of your salutes in any case, and it +will be better for your people to salute a thousand soldiers without +the necessity of doing so than to fail to salute one officer who is +entitled to the honor." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, sir," said the maire, meekly. +</P> + +<P> +"Hannay is occupied by the German army," said the lieutenant, then, +smiling a little at the maire's timidity. Was he wondering if a German +burgomeister would submit as tamely were it a German village that had +witnessed the arrival of invading troops? Probably not! Few German +officers in those days thought it possible that an enemy's foot would +ever tread the soil of the fatherland. No such fear had yet assailed +them. +</P> + +<P> +"You and your people," the lieutenant went on, "must observe exactly +the rules that are posted in the proclamations, especially with regard +to arms. We shall not remain here, but other troops will arrive before +nightfall. When they come all arms must be piled here, waiting for +them. Five hundred loaves of bread, a hundred hams, twenty-five +barrels of flour, five steers and ten barrels of wine are +requisitioned, and must be turned over to the commissary department +upon its order." +</P> + +<P> +The maire threw up his hands in horror. +</P> + +<P> +"But, sir, we are poor people!" he cried. "We shall starve if all +those things are required of us! We shall not have enough for our own +needs." +</P> + +<P> +"That is your concern," said the German officer indifferently. "The +German army must be supplied; it is delayed in Belgium because of the +unwarranted resistance of the Belgian government to its peaceable +passage." +</P> + +<P> +"But—" +</P> + +<P> +"Silence! No argument! You will provide the supplies that are +required. In addition all gasoline in the place is to be collected and +turned over to the proper authorities. Payment will be made for all +private property that may be taken." +</P> + +<P> +He barked out a sharp order then, and the Uhlans rode on. Paul turned +to Arthur, whose eyes were blazing. +</P> + +<P> +"Did you hear that?" he cried. "He talks as if we were to be blamed +for defending ourselves! Is that the way the Germans mean to talk?" +</P> + +<P> +"I suppose so," said Paul. "I have heard before that they would do +that. They say, you see, that all they wanted was permission to send +their troops across Belgium to reach France. Perhaps they really +believed that we should not resist. If we had not, they would not have +damaged the country, and perhaps if they had won in the war, they would +have paid for whatever injury was done. But how absurd! If we had +allowed that, without making any further attempt to stop them, we +should really have been just as badly off." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't understand that, Paul. I would rather see the whole country +ruined than have it act so, but if we had made no resistance they could +not have done things like this, could they?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, perhaps not. But think a minute, Arthur. The French, then, would +have come over the border on their side. The French and German armies +would have met in Belgium, and neither would have considered our poor +country. They would have fought in our fields, and seized our forts. +Each would have bombarded our cities, and neither would have been our +friend. Now, as it is, we are suffering for France, and France and her +ally, England, must take our part. Perhaps they will not be strong +enough to save us at once, but they will be obliged to stand by us, for +the sake of their own honor." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, that is true. We shall have friends, at least. Oh, Paul, I +suppose it was right not to attack those Germans, but when that officer +spoke so, I could have tried to kill him with my bare hands!" +</P> + +<P> +"He is a bully, Arthur. I suppose there are officers like that in +every army. But all the Germans are not like him. You must remember +that there are some, at least, like Colonel Schmidt who gave us our +freedom after we had been caught. He was kind to us, and he would have +been courteous here, had he been in the place of this lieutenant." +</P> + +<P> +Now, when the Uhlans had gone, the people began to come out of their +houses again. News of the demand that had been made upon Hannay spread +rapidly, and after a little while there was a great deal of bustle and +confusion as efforts were made to obtain what was required. The maire +came to Paul and asked him what the Germans would do if the things were +not provided. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know," said Paul. "And I think it would be better not to find +out, if you can possibly get them. Have them ready, and then when the +new force comes, see if the commander is not more reasonable than the +officer who was here. But it is better to take no chances. And he +said that they would pay." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, that is so," said the distracted little man. "Eh? Well, I +suppose we had better do as you say. Our lives and our homes are worth +more than the food to us." +</P> + +<P> +But there were sullen, angry looks among the villagers as they went +about their preparations. There seemed to be a revulsion of feeling in +favor of the plan of resistance of Raymond, the butcher, and there were +scowls for Paul, who had spoiled that plan. +</P> + +<P> +"I think there is nothing more that we can do here," said Paul to +Arthur. "Let's go on. It's just as important as ever for us to get +somewhere where the information we have can be of use. Everything I +see makes me more and more certain that the principal German attack +will be delivered in this direction. And I am not sure that that is +generally known yet. I heard officers in Liege, when we were waiting +to see General Leman, say that the French were planning a great +movement from Belfort, that they thought the Germans were likely to +make a powerful attack from Alsace and Lorraine. If so, their +information is wrong." +</P> + +<P> +"But they must know by this time that the Germans are coming through +Belgium instead, in great force, I should think." +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps. Perhaps not. They may think it is a feint. It might be, +too. You see, they are throwing out their cavalry. We saw a dozen +Uhlans, but there must be two or three thousand dozen of them. They +are like a great human screen, thrown in front of the army. A screen +with eyes. They hide what is going on behind them from the enemy, but +they themselves can see plainly." +</P> + +<P> +"But even if it is true, I should think it might work both ways, Paul. +If the French advance from Belfort, and the main body of the Germans is +in this quarter, won't the French in Alsace win very easily?" +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps, just at the beginning. But this is the great danger. If the +Germans could advance on this line without meeting any great +resistance, they would be able to swing around and get in the rear of a +French army that had crossed the border into Alsace, but the French +army could not come into a position to threaten the rear or the +communications of the Germans. There might be a great disaster. And +just because it was believed that Germany would find the road through +Belgium the quickest and the easiest for an invasion of France, some +French and Belgian officers believed that if war came, Germany would +only make a threat through Belgium, and would start her real attack on +some other line." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, we ought to give the information, whether it will be of any +great use or not. It isn't for us to think about that." +</P> + +<P> +"You're right there, Arthur! Let's slip away quietly. We have done +these people here a great service, but they don't quite understand, and +I think that instead of being grateful they're almost ready to be +suspicious. Perhaps they think we were really trying to help the +Germans." +</P> + +<P> +So they slipped out of the village. If any of the villagers of Hannay +noticed, they said nothing. They had enough to keep them busy and to +occupy their minds, as well. They were learning that this war, of +which they knew so little, was affecting them almost as much as if they +were actually fighting. +</P> + +<P> +Outside of Hannay, as they moved along toward the north the ground rose +gradually, and the road brought them, in less than a mile, to the top +of a hill that gave them an excellent view of the surrounding +countryside. From Liege there still came the thunder of the big guns, +but from other directions they gathered evidence that the fortress was +no longer guarding the country. It was still holding out, and was +undoubtedly keeping a great many Germans busy. But more Germans had +swept around it, and the evidences of their activities were plain. +</P> + +<P> +On all sides smoke was rising, marking burned farmhouses, even whole +villages that for one reason or another had been given to the flames. +They could see now the smoking ruins of the village whence the refugees +who had really caused them to stop in Hannay had come, a scene of +desolation that looked all the worse for the bright sunlight in which +it was bathed. That same sunlight, too was reflected ever and again on +tiny points of steel. +</P> + +<P> +"Uhlans—the sun shines on their lance heads," explained Paul. He +looked gloomily at the scene. "Ah, they will have to pay! Perhaps an +enemy will cross the Rhine and carry fire and sword into their lands, +too. I hope so—for the sake of the poor, homeless ones." +</P> + +<P> +"But you said it was wrong for them to defend themselves—that the +Germans had the right to do like that!" said Arthur, wonderingly. +</P> + +<P> +"I said it was wrong for them to give the Germans an excuse to destroy +their homes and kill their men," said Paul. "Wrong only because it is +useless." +</P> + +<P> +The descending road turned just below the crest of the hill on which +they stood. And suddenly a bugle sounded, startlingly near. The two +scouts had been so occupied in watching the country for miles about +that they had given no heed to what might be going on close by. And so +now while they stood in amazement and dismay, German soldiers began to +appear over the hilltop, and in a moment they were surrounded by +hundreds of the men whose uniforms were so familiar. It was a +battalion of German infantry, and in a minute more they had been +seized, and were being escorted to the rear, where in a few moments a +burly major, plainly a soldier of the old school, and the commander of +the battalion, questioned them. +</P> + +<P> +They told their story plainly and truthfully, though they omitted, of +course, all the incidents of the adventurous period between their +discovery of the spy Ridder and their first capture. +</P> + +<P> +"We are only doing what Colonel Schmidt told us to do, sir," said Paul. +"We explained to him that we would try to reach Brussels, and after we +got to Huy, we were compelled to come this way." +</P> + +<P> +The major nodded. +</P> + +<P> +"Pfadfinder, hein?" he said. This, as both Paul and Arthur knew, was +what the Boy Scouts were called in Germany, just as in France and +Belgium they were called Eclaireurs Francais or Eclaireurs Belges, as +the case might be. "You can go no further this way. We shall take you +to Hannay, and there you will have to stay for a time. No civilians +are allowed at this time to leave their own villages. The whole +country beyond here is a battleground, for we shall soon be in touch +with the enemy on the way to Brussels. Still, you shall be safe +enough. I have a boy of my own, who is a Pfadfinder with a troop in +Eisenach." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap15"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XV +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE BUTCHER'S WIFE +</H3> + + +<P> +Major Kellner was walking. +</P> + +<P> +"I am saddle weary," he explained. "So I am walking for a time for a +rest and a change, while they lead my horse. Walk with me, you young +ones." +</P> + +<P> +They found that Major Kellner, gruff as he was, was really an officer +of the same kindly type as Colonel Schmidt, whom it seemed he knew very +well. +</P> + +<P> +"If Colonel Schmidt was satisfied to let you go, it is well," he said. +"Now tell me what you have seen." +</P> + +<P> +There was not much, of course, that they could tell him. He was not +trying, it seemed, to extract military information from them, but +wanted to know how the Belgian people felt about the war. +</P> + +<P> +"We have nothing against your people," he said. "It is the stupid +government that has caused all this trouble. Had King Albert submitted +to the inevitable, his country would not have suffered. We do not wish +to be harsh with the people." +</P> + +<P> +"Then why are you burning their farmhouses and their villages +everywhere?" asked Arthur, boldly. "Standing on the hilltop, we could +see the smoke on all sides." +</P> + +<P> +Major Kellner laughed. +</P> + +<P> +"It is kind sometimes to be cruel," he said. "We have a great work to +do, and whoever stands in our way must suffer. We want the Belgians to +understand that if they do not oppose us, except with their armies, +they will be spared. But we must make an example of those who fire at +us treacherously, or who keep guns and other weapons after we have +ordered them to be given up. If we are severe with those who have +refused to heed the warning that we have given, it is so that the +others will pay more attention. It is better to burn a few villages +than to destroy your beautiful city of Brussels, is it not?" +</P> + +<P> +"But why do either?" parried Arthur then. +</P> + +<P> +"Because the lives of our soldiers must be guarded against the skulking +murderers who hide behind a window and shoot when there is no chance +for our men to reply. Our men take their lives in their hands when +they go to war, and if they die on the field of battle, they die +willingly because they know that it is for the Fatherland. So we must +preserve them for that glorious death." +</P> + +<P> +Arthur was silent. He was not convinced, but he felt that it would do +no good to argue, and Paul, moreover, had managed to look at him, so +that he understood that his chum and leader wanted him to be quiet. +</P> + +<P> +When they came near to Hannay Major Kellner mounted his horse again, +since he had to maintain his dignity when he was entering a captured +place, however small it might be. He spurred his horse on and took his +place at the head of the battalion. +</P> + +<P> +"Now we're in a nice fix, aren't we?" said Arthur, disgustedly. "We're +further from our own army than ever! Likely to stay, too!" +</P> + +<P> +"I hope that we shall be able to get away from here soon, Arthur. I +don't believe they'll hold us very long. And we're really in luck, I +suppose. If there are German troops all around, others would have held +us up, if we hadn't come on this detachment, and we've had proof for +ourselves that all the officers wouldn't treat us as well as Major +Kellner. Suppose it was that young lieutenant of Uhlans who had caught +us?" +</P> + +<P> +Arthur made a grimace. +</P> + +<P> +"Ugh!" he said. "Yes, that's true! Or a detachment that had that man +Ridder along! You're right, Paul. We might be a great deal worse off +than we are! But I'll tell you one thing. When we come back into +Hannay with the Germans, there will be a lot of people there who are +sure that we have been in league with them from the beginning." +</P> + +<P> +"I hope not," said Paul, looking troubled. "But I'm afraid you're +right. They can't understand, of course. I don't blame them for +feeling as they do. But it's rather hard, when I was only trying to do +what would be best for them. And I believe we did save them from +having a very bad time there. You see, these people have a couple of +guns along. They're not very big, and they wouldn't make very much +impression on a fortified place, but if they were turned on a +defenseless village like Hannay, they would destroy it in a very few +minutes." +</P> + +<P> +In Hannay, as the battalion marched in, past the remains of the +barricade, at which most of the men looked with a tolerant smile, the +street was again deserted. Major Kellner rode straight up to the +mairie, and Paul and Arthur could see that he was holding a conference +with the maire. The battalion was halted and during this conference +stood at ease. Then quick orders came back; never from the officers, +but always, Paul noticed, from the non-commissioned officers, to whom +the captains and lieutenants gave the commands. +</P> + +<P> +Then the battalion split up. One company broke ranks and immediately +swarmed through the village, looking curiously at everything, while the +other marched on, passing out of sight before long in a cloud of dust. +Major Kellner remained with the company that stayed behind, and Paul +and Arthur, who were at liberty, seemingly, to wander about the village +as they pleased, saw him looking for quarters in disgust. After a time +he settled upon the house of the local doctor, and there he and the +officers were soon at home. Meanwhile the men scattered themselves in +the different houses of the place, two to each house, as a rule, though +sometimes there were more. +</P> + +<P> +"Why are they staying here, I wonder?" said Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know," said Paul, with a shrug of his shoulders. "But I +suppose there will be fighting all along here if the Germans advance on +Brussels. It's all done on orders from the staff headquarters, you +see. If I knew what sort of a force was operating here, perhaps I +could tell you. I think Liege is being attacked by one army +corps—that's about forty-five thousand men, in three divisions. These +men may be part of a division that is operating independently, or they +may be getting their orders from the headquarters of a whole army." +</P> + +<P> +"What do you mean by army? The whole German army?" +</P> + +<P> +"No. You know roughly how they will divide their forces, don't you? +An army has a certain work to do. It may be of almost any size—two +hundred, three hundred, even five or six hundred thousand men. That +is, from five to fifteen army corps. It has its own commanding +general, who is responsible to the general staff. One plan that I've +heard talked about as likely to be used by the Germans is to have two +armies coming through Belgium, one through Luxembourg, one through +Lorraine and one from the Rhine Valley. Then they would have one army +in East Prussia and another in Silesia to fight against the Russians." +</P> + +<P> +"I see. Paul, aren't you hungry? I am." +</P> + +<P> +"So am I, now that you remind me of it! Let's see if we can't buy +something to eat. I think we can, if the Germans haven't taken +everything." +</P> + +<P> +But now, as they went about trying to find someone to sell them food, +they found that Arthur's fear as to the opinion the villagers had of +them was justified by the facts. At first they met only excuses. +</P> + +<P> +"I have had to give up all I can spare for the Prussians," they were +told. +</P> + +<P> +But finally, when they went to the shop of Raymond the butcher, hoping +to buy some meat and cook it for themselves, they got plain speech. +</P> + +<P> +"Go to your Prussian friends if you want food!" said Raymond, eyeing +them angrily. "You will get none from any good Belgian in Hannay, I +can tell you!" +</P> + +<P> +"The Prussians are not our friends! They forced us to come back with +them because they had forbidden everyone to travel in the direction we +had taken," said Paul. +</P> + +<P> +"Tell that to the gatepost!" said Raymond. "Be off with you! You +fooled our people this morning, but now they know the truth." +</P> + +<P> +And so Paul and Arthur faced the prospect of going hungry. They might +have appealed to Major Kellner, who had shown himself inclined to be +friendly toward them, apparently because his boy was, like them, a Boy +Scout. But that neither of them would do. +</P> + +<P> +"I'd rather go without than ask the Germans for anything!" said Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +"So would I!" agreed Paul. "But I would like to get away from here." +</P> + +<P> +That, however, proved to be impossible. Sentries were posted all about +the village, and new notices had been added to those the Uhlans had +posted earlier in the day, forbidding anyone to leave Hannay until +permission was given by the officer in command of the German troops. +</P> + +<P> +"I could laugh if it weren't so unpleasant!" declared Paul. "These +poor people, whose village would be in ruins now except for us, think +we have betrayed them! And the Germans would send us home as +prisoners, if we were lucky, if they even guessed that it was because +of us that they were kept from taking Liege in their first attack!" +</P> + +<P> +"The only one who gave us so much as a friendly look was the wife of +Raymond, the butcher," said Arthur, thoughtfully. +</P> + +<P> +"Did you see that? So did I! I think perhaps he has got his courage +back and has frightened her—but she was on our side this morning, too. +Perhaps if we could see her alone, a little later, she would sell us +some food. I tell you what we will do. We will watch to see if he +does not go out, and then if the coast is clear, we will try her again." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes. Paul, I shall never let them send a beggar away who asks for +food if we ever get home! I know now how they must feel." +</P> + +<P> +The two scouts were in no danger of starvation, of course, and they +were plucky enough, as they had certainly proved, to be able to endure +a little discomfort if it were necessary. But they suffered the more +from their hunger because there was nothing for them to do. Until the +Germans revoked the order that kept them from leaving Hannay, they +could not make a move toward giving the proper authorities the +information they possessed. And so they tried to be patient while they +watched for Raymond to go out in the dusk that was now beginning to +fall. +</P> + +<P> +They saw him several times, when men came to his shop and went in to +talk to him. And at last, when it was almost dark, he emerged, looking +stealthily about him as he came into the street, perhaps for German +soldiers. There were none near by. All save the sentries were +gathered together about a great fire that they had built, and were +singing while the busy camp cooks prepared their supper for them. This +was the first time that Paul and Arthur had heard German troops +singing. They were to learn, before long, that that was their usual +custom when they were off duty. +</P> + +<P> +Now, as soon as the butcher was well out of sight—he had gone, they +noticed, in the direction of the barricade he had caused to be +built—the scouts went quickly to his place and went in. There was one +light placed by the door, but at first they could not see his wife. +Then they heard the sound of someone sobbing, and called. It was the +woman who had helped them in the morning. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh!" she said, chokingly. "It is you! I hoped you would come—poor +boys! Here is a parcel of bread and meat I hid for you. Oh, I am in +such trouble!" +</P> + +<P> +"Why? What is the matter?" asked Paul. +</P> + +<P> +She trembled and for a moment seemed afraid to say more. Then she +gathered her courage. +</P> + +<P> +"It is Raymond," she said. "He has concealed some guns! He and some +of the others mean to fire on the German officers!" +</P> + +<P> +"But that is madness!" said Paul. "What good does he think that will +do?" +</P> + +<P> +"He says that the men, without their officers, will be terrified and +will run away. He says it is an easy thing to do, since they think all +our men are afraid of them." +</P> + +<P> +"It ought to be stopped for their own sake, and for the sake of +Hannay," said Arthur. "I thought Paul was wrong at first, but I can +see now that he was not." +</P> + +<P> +"Do you know their plans? Tell me all you know," said Paul quickly, in +a tone of command. +</P> + +<P> +"You will not—betray them to the Germans?" +</P> + +<P> +"I am a Belgian," said Paul. "I shall try to save them and all in +Hannay from the ruin that such a thing would mean. You may trust me." +</P> + +<P> +"Then the guns are hidden in the cellar of Marcel's wine shop. They +plan to get into the cellar from the back of the house, where there is +a concealed door. Very late one of them is to raise an alarm—how I do +not know. They expect the German officers to run out of the doctor's +house, and then they will shoot them down. It will not be before +midnight." +</P> + +<P> +"Then there should be time enough to stop it," said Paul, with +decision. "Thank you for your bread and meat, madame. Perhaps we +shall repay you by saving your home and your husband's life. Come on, +Arthur." +</P> + +<P> +"What will you do, Paul?" asked Arthur, when they were alone. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know yet, Arthur. I want to see this wine shop. Then perhaps +we can make up a plan together. It would be easy to tell the Germans, +but they would burn the wine shop. And I do not want to tell them if +there is another way." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap16"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVI +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE WINE SHOP +</H3> + + +<P> +In the wine shop, when they came to it, they found none of the men of +Hannay. The German soldiers, off duty for a little while, had taken +possession of the place, and the sound of their singing, which could be +heard as soon as one came within a hundred yards of the place, showed +that they were happy. The two scouts looked in as they passed the +window. They saw the invaders there, looking less like soldiers than +they had imagined German troops ever could look. A few of the men were +resting their feet, having taken off their heavy hobnailed boots, and +were sitting in their woolen socks. Some were playing cards; nearly +all were smoking. +</P> + +<P> +"It's safe enough," said Paul. "If we can find that back entrance, I +think we can get into the cellar. The worst of it is that they may +have a guard there." +</P> + +<P> +It was Arthur who found the entrance to the cellar. He led the way +down the stone steps, and they found themselves in a whitewashed vault, +scrupulously clean, as are practically all Belgian houses from garret +to cellar. There was a lantern, too, shedding a dim but most welcome +light on the place, with its rows of casks and hogsheads. +</P> + +<P> +"That's a piece of luck, that lantern," said Paul. "Only it shows +something we'll have to look out for—that we may have a visitor any +moment. Look over there, Arthur. There's a little space behind that +row of barrels. If anyone comes we can hide there." +</P> + +<P> +But Arthur had another idea. Before Paul could stop him, he sprang +lightly up the stairs that led to the room above, whence the sound of +the German soldiers came very plainly. He fumbled for a moment at the +door before he returned. +</P> + +<P> +"I thought I might find that," he said. "I've shot a bolt on the door. +That will hold anyone who tries to come down for a few moments at +least, and it will give us time to get out the way we came. We may +wish to escape, you see." +</P> + +<P> +"Good!" said Paul. "All right! Now let's try to find those guns." +</P> + +<P> +But of guns or weapons of any sort they could find no trace. They +looked behind all the barrels and casks and under every possible hiding +place. They lifted some of the barrels, though to do so was a +considerable task, and the result was the same. +</P> + +<P> +"Perhaps they have chosen some other hiding place or else the woman did +not really know, and only suspected," suggested Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +But that explanation did not satisfy Paul. And in a moment he had an +inspiration. At once he began trying to tip back the great hogsheads +at one side of the vault. The third yielded easily, and he immediately +pried off its top. +</P> + +<P> +"Aha, here we are!" he said. "Look, Arthur! I noticed that some of +these were empty, but I thought anything like a gun would rattle around +inside. But do you see what they did? They have the guns here, but +they're packed in with rags and sacking, so they can't move and make a +noise." +</P> + +<P> +"That was clever!" said Arthur. "I suppose they expected the Germans +to make a search." +</P> + +<P> +He drew out a gun, a shotgun with a sawed off barrel. The shortening +of the barrel served a double purpose. It made it possible for the gun +to be hidden in the barrel, and it made of it, also, at close range, a +far more dangerous and formidable weapon than it had been in its +original form. +</P> + +<P> +"What are we to do with them? Where shall we hide them?" +</P> + +<P> +"Nowhere. We shall put them back," said Paul. "When we have finished +with them, that is. Here, let me show you!" +</P> + +<P> +He took the sawed off shotgun, opened the breech, and in a moment had +hopelessly shattered the firing mechanism. +</P> + +<P> +"There, do you see? They'll find their guns—but they'll have trouble +in firing them! That's better than taking them away, because it's so +much safer." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I should say so!" +</P> + +<P> +They were busy for five minutes getting out the guns, of which there +were only a dozen all told, breaking them and then putting them back. +They left the place as they found it, and the guns themselves, +moreover, would not immediately give up the secret of how they had been +treated. +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder if we can't find the ammunition?" said Paul, when they had +finished their work with the guns. "Then we could really finish the +job." +</P> + +<P> +But the search for that proved vain. Though they looked everywhere +they came upon no hidden store of bullets or powder. Nor had Paul +really hoped that they would. +</P> + +<P> +"They'd carry that with them, naturally," he said. "Well, it doesn't +make much difference. We—" +</P> + +<P> +On the word there was a noise outside. They stopped, listening. Down +the steps by which they had entered came footsteps, and they first saw +heavy boots and then a pair of stout legs come into the range of the +lantern. For a moment they were rooted to the spot, and in that moment +the rest of the descending figure came into view, and they saw that it +was Raymond. In the same moment he saw them, and cried out sharply, +fear and anger mingled in his voice. That ended the spell that had +held them still. Arthur started a rush toward the newcomer, but Paul +caught his arm. +</P> + +<P> +"No! Upstairs!" he cried. +</P> + +<P> +As he spoke, he seized the lantern from the hook where it hung, and +swung it around, extinguishing the feeble flame at once. And then, as +Raymond with a roar of rage started toward them, he flung the lantern +straight at him. A cry of pain told him that his aim had been true, +even in the darkness, and then he leaped up the stairs after Arthur, +who was already fumbling at the bolt. In a moment they were through +the door and had burst into the midst of the astonished soldiers in the +taproom above. +</P> + +<P> +For just a moment their sudden appearance caused excitement and +confusion among the soldiers, who must have imagined that this was a +surprise attack. But then some of the men, who had seen them talking +with Major Kellner earlier in the day, recognized them and a shout of +laughter went up. +</P> + +<P> +"It is only those boys!" cried one soldier. "Here, you young ones, you +must stay to supper, now that you have come!" +</P> + +<P> +He seized Paul and forced him into a chair, while another did as much +for Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +"Come, landlord, your best for our guests!" cried half a dozen of the +soldiers. +</P> + +<P> +Marcel, the landlord, who evidently knew only too well what his cellar +contained beside wine and beer, was staring at them with a white, +panic-stricken gaze. But he turned to obey, none the less; he was in +deadly fear, it was plain, of the boyish soldiers. They might be +willing to jest now, but he knew that they were the same men who fought +like devils, and if reports were true (which they were not!) cut off +the hands of women and children. +</P> + +<P> +He brought food, and one of the soldiers handed Paul a glass of wine. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, then!" cried the German. "You shall drink a toast to the good +Kaiser Wilhelm, who is now King of Belgium as well as of Prussia, and +who will eat the first course of his Christmas dinner in Paris and fly +to London in a Zeppelin for the second! Skoal!" +</P> + +<P> +"Ja! Ja wohl! A toast to the Kaiser by the young Belgian!" cried some +of the others. +</P> + +<P> +Paul got up, the glass held firmly in his hand. His cheeks were +blazing. +</P> + +<P> +"I will give you a toast!" he cried. "To Kaiser Wilhelm! May he eat +his Christmas dinner in Saint Helena, with the ghost of Napoleon to +keep him company! And may King Albert and King George and the Czar and +the president of France enjoy a dinner that shall be served to them in +the palace of Potsdam!" +</P> + +<P> +And then he flung down the glass, so that it was shattered on the stone +floor, and the red wine ran over the white flags. +</P> + +<P> +"And so say I and every other good Belgian!" echoed Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +For a moment there was a stunned silence in the room. The German +soldiers, aghast at such daring, stared with open mouths and wide eyes. +And then there was an angry murmur, spreading from one man to another, +as the enormity of Paul's daring sank in. +</P> + +<P> +"He has insulted the Kaiser! He has dared to be disrespectful toward +our Emperor! He has refused to drink to his health!" +</P> + +<P> +"Do what you like!" cried Paul, thoroughly aroused now, as Arthur had +seen him roused only once or twice before, and utterly indifferent to +what might happen to him. "I am not afraid of you! Come, stop us if +you like!" +</P> + +<P> +And then while the angry muttering continued, and each of the German +soldiers seemed to wait for one of the others to make the first move, +Paul and Arthur, side by side, without looking to right or left, walked +out of the place and into the open air of the single street of Hannay. +For a moment, after they passed outside, they heard nothing, though +they had expected to be pursued and brought back. And then suddenly +from behind them there came the last sound they could have expected or +hoped to hear—a tremendous roar of laughter! Paul's courage in +defying them had won the admiration of the German soldiers at last. +Brave men are nearly always ready to pay a tribute to bravery in others. +</P> + +<P> +But if they had escaped from one danger, they had still to face another +and one that might be even greater, as they well knew. For Raymond, +the butcher, had seen them in the cellar. No doubt he knew by this +time what had happened to his guns, and he would certainly know who was +to blame for their condition. He would be more certain than ever that +they were traitors to Belgium, since he was too stupid to understand +how well the scouts had served him, and it was sure that he and his +cronies of the civic guard would make some attempt to secure revenge. +</P> + +<P> +Indeed, even as they came into the street, Paul saw a lurking figure +across the way, that moved as they did. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't look around," he whispered to Arthur. "But I think that Raymond +is watching us from the other side of the street. We must be careful." +</P> + +<P> +And then, suddenly, without the slightest warning, a whistling sound +that both scouts knew well after their experience during the shelling +of the German battery near their old home, was heard overhead. It was +followed in a few seconds by a terrific explosion. But fortunately the +explosion was at some distance. The shell, for it was a shell that +they had heard, burst outside of the village and did no damage. +</P> + +<P> +But it created a tremendous effect, none the less. At once the German +officers came running from the doctor's house where they were +quartered, and, as more shells burst nearby, bugles sounded, and the +German soldiers came running to the centre of the village, gathering +rapidly from the houses where they had been enjoying their brief +respite from war. Sentries and all were called in, and within three +minutes the troops were off, at the double quick, going in the +direction whence they had come to enter the village of Hannay. +</P> + +<P> +And now the comparative silence of the night, that had been broken +before then only by the dull and intermittent thunder of the guns +around Liege, was shattered in a thousand ways. Heavy firing by +infantry rifles, as well as by field guns, came from the north. It was +plain that Belgian or French troops must have been advancing with great +rapidity to interfere with the German raid on the country between Liege +and Brussels. Flashes of fire marked the bursting shells less than a +mile away, and occasional spurts of flame showed where the German guns +were replying to the sudden attack. In a moment Hannay was deserted by +the Germans. And before the villagers, led by Raymond, had collected +their scattered wits, Paul had seen the chance of escape. +</P> + +<P> +"Come on!" he cried, to Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +They ran as fast as they could after the Germans. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap17"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE BATTLE +</H3> + + +<P> +They had not gone more than a hundred yards when a wild outburst of +shouting behind them told them that their flight had been discovered. +At least there seemed to be no reason for the people in Hannay to raise +such a din. And the cries showed them, too, that they were being +pursued. But such a pursuit did not frighten them. They had taken to +the fields almost at once, deserting the road, and with such a start as +they had it was practically impossible for them to be overtaken, +especially by such stupid pursuers as Raymond and his men. +</P> + +<P> +So, before they had gone any great distance toward the sounds of +firing, which had now increased to a point that showed that they were +in the neighborhood of something very like a pitched battle, a general +engagement, they slowed down to a walk and waited to see what would +happen. In the road the pursuit stormed past them, but that did not +last long. In a few minutes they heard the voices of the returning +villagers, who had evidently decided that to keep on was too likely to +bring them into the field of operations. +</P> + +<P> +And so for the time at least, the two scouts were free and safe. +</P> + +<P> +"Thank heaven that's over!" said Arthur. "Paul, I never was so +frightened in my life! It seems to me that we were really between the +devil and the deep blue sea back there!" +</P> + +<P> +"We certainly were!" said Paul, with a laugh. "The Belgians thought we +sided with the Germans, and the Germans knew we didn't! I suppose it +was foolish to defy them like that, but I couldn't do anything else." +</P> + +<P> +"I should hope not!" said Arthur. "And I don't think it was foolish at +all—and neither do you, really, Paul. Perhaps they will find out, if +a few more things like that happen, that it won't be so easy to conquer +Belgium as they think, even if we are only a little bit of a country!" +</P> + +<P> +"What I'm wondering is what we'd better try to do next," said Paul, +thoughtfully. "That sounds like a real battle in front of us, Arthur. +The firing is getting heavier all the time, and on both sides, I think, +as if more and more troops were being brought up. You see, we haven't +any idea at all of what's going on, except just where we've happened to +be. We haven't had any news since the Germans caught us the first +time." +</P> + +<P> +"Can't we get to the Belgian lines?" +</P> + +<P> +"We can try, of course. We must bear well to the west, which will +bring us behind the skirmish lines. I think the place for us to try to +reach now is Tirlemont. There must be a sort of headquarters there, I +think, because it's on the railway, and any railway is important in +time of war. Yes, I believe that's where these troops must have come +from. They could be brought there from all over Belgium, you see, and +sent out to try to check the German advance." +</P> + +<P> +They could follow the line of the battle readily now, for the firing +was heavy and well marked, showing that the line along which the +fighting was going on was five or six miles long. The bursting shells, +too, dotting the darkness with patches of light every few seconds, +marked out the battle line, so that they could lay their course to get +away from it. Both of them understood the need of doing that; it was +now their business to get to some superior officers as quickly as +possible with the valuable information they possessed about the German +movements, though of course each hour of delay made it less likely that +that information would be of any value. And on the firing line, if +they were lucky enough to escape being shot, they would find no +superior officers in any case, but only men charged with the duty of +looking after their small, individual tasks, and too busy to pay any +attention to them. It was the staff headquarters they wanted to reach. +</P> + +<P> +And then, while they were going on as fast as they could, over the +stubble of the fields, there was a sudden shifting of the lines in +front of them. Immediately before them the firing was almost doubled +in violence, but on one side only. Apparently some heavier guns had +been brought up by the Germans, and they saw that a terrific fire was +being directed at the higher ground whence the flashes of the Belgian +guns had been coming. One by one these guns were silenced, and then +the bursting shells began to search out the ground in front of the +Belgian artillery. Paul cried out in dismay. +</P> + +<P> +"What is it? What's the matter?" asked Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm afraid it's going badly for us there," said Paul, gloomily. "Do +you see, they've put our guns out of business! Now they are sending +their shells right where our men must be massed. I don't believe any +troops can stand their ground long under such a fire as that." +</P> + +<P> +"They're still there—they're still answering, Paul!" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, but listen!" +</P> + +<P> +Even above the roar of the battle now they could hear sounds of +cheering. And, on one side, much of the lighter rifle fire now died +away. +</P> + +<P> +"The Germans are advancing! It must be a charge against our men. And +they can't have had time to intrench!" said Paul. "Look! Didn't I +tell you so?" +</P> + +<P> +It was almost as if they had been able to see. They could follow the +bending of the Belgian line as it gave way before the furious advance. +The artillery firing on the German side—on the German left wing, that +is, and the Belgian right—ceased. And then, nearly half a mile beyond +where it had been before, the rifle fire broke out again. +</P> + +<P> +"There, can you tell what has happened?" asked Paul. "They've turned +our wing—they must have rushed a lot of troops this way. We're +holding them well enough on the other side and in the centre, but our +men will have to retire very soon. It's awfully bad for us, because +now the Germans are between us and Tirlemont, and I don't see how we +can get around them, because they will keep spreading out, no matter +how far we go," keen disappointment in his voice. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't see how you can tell that from here, Paul!" +</P> + +<P> +"Watch the flashes from the guns nearest us—those are the Germans, +now. The rifles, I mean—do you see, there? They're firing pretty +regularly, and the flashes are very close together. They haven't +spread out much. When they're firing, it looks as if a whole lot of +lightning bugs were flashing all at once, and it makes a line along the +ground. That's a curved line, now. A few minutes ago it was straight." +</P> + +<P> +And now the German batteries opened up again on their left flank, and +they were firing from a position that had been moved considerably +westward since they had ceased firing after the infantry had begun +pushing back the Belgian line. That was the most significant thing. +These batteries had now evidently taken up a position that, at the +beginning of the fight, had been held either by the most advanced of +the German skirmishers or by the Belgians themselves. The German +policy of concentrating the attack at one spot, which has been the +policy of great generals throughout all history, had worked well for +them again. +</P> + +<P> +But it was not the result of this fight, which could hardly be of +really great importance whatever happened, that bothered Paul. It was +the fact that by this sudden sweep of the German left he and Paul were +again in the enemy's country, and almost hopelessly cut off from +reaching the Belgian lines. For a moment he was almost ready to give +up in despair. But that was not his style at all, and he soon +recovered his spirits. +</P> + +<P> +"There's no use in sitting here and wishing that things were +different," he said, at last. "Come on! Let's get back to the road! +If we can't go behind our own lines, let's go behind the Germans, and +see how far we can get. They may be too busy to pay much attention to +us, anyhow. Oh, I wish we had some way of getting around except by +walking! We're losing all this time. That's what is going to ruin +everything for us, just when it seemed that we had a chance to do +something." +</P> + +<P> +They got back to the road from which they had turned to avoid the +enraged peasants of Hannay, and went along mournfully. Once they heard +a loud crackling, and dodged immediately into the shelter of the hedge +along the road. A German soldier, mounted on a powerful motorcycle, +sped by; but he went so fast that they might have stayed in the road +without attracting his attention. He came from behind them, from the +direction of Hannay, and Paul groaned as they went out into the road +again. +</P> + +<P> +"They must be in force in that direction, too," he said. "That shows +that it probably wouldn't have done us much good to go back around +Hannay to try to strike another road. We would only have run into a +lot more Germans, I suppose, if we had." +</P> + +<P> +"There seem to be Germans everywhere," said Arthur. "How can there be +so many of them?" +</P> + +<P> +"That is the way they go to war. It is their plan always to have more +men than the enemy. It is a good way, too. A thousand brave men +cannot beat five thousand, no matter how brave they are. The weight of +numbers has won many a battle." +</P> + +<P> +"Listen," said Arthur. "Do you hear that? It sounds as if another +motorcycle might be coming from behind us." +</P> + +<P> +They were climbing a stiff little grade, and were near the top. Paul +stopped, and listened. +</P> + +<P> +"No," he said. "That's not a motorcycle, but an automobile. I +wonder—" He stopped and thought for a moment. "It's still half a +mile or so away. It's worth trying! It would be a chance! And it can +do no harm. Arthur, do you remember how we stopped their motorcycle +when those two officers were chasing us after we had escaped from the +house where they had hidden the guns and the shells?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes!" Arthur saw the idea at once. "We haven't any glass—but if we +could find some sharp pointed stones?" +</P> + +<P> +"Quick! Let's look!" +</P> + +<P> +They were lucky. They found something better than stones—for in the +field right beside the road they discovered a veritable treasure, a +pile of horseshoes, rusty and worn, that had been piled up there +evidently by some farmer, against the time when he should decide to +carry them all to the blacksmith to be used again. In some nails still +projected; all of them, at any rate, had some sharp points. They +worked frantically, while the song of the motor of the approaching car +seemed to din "Hurry! Hurry!" into their ears. And then, just as the +gears of the car were shifted at the bottom of the hill, and it began +its laborious ascent, they were finished. +</P> + +<P> +"Now!" cried Paul, springing back into the shadow of the hedge. "Now +we'll see whether our luck has changed! It has been against us ever +since we got to Huy. It is time, I think, that we had a little good +fortune! Perhaps it will do us no good, even if those nails and +horseshoes do puncture the tires. But we shall see!" +</P> + +<P> +On came the car. The hill was one of those long, steady ascents that +is particularly trying to a fast motor car, high geared and meant to +make great speed on the level, and it came up slowly. But just before +the real crest of the hill was reached there was a lessening of the +grade, and the driver shot into his high speed to get a good start. +That was what Paul had hoped for; that, and something else that he had +not dared to voice as a hope, so faint was the chance that it would +come true. +</P> + +<P> +Now, however, as he saw the car, he could scarcely repress a cry of +exultation. +</P> + +<P> +"There's only one man!" he said to Arthur. "Now if those nails will +only do their part!" +</P> + +<P> +The car shot forward, and in a moment there was a roar as a tire blew +out, and then another, and another. Three tires went, and a hissing of +freed air showed that the other was punctured! +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap18"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CHAPTER XVIII +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +VICTORY! +</H3> + + +<P> +There came a savage exclamation of rage from the solitary driver of the +car, as it swerved violently and dangerously before he could stop it. +Then, still muttering, he was out of the car and at the task of jacking +it up. Evidently he was in a fearful hurry and it was easy to guess +that his errand was one of the most pressing importance, for, though he +kicked the horseshoes away, and so evidently understood what had caused +his mishap, and knew that it could not have been accidental, he wasted +no time in looking for whoever had caused it. +</P> + +<P> +Instead he went to work with a will, ripping off the deflated tires and +attaching others. He worked fast and furiously, and with the skill of +one accustomed to the task. +</P> + +<P> +"What are we to do now? Rush him?" whispered Arthur. "We can do it +while he is bending over like that, and the two of us ought to be able +to hold him down, too." +</P> + +<P> +"We can't take any chances," Paul whispered back grimly. He showed +Arthur a horseshoe that he had retained. "He's a German officer and an +enemy, and we have a right to do anything we can to damage the enemy. +I'm going to hit him with this. If I do it right, he won't be able to +move for some time." +</P> + +<P> +Arthur shuddered a little. The idea of actually attacking a man from +behind in such a way was unpleasant. But he realized that Paul, who +had a reputation for gentleness, could like the idea as little as he +did himself, and also that it was vitally necessary to secure +possession of the car, though even yet Paul's whole plan had not come +to him. +</P> + +<P> +"All right!" he said. "Come on, then!" +</P> + +<P> +"No; wait until he has finished! We might as well let him do the work, +and have the car ready. +</P> + +<P> +"But he will do the tires on this side first! He will be on the other +side of the car afterward." +</P> + +<P> +"No, he won't. He's got to come back to side when all the tires are on +because the jack is on this side. Don't you see?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes. I didn't think." +</P> + +<P> +They waited breathlessly while the German worked. There was something +oddly familiar about him, but his long, flowing overcoat prevented them +from seeing him very well. He wore a uniform cap, fortunately, instead +of a helmet, which would have given him a much better chance since it +would have been very difficult for Paul to do what he planned with a +helmet in the way. +</P> + +<P> +Bad as the accident had been, the German worked so fast that in a very +few minutes he had all the tires on, and was pumping them up as fast as +possible. Then, when that was done, he came back, as Paul had seen +that he must, and stooped over to remove the jack that had lifted the +wheels from the ground. And that was the moment in which Paul struck. +</P> + +<P> +"Stay behind!" he whispered, to Arthur. "I may need your help if +anything goes wrong." +</P> + +<P> +Then with one leap he reached the German. He landed quietly, and, +though the German heard him and half turned, it was all over in a +second. Paul brought down his horseshoe on the officer's skull, and he +crumpled without a cry and fell in a silent heap in the roadside. +</P> + +<P> +"Quick!" cried Paul. "Look under the seat! There ought to be drinking +water there." +</P> + +<P> +Arthur found a vacuum bottle, and a big gallon bottle of mineral water. +This Paul broke, and, dipping a handkerchief in it, made a wet bandage +for the German's head. Then he dropped the vacuum bottle where the +officer must find it when he recovered consciousness. And now he did +something that surprised Arthur. He stripped off the officer's coat, +took his uniform jacket and his cap. These he himself donned, and, +though they were far too big for him, he cried out with satisfaction at +the fit of the cap. +</P> + +<P> +"Now do you see?" he cried. "I bet we could go through the German +lines like this! Hello!" +</P> + +<P> +"What's wrong?" +</P> + +<P> +"Nothing, but this is that chap Poertner—one of the men we got away +from! He was taken into Liege as a prisoner. Don't you remember? He +must have got away or else the Germans must have taken the fort where +they were holding him! I'm afraid it's that!" +</P> + +<P> +But there was no more time to be wasted. Paul leaped to the steering +wheel of the car. +</P> + +<P> +"In with you, Arthur!" he cried. "Get down, so that you won't be seen. +Down low, on the floor!" +</P> + +<P> +"Why?" asked Arthur, though he had obeyed before he asked the question. +</P> + +<P> +"You haven't any uniform. You'd be spotted at once. If they see me in +this rig, they may mistake me for a German officer, you see. That's +why I took it. I was sorry to have to do it, but it's war, and all's +fair! Now we're off!" +</P> + +<P> +On the word he turned the car around, and they were really off in +another moment, racing down the hill that the car had just climbed so +laboriously, to have its journey so ingloriously halted. +</P> + +<P> +"It's a wonderful little car. They must use a lot of these for +dispatch bearers," said Paul. "Arthur, isn't it lucky that Marcel +showed us all about how to run different sorts of cars? I hope he's +all right. I bet he enlisted too, if Uncle Henri joined the army when +he went to Brussels." +</P> + +<P> +"It runs so smoothly and it's ever so much faster than the fastest +horse, of course," said Arthur. "I suppose all the armies must be +using automobiles for this sort of work. Where are you going, Paul?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going to make a great big circuit, if we're not stopped before we +really get started," said Paul. "On foot we never could have got ahead +of the Germans in that sweeping flank movement of theirs. But now, +when we can make sixty miles an hour, I should think we ought to be +able to do it. I think the worst time will be right along here in the +first ten miles or so. All I'm hoping is that we don't run into the +people who know where Poertner was going in this car. I think we can +get by anyone else. But there's no telling where he did start from. +Perhaps from Huy." +</P> + +<P> +"Huy? But we were there this morning—and our troops were there, too!" +exclaimed Arthur, plainly puzzled. +</P> + +<P> +"That doesn't mean that they're there now. Huy couldn't have held out +for more than a few hours against a real attack. And we had very few +troops there. Our concentration seems to be further north." +</P> + +<P> +They swept through Hannay at a terrific pace, but not so fast as to +prevent them from seeing that the wine shop was still open and that it +was full of Raymond's men. Paul sounded a blast on the siren of his +car, the peculiar siren that indicated its military character, and +laughed at the rush of people to the door of the shop. Then they were +out in the open road again. +</P> + +<P> +And now Paul's knowledge of the geography of the country stood him in +good stead. Twinkling camp fires showed that they were running toward +a country that was literally swarming with Germans. Now more than +ever, it was plain that from all around Liege a great advance movement +was being pushed. Despite the battle that was still raging behind +them, these troops seemed to be in camp, a plain proof that the Germans +must still have troops enough and to spare behind them, though here +were fresh divisions that would not be engaged at all. +</P> + +<P> +In the southwest the lights of Huy, could be seen, but they gave no +clue as to which army held the town. Only the fires that dotted the +ground, clustered about Huy in a great semicircle, seemed to indicate +that perhaps the Germans had not yet entered the town. They were west +of it, however, though only a few, toward Namur, and Paul muttered +angrily to himself as he saw that well west of Huy the fires stretched +in a solid line between that place and the fortress of Namur. +</P> + +<P> +"We won't be able to reach Namur, I'm afraid," he said. "We might get +through, but I believe that our best chance is to swing right around +Huy, staying well inside the line of the fires, and slip past it, just +to the west. There is a bridge there, too. I don't believe we could +cross the Meuse anywhere else between Huy and Namur." +</P> + +<P> +Twice they passed roadside patrols of Germans, but Paul's appearance +was deceptive, and the soldiers simply sprang to attention as the +flying car swept by, standing with their hands raised in salute. Paul +knew that at any moment he might run into a patrol less easily +satisfied, but that was a chance that had to be taken. +</P> + +<P> +Now he was picking his way carefully, having reduced his speed a +little. Twice he boldly left the road and drove the car across the +soft ground of fields, for he had to follow a semicircle, and the road, +had he stuck to it, would have brought him right up to one of the camps +each time. But at last he was heading north and west again, and he +heaved a sigh of great relief. +</P> + +<P> +He had to sacrifice speed now for a time to certainty. To have taken a +false turn would have spelled disaster, and, though he knew the map of +the country well enough, he had never traveled these roads himself. +But soon all danger seemed to be over. They were coming nearer to the +sounds of the battle again. These had died away for a time, and the +fight had seemed to be over. But whichever side had been losing had +brought up reenforcements, and as the first faint streaks of light in +the east that foretold the dawn began to spread in the sky the din was +louder than ever. +</P> + +<P> +"Where are you trying to go?" asked Arthur. +</P> + +<P> +"To Eghezee," said Paul. "That is a fair sized town and we ought to +find a telephone exchange still working there, with wires into Brussels +that haven't been cut. There is its smoke—do you see it right ahead?" +</P> + +<P> +Arthur raised his head to look. And he saw something else. To the +right of the town, which was still two miles away, there was a moving +mass of grey. +</P> + +<P> +"There come the Germans, too!" he groaned. "And they're nearer than we +are!" +</P> + +<P> +Paul's answer was to urge the car to still greater speed. Arthur was +right. Heavy masses of Germans—Paul guessed there was a full division +of twenty thousand men—were advancing toward the town. They were +still some distance away, but they were moving fairly fast. +</P> + +<P> +"It's the railway they're after, that line runs between Namur and +Tirlemont," said Paul. "Well, we've got to risk it now. Perhaps they +will catch us, but if we have any luck we'll get our messages through." +</P> + +<P> +They came into a town that was almost wholly deserted, as it seemed. +The Germans had given warning of their coming, and the people had fled. +But in the building that was used by the telephone system there were +still signs of life. The door was open, and when, having left the car +outside, they burst into the room that contained the big switchboard, +they found a girl sitting there calmly, waiting for the calls that did +not come. +</P> + +<P> +"Can you get Tirlemont?" cried Paul. "We must talk to the office of +the headquarters staff there. Say that we have come from Liege and +have a message from Major du Chaillu." +</P> + +<P> +The girl stared at them incredulously for a moment. She had had the +pluck to stick to her post when she knew the Germans were coming, and +now she went to work without argument. +</P> + +<P> +"If the wires are not cut!" she said. She manipulated the plugs and +then, after a brief delay, pointed to an instrument. +</P> + +<P> +"A message from Major du Chaillu!" said a voice in Paul's ear. +"Impossible—he is here!" +</P> + +<P> +"Thank Heaven!" cried Paul. "Call him to the telephone!" +</P> + +<P> +In another moment he was telling what they had learned. He gave the +information concerning the great extent of the German strength first, +and was rewarded by a cry of astonishment. And then he told of their +situation; of how, having captured the car and fled through the whole +German army, they were now almost certain to be captured. +</P> + +<P> +"With that coat—and the automobile!" cried du Chaillu. "My boy, I am +afraid they would shoot you! How far away are they?" +</P> + +<P> +"Very near." +</P> + +<P> +"Eh? Oh, I have it! Listen!" +</P> + +<P> +Paul's face lighted up as he heard the plan. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes—yes!" he cried. "I think we can! I think there will be time for +that!" +</P> + +<P> +There was a click. The wire had been cut somewhere between him and +Tirlemont! But he did not care; he had done all that was needful. And +now, shouting to Arthur to follow, he dashed from the building. +</P> + +<P> +"Don't delay a second!" he cried. "Come! Major du Chaillu says a +train, with an engine and one car, was held here to bring money from +the banks so that the Germans would not get it! He is having a +telegram sent to bid it wait! The station is a quarter of a mile away!" +</P> + +<P> +Madly they ran through the deserted streets. Even as they ran past a +wide street that entered the one in which they were, they saw the head +of a German column coming down toward them. Never had they run so fast +before, but even so, it seemed that they would never reach the station! +But at last they were there; they dashed in—to see the train going out! +</P> + +<P> +"The telegram must have come too late!" said Paul. "Well, perhaps they +will not know what we have done. It may not be so bad—" +</P> + +<P> +"Look!" cried Arthur. The train had slowed down. Now it had stopped, +just by a signal tower. From the engine a man dropped, looked back, +and then began beckoning them on. They ran wildly toward him, and in a +moment they were being pulled on board the train. +</P> + +<P> +"The operator in the signal tower heard the message coming in just as +we were starting," said the conductor. "He set the signal against us +and told us of the message! What good luck for you! Now, if the +Germans haven't cut the line, you are safe!" +</P> + +<P> +And safe they were. The light train carried them to Tirlemont, and +there they met not only Major du Chaillu, but their uncle, now Colonel +de Frenard. +</P> + +<P> +"We have informed the French staff of your news. It has changed the +whole plan of campaign," said du Chaillu. "Namur will be abandoned; +the real defence will be made on the border. Thanks to you the French +have escaped the trap that was being baited for them. And I have +special orders concerning you." +</P> + +<P> +"What are they?" asked Paul. +</P> + +<P> +"You are to be sent to Brussels immediately. And there you are to be +received by King Albert who has heard of your part in the defence of +Liege, for which all the world has praised Belgium and her brave sons!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> +<hr class="full" noshade> + +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BELGIANS TO THE FRONT***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 18838-h.txt or 18838-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/8/8/3/18838">http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/8/3/18838</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/GUTINDEX.ALL">http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/GUTINDEX.ALL</a> + +*** END: FULL LICENSE *** +</pre> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/18838-h/images/img-front.jpg b/18838-h/images/img-front.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..97d4568 --- /dev/null +++ b/18838-h/images/img-front.jpg diff --git a/18838.txt b/18838.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..413552c --- /dev/null +++ b/18838.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4936 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Belgians to the Front, by Colonel James +Fiske, Illustrated by E. A. Furman + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Belgians to the Front + + +Author: Colonel James Fiske + + + +Release Date: July 16, 2006 [eBook #18838] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BELGIANS TO THE FRONT*** + + +E-text prepared by Al Haines + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustration. + See 18838-h.htm or 18838-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/8/8/3/18838/18838-h/18838-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/8/8/3/18838/18838-h.zip) + + + + + +World's War Series, Volume 5 + +THE BELGIANS TO THE FRONT + +by + +COLONEL JAMES FISKE + +Illustrated by E. A. Furman + + + + + + + +[Frontispiece: "Unless you can prove that you are innocent, you will be +tried as spies," said the lieutenant.] + + + + + +The Saalfield Publishing Company +Chicago ------ Akron, Ohio ------ New York +Copyright, 1915 +by +The Saalfield Publishing Company + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +Chapter + + I A Discovery + II The Marked Plans + III The House of Mystery + IV The Flight + V Pursuit + VI At Headquarters + VII The Fire + VIII The Uhlan + IX War + X Prisoners of War + XI The Spy + XII A Close Shave + XIII The Civic Guards + XIV Submission + XV The Butcher's Wife + XVI The Wine Shop + XVII The Battle + XVIII Victory + + + + +The Belgians To The Front + + +CHAPTER I + +A DISCOVERY + +In the great public square of the ancient city of Liege, in Belgium, a +troop of Belgian Boy Scouts stood at attention. Staffs in hand, clad +in the short knickerbockers, the khaki shirts and the wide campaign +hats that mark the Boy Scout all over the world, they were enough of a +spectacle to draw the attention of the busy citizens of Liege, who +stopped to watch them admiringly. Their scoutmaster, Armand Van Verde, +had been addressing them. And now in the fading light of the late +afternoon, he dismissed them. + +At once the troop broke up, first into patrols, then into small +individual groups of two or three. The faces of the scouts were grave +for it was serious news indeed that Van Verde had communicated to the +troop at the meeting just ended. Paul Latour called sharply to his +great friend, Arthur Waller. + +"Come on, Arthur," he said. "We'd better be getting along home. There +may be something for us to do." + +"All right," agreed Arthur, cheerfully. He was a little younger than +his chum, and was nearly always willing to agree to anything Paul +proposed. + +The two boys were not natives of Liege. However, they spent their +summers with relatives who lived in the country a few miles beyond the +limits of the famous old town, in the direction of the village of +Esneux. They themselves came from Brussels, and, while not themselves +related, were both cousins of the family which they were now visiting, +that of M. de Frenard. + +So now, striking out with a good, swinging pace, they made their way +rapidly through the streets of the old town of Liege, narrow and +crooked, once they were beyond the great square. They passed over the +new Exposition Bridge and so to the new town of Liege, where the great +steel works of Seraing were beginning to cast red reflections against +the darkening sky. + +"They have begun to work all night long," said Arthur. + +"It's a good thing, too," said Paul, soberly. "If there is to be a +war, as Mr. Van Verde says, we may need all the guns they can turn out." + +"But we shall not go to war, Paul! Belgium is neutral. All the powers +joined in declaring Belgium to be a neutral state. We have learned +that in our history in school!" + +"I know that, Arthur. But will the Germans respect our neutrality? If +they don't, we shall have to defend ourselves against them. And the +first attack will be here, at Liege." + +"Then these forts that Uncle Henri showed us will really be useful? +They are strong forts, Paul." + +"I hope not. But just because there are forts there it is a sign that +the government has feared an invasion, Arthur. I hope that if there is +war we shall stay out of it. But Belgium has always been exposed to +war when her great neighbors fought. Some of the greatest battles in +the history of the world have been fought on our soil." + +"I know! Waterloo was where Napoleon was beaten finally. We have seen +that battlefield, Paul, you and I. Do you think there may be a battle +there again? That would be exciting!" + +"Waterloo was only one. Ramillies was fought in Belgium, too, and many +other battles. Even Caesar fought here. Do you remember the place +where he says that of all the tribes he conquered, the bravest were the +Belgians?" + +"Oh, that's so! I'd forgotten that! But, Paul, you said there might +be something for us to do. What did you mean?" + +"I'm not sure yet, Arthur, and I'd rather not say anything more until I +am. But I want you to slip out with me to-night, after dinner. We'll +find out then, for certain. And I don't want to tell Uncle Henri or +anyone else, and afterward find I was wrong. We'd be laughed at then, +you see." + +"Then you have found something! Oh, tell me, Paul! I won't repeat it +to a soul!" + +"You'll know all in good time. Do you remember that man who tried the +other day to get work as a gardener?" + +"Yes, I do. Uncle Henri didn't have any work for him, but he sent him +to the factory in Seraing, and told him they would give him a job." + +"That's the one. You know he said he was hungry, and that he hadn't +been able to get any work for a long time, so he didn't have any money. +Uncle Henri told the cook to give him a dinner." + +"Yes, and I was sorry he didn't get a place. He looked as if he would +have been all right." + +"Well, Arthur, I saw him again, last night! He was in Esneux, and he +seemed to have plenty of money, though he hadn't gone to Seraing to get +work. He was in Madame Bibet's wine shop, and he was treating +everyone. Do you know what he paid with?" + +"No." + +"A German gold piece! That's how I know about it, because Madame Bibet +had never seen such a coin before, and she was afraid it wasn't good. +So she came out, and when she saw me she asked me, and I told her it +was good, of course." + +"Well, that's nothing, Paul. We often see German money here in Liege. +Isn't it like that in all places that are near a border? I suppose +that on the other side there is a lot of French money. Why, there is, +even in Brussels." + +"It may mean nothing at all, Arthur. I hope it doesn't. But I think +it's funny that that man should be staying around so. He must have +told Uncle Henri a lie when he said he didn't have money. I'd like to +know what he's up to. I'd like to be sure that he's not a German spy." + +"Oh, I never thought of that! A spy! Why should the Germans have +spies around here, though, Paul?" + +"It's just the place where they would have them, Arthur. The forts! +They want to find out all they can about them. Boncelles is near us; +so is the fort of Embourg. They want to know if our people are ready. +If they come through Belgium, you know, they will want to get through +as quickly as they can, to attack the French." + +"But I don't see why they should want to come through Belgium at all, +Paul. Why can't they leave us alone? They can attack the French along +their own border, I should think." + +"They can. But the French know that, and they have their strongest +fortresses all along there, from Belfort to Verdun. It would take the +Germans weeks, months perhaps, to get past these fortifications along +the border, and that would give the French time to bring up all their +soldiers. And the Germans have to beat the French quickly this time, +or else not at all. They aren't fighting France alone, but Russia as +well, and their plan must be to beat France first and then turn on +Russia. They think that here in Belgium it will be easy for them to +get around these forts. If they once get behind them, the French will +have to retreat. And the Germans think that the quickest way to bring +that is for them to go through our country and so attack Paris." + +"They ought to be stopped!" said Arthur, hotly. "England and France +would help us, wouldn't they?" + +"France certainly would, because she would have to. And I believe the +English would help, too. I hope so. Because even if the Germans +promised to go away as soon as they'd beaten France, I don't believe +they would. They'd make Belgium a part of Germany." + +"They can't do that! They shan't! Why, we're not German! We're a +free country!" + +"Yes, but we may have to fight to remain free, Arthur. Free countries +have had to do that before. If there is war, I think we shall see the +Germans here within a day of its declaration. We had better hope for +peace. But we must be prepared for war--and we must not deceive +ourselves. A treaty guarantees our neutrality, but I think the time is +coming when treaties will be forgotten." + +"We shall have to teach these Germans to remember them, then," said +Arthur, valiantly. "We may be weak, but we are brave, we Belgians. I +believe we can give them something to think about." + +Paul smiled a little sadly. He understood the true facts, the real +possibilities, better than his friend. + +"If it comes to fighting, we will do our part," he said, "but we should +be helpless against Germany alone, Arthur. The only thing we could do +would be to try to hold them back long enough for the French and the +English to come to our aid. Either that, or we would have to let them +pass through without resisting them." + +"So that they could fall on France? But that would be treachery!" said +Arthur, indignantly. "I have heard of that treaty of neutrality. We +are safeguarded from attack, but we are forbidden to allow the troops +of a country that is at war to pass through our territory. If it was +the French who talked of invading us to reach Germany, I should say +that we must fight them." + +"Yes, you're right, Arthur," said Paul. "I think we should make any +sacrifice to keep faith. But be sure that it will be a terrible +sacrifice, if we must make it." + +"Look there!" whispered Arthur, suddenly. "Someone started up just now +from behind the bushes. A man--and he is running away from us!" + +"After him!" cried Paul. "It looks--yes, it is the man I spoke of!" + +They ran as hard as they could, shouting as they went, in the hope that +someone might intercept the fugitive. But he had too good a start, and +in a few moments he had distanced them by climbing a rail fence and +disappearing into a thicket that came down to the edge of a field. + +"No use!" said Paul, disgustedly. "He got away from us. But I don't +suppose it would have done us any good to catch him. We couldn't have +done anything--hello!" + +He ended with an exclamation of surprise, and stooped over. They were +at the foot of the fence the flying figure had climbed a moment before. + +"What is it, Paul?" asked Arthur, eagerly. + +"This!" said Paul. He held up a small black pocket-book, and from it +he took a package of papers, wrapped in oil silk. "I struck against it +with my foot! I wonder if that man who was running could have dropped +it?" + +It was almost dark by this time; too dark, at any rate, for them to be +able to see the papers. But then Arthur remembered the pocket +flashlight he carried and produced it, switching on the light. + +"Let's have a look," he said. + +They unwrapped the oil silk covering. And, at the first sight of what +was within it, they gasped. They were holding in their hands a +complete sketch of the fort of Boncelles, the most important of the +works defending Liege to the southwest. Before they could examine it +more fully there was a shout from the fence. The spy had missed his +papers. They saw him for a moment. But now it was their turn to run. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE MARKED PLANS + +The fierce shouting of the man as he called on them to stop did not +terrify either of the scouts, but it did confirm Paul's guess. There +could no longer be any doubt that his presence meant mischief; that he +was indeed a spy. Or else why should he have such papers? Why, again, +should their loss so greatly disturb him? + +There was not a chance for him to catch them. Well as he might know +the country, they knew it better. They had played in these fields and +woods since they had been able to walk at all. Every hollow, every +ridge, every tree, almost, was familiar to them. Circling about, they +soon reached the garden of their summer home, a fine, spacious house, +with ample grounds surrounding it, that belonged to their Uncle Henri +de Frenard, whose wealth was derived from his considerable holdings of +coal land around Liege. + +"Did you get a good look at him, Paul?" gasped Arthur, when at last +they felt that it was safe for them to stop running. "I couldn't +really make sure of him--" + +"I think I'll know him again, Arthur. What I'm wondering is if he'll +know us." + +"I don't see what difference that makes, except that if he saw us +before we saw him, it would give him a chance to escape--" + +"We're more likely to be trying to escape from him than he from us, I'm +afraid, Arthur, for a little while. If the Germans are spying as +openly as all that, it must mean that they're getting ready to come +into Belgium. They wouldn't take such chances unless they felt that it +didn't make any difference now." + +"Don't you think we could find him, Paul? If we could, we could have +him arrested, I think." + +"Don't say a word--yet," cautioned Paul. "Uncle Henri would only laugh +at us. Let's wait until we can look at his papers, and see what there +really is there besides the sketch of Fort Boncelles. If that's all +there was in the papers, I don't see why he was so awfully anxious to +get them back. Perhaps we've done even better than we know, Arthur." + +"All right, I won't say anything," said Arthur. "But you are going to +do something about it, aren't you, Paul?" + +Paul laughed. He knew that Arthur was a little disappointed at the +idea of having to keep what they had done secret, especially as he had +probably rehearsed already the astonishment with which all those at the +dinner table would greet the startling announcement of the discovery of +the spy. + +"I certainly hope we're going to do something about it, Arthur," he +said. "We'll slip away from the table as soon as we can, and then when +we're alone, we'll see exactly what it is we've got." + +But at the table there was a great surprise for them. Their uncle +(though they both called him uncle the relationship was not really so +close) was not in his accustomed seat, and Madame de Frenard's eyes +were suspiciously red. She had been crying. + +"Uncle Henri may not be back for two or three days," she said, gravely. +"He is a member of parliament, as you know, and he has been called to +Brussels on account--on account of what we all hope may not come." + +"War?" asked Arthur, in a hushed voice. + +"It looks terribly as if war must come," she said. "And if it does, I +am afraid our poor Belgium must suffer as well as the lands that are +really concerned. We have done nothing; we want nothing except to be +left alone. If they will only do that! But I am afraid we must not +hope for that. Your uncle expects to join the army at once if there is +an invasion." + +"Then we'll stay here and look after you," proposed Arthur, promptly. +"Won't we, Paul?" + +"For as long as we are needed," Paul said, gravely. + +It was easy enough for them to cut their dinner short that night. The +house was uneasy, stirring with a strange foreboding of what was to +come. Servants, everyone, indeed, seemed to look always toward the +east. There were the Germans. Often during the summer they drove to +Aix-la-Chapelle, the first city over the German border--Aachen, as the +Germans called it. Paul remembered, with a smile, as he thought of the +German city, how indignant he had been when he had first discovered +that the Germans invariably spoke of Liege as Luttich, and how he had +been appeased when he was told that he and most people outside of +Germany refused to adopt the German name for Aix-la-Chapelle. + +No one in the house, least of all their aunt, had time that night to +think of the two boys. As a matter of fact, it was that now famous +Saturday upon which Germany finally cast the die by declaring war upon +Russia in the interest of her Austrian ally, whose quarrel with Servia +she thus made her own. France, as the ally of Russia, was bound to +fight Germany. Belgium lay between the two huge powers on either side +of her, well-nigh certain to be caught in the disaster that war meant. +But the news that war had actually been declared had not yet come. +Madame de Frenard was waiting with the utmost anxiety for a telephone +message from her husband in Brussels, who had promised to send her word +as soon as there were any important developments. + +And so Paul and Arthur slipped out to the garage, which was a favorite +hiding place. Now it was especially safe, since Marcel, the chauffeur, +had gone to Brussels with their uncle, and there was no likelihood of +any unwelcome interruptions. They repaired, therefore, to the room +above the one in which their uncle's automobile was kept, and spread +out the papers they had captured from the German spy. First there was +the sketch they had already seen of the Boncelles fort; then, equally +detailed, they found sketches and maps of the other forts--Flemalle, +Embourg, Chaudfontaine, Fleron, Evegnee, Pontisse, Liers, Lanlin, +Longin and Hollogne--the great chain of detached forts that made Liege, +in the opinion of military engineers, one of the strongest fortified +towns in Europe. + +These forts were not immediately in the town; they were about five +miles, on an average, from the old citadel, long since disused as a +place for actual fighting. The connections between the various forts, +intended, as both boys knew, for the greater facility of their defence +by means of troops fighting more or less independently, were carefully +traced on another map, in which the contour of the land and the natural +shelter were shown. And on this map, at certain spots, there were +strange marks--well beyond the perimeter of the forts themselves, that +is, outside the line that might be drawn around Liege and passing +through each of the forts. + +"Look at those crosses," said Paul. "What do you suppose they mean, +Arthur?" + +"I don't know," said Arthur, frowning. "But we can find out, you know." + +"You mean by going to one or two of these places? They're some +distance off." + +"But we ought to find out--don't you think so?" + +"Yes, you're right, of course. We can find them easily enough." + +"Yes. All we've got to do is to take the map along with us. Then when +we get near we can make sure by looking at it." + +"We could do that, but I think we won't, Arthur. Suppose we ran into +the man it belongs to again? We might not get away from him another +time, and I think it would be just as well to leave these maps here. +We can hide them, and then write a note and leave it where it will be +found in the morning, telling them where we hid the maps." + +"What's the use of hiding them if we tell some one where they are, +Paul?" + +"Can't you see? Suppose something happens to us, so that we can't get +back? We'd want the maps to be found and taken to the commander of the +forts, wouldn't we?" + +"Of course. I didn't think of that, that's all. But if we come back +we can get the note back before anyone sees it. Is that what you mean, +Paul?" + +"Yes. Now study that map very carefully. I think we can remember +where the cross marks are, all right." + +"I can remember this one," said Arthur. "It's exactly on the spot +where that new house was built last summer, near the Ourthe. Don't you +remember? We stopped and got some milk there, and we wondered how a +farmer could build such a solid looking house when he didn't seem to +have much money or much of anything else. A stupid fellow, he was. He +scarcely knew enough to give us the milk we wanted." + +"Yes, I remember now," said Paul, looking at the map again. He was +thinking hard, trying to fathom the connection between what they both +remembered of that house and the strange, significant cross on the map. +There was a connection; the cross did have some significance. Of so +much he was sure. But for the life of him that was all he could guess. +It was a perplexing problem. + +"Come on," he said, at last, impatiently. "I may be very stupid, but I +don't understand. The only way we'll find out will be by going there." + +"All right," agreed Arthur, grinning. "I'm wiser than you for once, +Paul. I haven't even tried to find out. I know I can't guess, so I'm +not wasting time trying to. I think we'll be lucky if we find out when +we do get there." + +"So do I, come to think of it," said Paul. Somehow he felt better; +before he had been inclined to blame himself for being stupid. "After +all, you know, Arthur, even if they didn't expect anyone like us to get +hold of these maps and sketches, that doesn't mean that they would make +everything on them so plain that you could guess it at first sight. +That sort of mark is awfully easy to understand when you have the key, +but it's as bad as a cipher if you haven't." + +It was quite dark, of course, when they finally set out. Though it was +Saturday night few people were about, and the locality was a lonely +one. Then, too, all of those who could had gone into the town. It was +there that news of what was going on in the great world outside would +first be had; it was there that the country people could count upon +getting the first hint of the intelligence that was to have so +frightful a meaning for them. + +The course the two scouts took carried them along the bank of the +placid Ourthe, flowing peacefully, calmly along toward its confluence +with the more important stream of the Meuse at Liege. Behind them one +strange thing proved that all was not quite normal. From Fort +Boncelles a searchlight began to play. They had seen that light +before, but only when it was being tested or when there were manoeuvres +in progress. Now it seemed to have a sinister meaning. + +"I think that means that there is war," said Paul. "They are keeping +the searchlight going so that they may be sure to escape a surprise." + +"I think it's the Germans who will get the surprise," said Arthur, +confidently. + +But most of the time they walked on in silence. Both were thinking a +good deal; thinking of what war might mean, and wondering what part +they themselves might play if it came. Of one thing they were sure. +All Belgium would rise to repel the invader, no matter what the pretext +for the invasion might be. + +"Here we are," said Arthur, suddenly. "That's the house, Paul." + +"It looks quite dark, Arthur. But let's go along toward it. Not by +the road--we'll cut through this field here." + +This they proceeded to do. But suddenly, as they neared the house, the +ground seemed to give way beneath Paul. He suppressed a cry, and the +next moment he was vigorously turning back the treacherous ground with +his foot. Arthur turned on his light. And there, beneath the soft +loam, they saw a plate of shining steel. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY + +Utterly bewildered, they stared down at the steel. + +"Put out your light!" said Paul, suddenly. His voice was tense. "Keep +still a moment! See if you can hear anyone moving around near us." + +They were absolutely still for a full minute, but there were only the +familiar sounds of the night. + +"All right," said Paul. "Now you watch and listen while I dig down +here and see what this is about." + +"Why can't I dig, too?" + +"Because it's better for you to watch. Besides, I want to dig so that +I can put the earth back in a hurry, and fix this place so that it +won't look as if it had been disturbed." + +Then he fell to, working silently and quickly, like a mole, digging +with his hands until his nails were torn and his fingers were raw and +bleeding. But Paul did not mind that. He had already made a guess, +and a shrewd one, as to the meaning of this strange discovery that they +had made. It was not long before he found that the steel plate +extended for only a short distance. Around this, and spreading beneath +it, was a bed of cement. As soon as he had satisfied himself of that, +using Arthur's flashlight, Paul stopped digging, and began carefully to +replace the earth. Then, calling on Arthur to help him, he trampled +down the earth. + +"There!" he said. "I don't believe anyone would know we had been here, +unless they were suspicious already." + +"But what is it?" asked Arthur. "Paul, tell me!" + +"I'm going to, Arthur. Don't worry. But come away from here. We +don't want to be caught around here--and, besides, there's still a good +deal for us to do." + +Swiftly they made their way to the road, away from the cottage and the +field where they had made their discovery. + +"Now!" said Arthur, after a little distance had been covered, stopping +short. "I won't go a step further until you tell me what that place is +meant for!" + +"It's meant for a big gun--that's what it's meant for!" said Paul, +vehemently. "Can't you see? A siege gun can't be fired from a +carriage, or even from ordinary ground. The recoil would bury it in +the earth if they tried that. There's got to be a regular emplacement +for it--a firm base of concrete and steel, so that it will withstand +the shock of firing!" + +"You mean they'd mount a gun here?" + +"I mean just that! It takes days, almost weeks, to do that. They have +to pour the concrete and let it stand until it's set. But here they've +got everything ready! They can bring up their guns, place them, and +begin firing, all in less than twenty-four hours! They must have been +preparing for this for months--perhaps for years!" + +"The cowards! We've never done anything to them!" + +"No, they're not cowards," said Paul, thoughtfully. "I suppose they +think they're right, and that as long as that is so, they are justified +in using any means at all to win. But I think we can put a spoke in +their wheel, just the same." + +"I don't see how, Paul. There aren't enough soldiers in Liege to watch +every spot where there's a cross marked on these maps." + +"No, but that's not the only way, Arthur." + +"It's the only way to stop them from bringing up their siege gun, isn't +it? I know what the plan is in case of an attack. It is for the forts +to hold off the Germans until there's time for the French army to come +up and relieve them. And they're not supposed to be able to stand the +fire of heavy guns. The plan was made for use against an army that +wouldn't have time to bring up its siege artillery." + +"Yes, that's true enough. But, just the same, I think we can help. +I'm so sure of it that I'm going to take these plans into Liege +to-night and try to get them to General Leman." + +"I'm with you, Paul! Are we to go now?" + +"Not quite yet. I'm interested in this house, too. I want to find out +whatever we can about it before we go in. Don't you see what our +finding that gun mounting means, Arthur? Finding it just where we +did--in a field that belongs to that house?" + +"You mean there may be spies there now?" + +"I don't say that they're there now. But I think they have been there. +And I know I'm going to find out all we can." + +"All right. I think we ought to do that, too. Let's get along! It'll +be awfully late when we get into Liege, I'm afraid." + +The house that had suddenly assumed such an air of mystery, so great an +importance, was dark as they approached. Not a light showed from its +windows. But they took no chances, none the less. They got very close +to it without detection; they were able to go up to the windows. And, +listening there, they heard not a sound inside to indicate that anyone +was within. + +"I'm going in," said Paul, suddenly. "Let me have your light, Arthur." + +"Can't I come in, too?" + +"One of us must stay outside and keep watch," said Paul. "It's the +hardest part of the job, Arthur. If you stay outside, watch carefully, +especially near the door. Hide, so that you won't be seen, but in a +place where you can see anyone who comes. And if anyone is coming, +call like a quail. I'll be listening, and I'll slip out of this back +window and get back to you. But if they catch me, go back and get the +plans, and then hurry into Liege. Tell General Leman, if you can get +to him, or a staff officer, if you can't, everything that has happened +since we found these papers, whether it seems important to you or not. +Something that may not seem to mean anything at all may really be very +important." + +"But it seems to me you're taking all the risk," protested Arthur. +"That isn't fair." + +"It's just as risky outside as in," said Paul. "Here goes! Off with +you, now, and find a good place to hide! We haven't any time to lose, +I can tell you. If there's no one inside now, they won't leave a place +like this deserted very long, I'm sure." + +Arthur went off reluctantly, but, as usual, he obeyed Paul to the +letter. He found a clump of bushes from which, without being seen +himself, he could watch the door of the house, and there he crouched +down to wait. It was dull work, and, after he had once settled +himself, he was afraid to move lest unseen eyes be watching somewhere +in the neighborhood. + +Meanwhile Paul was busy getting into the house. It was easier than he +had thought it likely to be. The catch on the window was simplicity +itself and he forced it with his penknife without any difficulty at all. + +"I feel like a burglar," he thought to himself, as he climbed in. "But +I don't care. Even if there's nothing wrong in here, I've got the +right, in a time like this, to make sure. Every Belgian has to think +of his country first now." + +And he was pretty sure that there was a decided connection between this +cottage, so strangely stout in its construction, and the unquestionably +threatening and sinister discovery he and Arthur had made in the field +only a stone's throw away. + +Inside, he found himself in a large room that took up all save a very +small part of the ground floor of the cottage. To the left there was a +wall, and in it an open door--he could see that much through the very +faint light that filtered through the windows. Seemingly, he was in +luck. There was absolutely nothing to make him doubt that he was alone +in the house. Everything was still. There was not even the ticking of +a clock, the one sound he might reasonably have expected to hear even +in a temporarily deserted house. But he waited for quite a minute, to +make sure that no one was about. He felt certain that, had anyone been +there, he would have heard breathing, no matter how anxious the other +occupant of the house might be to conceal his presence. + +Then he switched on the light, shielding it with his hand, so that no +reflection of its faint glow should betray him, by means of the +windows, to anyone approaching from outside. + +About the big room in which he found himself there was nothing to +excite suspicion at first sight. The room seemed ordinary enough; the +usual living-room of a peasant. One thing was curious; he could see a +trap door, evidently leading to a cellar below. But that he reserved +for later inspection, preferring at first to look upstairs. He reached +the second floor by the stairs; there, too, there seemed at first +nothing out of the ordinary. But when he threw aside all scruples and +looked everywhere, he found something that confirmed some at least of +his suspicions--a bundle of letters, all written in German script. He +did not stop to read the letters, but on the chance that they might +contain something that would prove valuable or important, he slipped +them into his pocket. + +As yet, however, he had made no real discovery. The letters might +prove a great deal; for the moment he was obliged to leave them unread, +since his time might prove to be very short. Down he went, light out, +pausing in the big living-room to listen for some sound from the +watcher outside. There was none. + +Now he lifted the trap door, and found, as he had been sure he would, a +ladder leading to the cellar below. He hesitated for a moment now. +There seemed to be no safe way of propping up the trap door. To +descend, closing it after him, meant that he would be shut into the +cellar, where he could not hear the warning signal from Arthur, should +it be sounded. But his hesitation lasted only a minute. + +"It's a chance, but I've got to take it," he said to himself. "After +all, I haven't really found anything anywhere else. The cellar's the +last place to look--and the most likely, too." + +One thing was a relief; when he was safely down he could turn on his +light, unafraid. From the cellar, without a window, with no means of +egress save that by which he had entered it, there was no danger that a +stray beam of light would betray his presence to the lawful dwellers in +this cottage, should they chance to return while he was there. And +what he saw in the light when he switched it on was ample reward for +his daring in braving the dangers of the place. + +The place was an arsenal! Arranged against one wall were the parts of +three powerful guns, all ready to be assembled. And all about, neatly +stacked, were shells. He looked at them, pointing his light at them, +to make sure. They bore the stamp of the Krupp works at Essen in +Germany, the world-famous works whence the greater part of German +munitions of war come. + +Here was a discovery indeed! The Germans were ready to attack Liege. +Of that there could no longer be even the shadow of a doubt. Not only +had they prepared a place for the reception of guns; they had even +smuggled the guns themselves over the border. It was, as he could see, +not a matter of really great difficulty. The border was not far +distant; the guards, on the Belgian side at least, had had no great +reason in the past year or so to be especially vigilant. But Paul was +horrified by this proof of the determination of the great power to the +east and north not to hesitate to invade Belgium, should that course be +necessary to enable it to reach its most formidable antagonist, France. + +There was something horrible and cold-blooded about such minute +preparation. He was thrilled by his discovery. No less was he +thrilled by the feeling that it was within his power now really to +serve the land he loved. He was not old enough to be a soldier, but he +felt that if he could get back to Liege with the information that he +and Arthur had garnered that night they might serve Belgium as well as +soldiers could do. + +Light in hand, he made his way back to the ladder. Then he switched +off the light and started to climb the ladder. And as he did so, he +stopped, appalled. Above there was the sound of a closing door; then +heavy footsteps sounded on the trap door over his head. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE FLIGHT + +From his hiding place outside the cottage, Arthur had been watching +faithfully while Paul explored the inside. He heard the steps that +heralded the approach of a man, and whistled at once, imitating the cry +of a quail, since he thought it better to take the chance of giving a +false alarm than of letting his chum be trapped inside. But it was +already too late, as it turned out. Paul had gone down into the cellar +and let the door fall behind him. So Arthur's warning fell on deaf +ears. + +The steps came nearer, and Arthur, wondering why Paul did not appear, +and only half guessing the reason, whistled louder. It was hard for +him to refrain from dashing at once to the rescue. But after a +moment's thought he realized that this would do Paul no good, and that +it was all important for him to remain free, so that, if Paul was made +a prisoner, he could carry the news to Liege and so serve not only +Belgium, but Paul, since that would be Paul's only chance of rescue. +At least so it seemed then. + +Now the man whose approach had alarmed Arthur came in sight. He was +trudging along, looking like a veritable peasant. But, now, in the +light of the suspicions that had been aroused that day, Arthur could +see things about this man that distinguished him from the Flemish +dwellers in the neighborhood. + +"He is a German!" he thought. "What shall I do?" + +For the moment he could do literally nothing. He could only lie still +and watch the man go up to the front door of the cottage and unlock it. +But then, after the German had gone in, Arthur saw that there was still +a light--a light that became visible as soon as the pretended peasant +lighted his lamp. Plainly the door had not been quite closed; the +little streak of light showed that. + +Arthur waited breathlessly for some sign that Paul's presence had been +discovered. But none came. He was close enough to the door to hear +the man in the cottage stamping about, and he could guess, of course, +that Paul was concealed in some fashion. He had even the idea of the +cellar but of course he could not be sure that Paul was not above--safe +as long as it did not enter the German's head to climb the stairs. At +any rate, Arthur was grateful for a respite, no matter how brief it +might prove to be. Almost anything was better than the actual +knowledge that his chum had been caught. + +"While there's life, there's hope!" he said to himself, grimly. + +But it was a good deal easier for him to determine that he would make +some sort of effort to release his chum than it was for him to discover +a practical way of doing so. He had the feeling that at any cost to +Paul he must secure his own freedom; that was the thing that Paul had +impressed most vividly on his mind. At last he determined to risk a +trip to the window by which Paul had made his entrance. He wanted to +look inside; to see, at least, what was going on. Then some means of +helping Paul might suggest itself. + +Of course Arthur had seen nothing of the inside of the room, since it +had been dark when Paul had climbed in. Now the first thing he saw +after the man of the house himself, was the trap door that led to the +cellar. He understood at once that Paul must be down there. + +"That's why he didn't hear me, of course!" he said to himself. "Now to +get him out!" + +Suddenly, just as he was about to leave the window, Arthur was startled +into a stiff and rigid halt by the sound of a heavy knock on the door +of the cottage. The German inside, busy just then in cutting up a huge +sausage that was evidently to be his dinner, seemed to be almost as +startled as Arthur himself. He jumped up, upsetting his chair, and +flung the door open. At once his whole manner changed. He started +back, then stiffened himself and stood at attention. A young man, +dressed in a uniform of a greenish-gray cloth that Arthur had never +seen before, and covered now with dust, walked in. Arthur could +scarcely believe his eyes. Everything about the newcomer pointed to +the fact that he was a German officer, for if the color of the uniform +was unfamiliar, its cut was not. But a German officer in uniform here! + +"Zu befehl, Herr Hauptmann!" said the man of the cottage. + +"It's come, Froebel," said the captain. He stretched his arms, as if +glad of the chance. "I've had a fine trip from Aachen! The worst +roads I ever tried to push a motorcycle over! But I'm here--so that's +even! There are more coming. General von Emmich's army is on the +march already. We have even now taken possession of Luxembourg. +To-night the Belgian government finally declined to give us the right +to move our troops through their little toy country! So we must fight +them, too." + +"I'm not sorry," said Froebel. Some of the stiffness had gone out of +his manner. "I'll be glad to get a chance to do some fighting instead +of this eternal spying! And who knows? If I am lucky, I may get a +little swifter promotion than I had hoped for." + +"Oh, I forgot," said the other. "Congratulations, Froebel! You have +your captaincy, and a staff detail. That's unofficial, of course. But +I've seen the order." + +"Good," said Froebel, impassively. "But if you stay with the line, +Poertner, you'll be a colonel before I'm a major. Enough--to business! +I have bad news." + +"Bad news? What sort?" + +"It's that clumsy fool Ridder! He has been mapping the whole field of +operation here, as you know--details of the forts, and the location of +all the concealed gun mountings and platforms we have put in in case +the Belgians should be foolish enough to try to stop us by force." + +"Yes, yes! What of it?" + +"Eh? He had those papers--those simply invaluable papers! And he was +alarmed by two Belgian boys in Boy Scout uniform--thought they were +soldiers coming to arrest him! He took to his heels and naturally, +being boys, they followed! He dropped his papers going over a fence! +When he missed them he went back. But he found no trace of them. He +is sure that the two boys got them." + +"Donnerwetter! That's a bad business, Froebel! I fear for our friend +Ridder! The intelligence department will not be altogether pleased by +this. But what if the boys have them? Is there a chance, do you +think, that they will understand them?" + +"Who knows? Some devil might lead them to take them to a Belgian +officer! However--even so, there is this much of good about it. There +is no time for them to do anything. They can't get at our gun +platforms. If they had a week! But you say General von Emmich is +already on the march? That means that war has been declared?" + +"No, only that it has begun," said Poertner, with a smile. "It is no +longer the fashion to declare war formally---unless the enemy is like +Russia with us--so far away that we can't strike first. No. The +modern way is to begin fighting and let the other side declare war. So +they seem to take the aggressive." + +"I see," said Froebel. "Well, at any rate, it is the time I am +thinking of. They are fairly well prepared here at Liege. The forts +are in order; they have good men, and plenty of ammunition for their +guns. But against our Krupp pieces--" + +He laughed to express the chance that the stout forts of Liege were to +have against the German artillery. And outside Arthur, listening, +ground his teeth. He was glad that he had come; already he had learned +facts likely to prove of the first importance. No matter how well the +garrison of Liege was prepared for any emergency, it would be vastly +helpful to know when the blow might be expected to fall. It is one +thing to be prepared for a trouble that may come some day; it is quite +another to know that it is imminent, and to make plans accordingly. + +In Arthur's mind an idea now began to take root. The voices of the two +Germans inside died away, and he seized the opportunity to make his way +quietly to the front of the cottage. There, lying on its side, was the +motorcycle of which the new arrival had spoken. Arthur had ridden +motorcycles himself, and now he went up to this one and examined it +carefully. He found that while it was different from the ones he had +ridden, the points of difference were really trifling and that he could +understand it easily enough. + +Then he went back for another peep in the window. The two German +officers were busily engaged now in eating, and were washing down the +sausage, amid a good deal of laughter at the rough fare, with two +bottles of wine. + +"When we have finished," said Poertner, "we will have a look at your +little arsenal below." + +"It's a real arsenal," said Froebel, proudly. "That was rather well +managed, I think. We have managed to bring in the guns, one part at a +time and the ammunition piecemeal, in the same way. These stupid +Belgians never even suspected. It is only just lately that they have +even begun to dream that there might be danger for them if it came to +war. Before they woke up everything was here!" + +"Well, your guns will be at work before many hours if all goes well," +said Poertner. "This sausage of yours is not so bad, after all! Food +is food when you are hungry! Ah, it will be some time, at best, before +we can eat again in Berlin, my friend!" + +"Yes. There will be garrison work, even after we have taken Paris. +Still, even so, it should not be so long. Three weeks perhaps--that +should be enough to beat the French this time. We are better prepared +than we were in 1870." + +"So are they, I hear. Well, they couldn't be worse off than they were +then! No matter, though--we shall outnumber them from the start. Will +the English fight, do you think?" + +"Pah--the English! No! They will be too busy with their troubles at +home. They will have a rebellion on their hands in Ulster. No, +England will have too many troubles of her own at home, to be able to +cross the sea to look for more." + +Arthur had heard all he needed. Now he drew back from the window, +picking up several good-sized stones as he did so. And when he was +some distance away, but still able to see the two Germans, he stopped +and waited. + +He waited until the two officers had finished their meal and had risen. +Even then he waited until they moved, together, to the trap door. +Then, raising his arm, he let fly the first of his stones. It crashed +through the window, shattering the glass. At once he threw another, +and then still another. He had counted, and not in vain, on the +instinct that would move the two Germans. With a single motion they +leaped to the door. As they did so, even as they rushed out, he ran +diagonally, so as to get away from them, toward the front of the house. +As they stormed around in the direction from which he had thrown the +stones, and so out of sight of the front of the house, he stopped. +They passed within half a dozen feet of him, but, naturally, they had +not expected him to come right toward them, and they passed him +unnoticed. + +Then, as soon as they were out of sight, he made for the cottage. He +meant to call Paul. But Paul was at the door as he reached it for he +had understood, from what he had been able to hear, something of what +had happened. + +"Come on! Here's a motorcycle we can take!" cried Arthur, eagerly. + +He lifted the machine. In a moment he had started the motor, and Paul +leaped up behind him as he got it going. + +"Hurry! Here they come!" shouted Paul. + +The put-put of the motor had aroused the Germans to what was going on. +Now they stormed back around the cottage. They were just in time to +see the motorcycle being ridden madly off; in time, too, to fire a +couple of shots apiece from their pistols. But their aim was bad: the +boys heard the bullets whistling over their heads. In less than a +minute they were safe! + + + + +CHAPTER V + +PURSUIT + +They had no thought of any further danger, as they sped along the road +on the stolen--or, rather, the captured motorcycle. The road was +smooth and good. There was nothing to detain them. Behind them the +furious shouts of the Germans, even the firing, died away, until the +only sound they could hear was the noise of the engine. The machine +was a good one, evidently built for the hard work of an army in the +field. + +Before them now was the searchlight from Fort Boncelles, picking up one +patch of darkness after another, flooding it suddenly with light, and +then passing on to the next, swinging about endlessly in a great arc, +so that the slightest movement that was out of the ordinary was sure to +be seen. From time to time the great beam of light struck the road, +before them or behind them. Then they were in the midst of it, riding +in a sea of light. The searchlight winked off, came back to them, and +went with them for nearly half a mile. + +"They've spotted us, Arthur!" said Paul, with a laugh. "Well, I hope +they're not frightened!" + +"They must want to make sure of what we're doing, I suppose, Paul! +Look at the other lights! It's a great sight when they all swing up +together, isn't it?" + +From the forts that ringed the ancient city the darting searchlights +swept the heavens. At times all of them met, for a moment, making a +blinding reflection against the sky. They would stay thus; then, one +after another, the lights would go swooping down, keeping their vigil. +Behind each were watchful eyes, ready to report immediately the first, +the slightest sign of what might come now at any moment. + +"Those searchlights make the idea of war seem more real than anything +else has, Paul," said Arthur. + +Paul gave a short laugh. + +"If you'd seen those shells and the parts of the guns, all ready to be +put together in that cellar, you wouldn't say that!" he exclaimed. +"And how about the German officer--in uniform, on the soil of a +friendly country? That's almost an act of war itself, Arthur! He has +no business here!" + +"I don't see what difference it makes, Paul. If they're coming, +there'll be so many more that one more or less won't count." + +"Well, they're coming! I'm more sure of that than ever since we found +that house. I say, Arthur, I think you'd better stay right out here in +the road with the motorcycle, while I run in and get the plans. If we +both went, we might be caught--and I don't want to have to explain +anything until we've told what we know to the staff officers." + +"All right, Paul. But don't be long." + +"I won't! Here we are! Now you wait--and I'll get back just as soon +as I can." + +It was an easy matter, as it turned out, for Paul to slip into the +grounds and retrieve the plans. But it took time, and time, had he +only known it, was the one thing he could not afford to waste just +then. Somehow neither he nor Arthur had given a further thought to the +two Germans they had so cleverly eluded in the mysterious cottage. +They had felt that these two enemies, at least, might be counted out +for that night. + +And so Paul, returning to the spot where he had left Arthur, took no +particular pains to conceal himself. He called out as he vaulted the +low wall between the grounds of his uncle's place and the road. + +"It was easy!" he cried. "No one was about. They're probably so +excited that they haven't even missed us yet! Start your engine! +We've got to hurry now." + +Arthur tried to obey. But there was some slight hitch in the starting +of the engine. Then the spark worked, and the motor began to throb. +The cycle started; Paul leaped up to his place behind. And then, +behind them, came a sudden roar, the sound of another motorcycle, and a +flash of light swept over them. + +"Stop!" cried a voice--a voice they knew! It was one of the Germans! + +"Go on! Hurry!" cried Paul. "Perhaps we can get away from them--we're +ahead, anyhow!" + +The motorcycle leaped forward now, but from behind they could still +hear the barking of the exhaust of the other machine, and the excited +cries of the Germans. Luck was with them, however, for just at that +most critical of moments something must have gone wrong with the +pursuing machine. The noise of its motor ceased behind them. The +shouting continued, but only one voice was raised. Plainly the other +man was busy. While their luck held, Arthur pushed the machine at the +best speed he could get out of it. And it was well that he did, since +the trouble with the other motor was soon mended. It sprang into +sputtering life again behind them. But now they had a good lead and +were racing on toward the forts, toward the circle of wide swinging +searchlights. + + +"How are we getting on, Paul?" asked Arthur. "Are we gaining?" + +"I'm afraid--no, we're not. They're coming along awfully fast. That +must be a much more powerful machine than this." + +"I don't think it's that. I'm awfully afraid that our gasoline is +running low! That German must have ridden a long way. Probably he +expected to fill his tank back there! There's so much noise that I'm +not sure, but I'm afraid one cylinder is missing. That's what is +making us slower." + +Over their heads now a bullet sang out sharply. There could be no +doubt about it at all, now; the other motorcycle was rapidly making up +lost ground. Then while they still raced on, and when the other +machine was less than a hundred yards behind, the whole road was paved +in light again, as the Boncelles searchlight swung around and down, and +was focused full on the chase. + +Still the other cycle gained, but there were no more shots. The reason +for that was made plain in a few moments by a call to surrender. + +"They're only boys!" one of the Germans had yelled to the other. "We +can catch them. Don't let's hurt them." + +And then, with the distance between the two machines being reduced +every minute, they could hear one of the Germans shouting to them. + +"Stop! Surrender!" he cried. "You can't escape--we're gaining all the +time! If you stop now, you won't be hurt!" + +Then the searchlight swung away, and in that same moment Paul had an +inspiration. He remembered that in his pocket was a glass flask that +had contained water. He took this out now, and broke it against the +steel frame of the motorcycle. The fragments cut his fingers, but he +ignored the cuts and the flow of blood. At the risk of hurting himself +still more, he broke the fragments again in his hand. Then he began +dropping the sharp pieces of glass. And in a minute he had his reward. +From behind came two sharp explosions, and looking back, he saw the +other motorcycle swerve and fall. The two riders went sprawling. + +"Get all you can out of her, Arthur!" he shouted. "I spilled them. +The glass punctured both their tires! That was luck! It won't stop +them for long, but it's given us a little more time. I don't believe +they'll put on new tires, even if they're carrying them. And if they +don't, it will make them much slower. You can't go so fast on rims as +you can on rubber tires!" + +"That was fine! I never thought of doing that!" exclaimed Arthur. "I +do believe it's going to save us, too. We can't be more than a mile +and a half from Boncelles now." + +"We'll get there--unless our gasoline gives out altogether before that, +Arthur. And it may. The engine is certainly missing all the time, +now. Oh, if it will only hold out!" + +Their speed was greatly reduced now. And from behind the other motor +started again. + +"I admire those Germans!" said Paul. "A good many people wouldn't keep +at it the way they're doing. It's no joke to ride on a motorcycle with +both tires gone. They'll remember to-night for some time, I think! +They'll be sore and shaken to pieces before they're done." + +"They'll be better off than their machine," said Arthur, +philosophically. "There won't be enough of that left to sell for junk +if they ride it very far in that condition." + +"Well, I don't believe they'll care about that, if they only catch us +and get the plans--" + +It was a sudden lurch of the machine, accompanied by a sputtering and a +stopping of the motor, that interrupted him. The two scouts sprang off +just in time, steadying the machine. + +"Drop it! Into the fields here!" cried Paul. "We can't run any +longer. We must try to elude them by tricking them. Come on!" + +And so they were obliged to abandon the machine that had served them so +well, leaving it lying in the road. They ran across a ditch that +bordered the road, and into a field where they managed to conceal +themselves in a hedge. They could still see the white road, and the +collapsed motorcycle, but there was a chance, even if it was a slim +one, that they themselves would not be seen. + +Arthur wanted to run across the field, but Paul stopped him. + +"That's what they'll expect us to do, isn't it?" he said. "And, +besides, they could see us. There's no shelter for a long way. Here +they may overlook us, just because we're so close--and it's the only +chance we have, anyhow." + +"Here they come!" cried Arthur, and crouched down, staring. For a +moment it seemed that the pursuers might ride straight by, and Paul +groaned suddenly. + +"We ought to have dragged the machine in here with us!" he said. "Then +I don't believe they'd have known we had stopped for quite a distance! +I never thought of it, though, and now it's too late!" + +It was too late, indeed, for the other machine stopped within a few +feet of the overturned cycle. + +"Ha! Now we'll have them! They can't have gone far!" said one of the +Germans. "Accursed boys! They have given me a fright!" + +"You haven't caught us yet!" whispered Paul, defiantly. + +It was true, as the Germans soon discovered. For when they began +looking for the two boys, they found that it was one thing to know that +they must be somewhere about, and quite another to find out just where. +They did not begin to look immediately in the field, but went along the +road, toward Liege, evidently looking for footprints. Then when they +did take to the field, they crossed the ditch fully a hundred yards +further along the road. + +"Come on!" said Paul, suddenly. "We got one of their machines--why +shouldn't we take the other?" + +Arthur saw the point as quickly as Paul. The carelessness of the two +Germans had once more given them an opportunity. In a moment they +dashed out, and, just as the Germans, with a yell of fury, saw them, +they were off. Bullets flew about them, but they bent low over the +machine, and they were going fast. Still two bullets found their mark, +one puncturing the rear tire, the other perforating the gasoline tank. +Once more they seemed to be caught. And then a searchlight swept down +upon them again. But this time it was not the great light from +Boncelles. It was the huge headlight of an automobile, and behind it +they saw an armored car. Soldiers sprang from it, and in a moment the +tables had been completely turned. + +It was the two German officers who were made prisoners, while officers +eagerly pressed about the scouts, asking question upon question. + +"I must be taken to General Leman at once," said Paul, stoutly. "We +have information of the utmost importance." + +The Belgian officers laughed at him at first. But he was so earnest +and persistent that he had his way at last. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +AT HEADQUARTERS + +The armored automobile, a queer looking affair with its machine guns +and its steel parapets, pierced with holes through which rifles could +be fired, made good time on the way back to Liege. It was really a +fairly large motor lorry, converted very readily from a commercial use +to its new purpose, and even the untrained eyes of the two scouts could +see that it was likely to prove a formidable weapon in time of war. + +"It would take a heavy gun to stop it. Rifle fire wouldn't bother us +at all, you see," explained one of the Belgian officers. "Even the +driver is thoroughly protected, because he could only be shot from +above. I expect we'll have a lot of use for these." + +"Are there many of them?" + +"Not so many here. We don't need them. But at Brussels, where the +field army is being mobilized now, there are a lot, and all through the +open country where there will probably be a good deal of fighting." + +"Will the Germans get so far?" + +"They're sure to. We'll hold Liege with a small force as long as we +can. But you must remember that they can send a million men against +us! We're not supposed to beat them--no one expects us to do that. +All we have to do is to hold them back as long as possible." + +"But if there are so many of them, why can't they go right around us +here?" + +"They can, and they probably will. But even so, they'll have to +account for the fortress of Liege and of Namur, as well, before they +can get so very far." + +"That's what I don't quite understand," said Arthur. "It seems to me +that unless we have soldiers enough here to stop them they could go +right on without bothering about Liege at all." + +"You haven't studied strategy yet, I can see, my scout!" said the +officer, with a laugh. "But I'll try to explain. You see, the Germans +want to reach France--to conquer the French army and capture Paris, as +they did in 1870. Then they went right through Alsace and +Lorraine--beat the French around Metz, locked up the beaten army in +that fortress, beat the only other army France had and captured it at +Sedan, and then walked right through to Paris." + +"Yes, I've read of that," said Arthur. "They didn't go through Belgium +then, either." + +"They didn't have to. But since then, you see, the French have learned +their lesson. They've got the most powerful fortified line in the +world, I suppose, all the way from Belfort to Verdun. It would take +the Germans weeks to break through there, and by that time the whole +French army would be mobilized behind that line of fortresses, and +ready for them. If they were only fighting France they might try it. +But now they've got to fight France and Russia too. And the only +chance they have is to beat France even more quickly than they did in +1870. I happen to know that their plans require them to capture Paris +within six weeks." + +"Six weeks! Do you think they can do it?" + +"No! Not if we do our part! And if they don't, they're likely to fail +altogether. Because then Russia will have had time to mobilize, and +more than half of the German army will have to help the Austrians to +hold back the Russians from Vienna and Berlin. What they're counting +on, you see, is smashing France, so that they can hold only a few corps +back on this side, and throw all the rest of their army against Russia. +Then they'd have a chance--more than a chance." + +"But still I don't understand about Liege yet, and why it's so +important," said Arthur. + +"I'm coming to that. Now, to get at the French, they've got to go +through Belgium. Well, they've got to supply their armies. They've +got to send guns, and ammunition, and food from Germany. To do that +they have to keep their line of communication open. Liege is right on +one of their important lines of communication--the one that really +starts at Aix-la-Chapelle, just across the border. Liege, if it wasn't +reduced, or at least 'masked'--that means surrounded--would threaten +these communications all the time. We could raid the railway, for +instance. And if communications are interrupted, even for a day or so, +it may mean the loss of a battle. They use a frightful lot of +ammunition, for instance, in a modern battle. And if troops didn't get +their supplies, they might be crushed utterly. That's why we'll hold +them back." + +Meanwhile the armored car was approaching Liege. And now they were +near the old citadel, where, as both the scouts knew, General Leman had +established his headquarters. + +"I don't know whether the General will see you," said a captain, +doubtfully. "But you can see one of his staff, anyway. Won't that do? +He can decide whether what you have is important." + +"Yes, and I think he'll take us to the General when he hears our +story," said Paul. "But please hurry! There really isn't any time to +be lost." + +"I'll speak to Major du Chaillu," promised the captain. "I think he'll +be able to arrange matters for you." + +After a short delay, Major du Chaillu, a tall, harassed looking man, +under whose eyes there were great, dark circles as if he had not slept +for many weary hours, received them in his office. He was busy with a +great map of Liege and the surrounding forts, on which he was arranging +and rearranging many small flags. + +"Now tell me briefly what you have discovered," he said, his manner +quick and abrupt. It was plain that exhaustion had made him nervous. + +"We have found out that the Germans have secretly prepared foundations +for heavy guns all around Liege, sir," said Paul, quietly. + +"What?" The major spun around and stared at them. + +Paul repeated the statement, and produced the packet of papers they had +gone through so much to retain. + +"We didn't know what these marks meant," he explained. "So we decided +to try to find out. And when we reached the place that was marked on +this map we found not only a concrete and steel foundation for a big +gun, but some smaller guns, all ready to be assembled and a store of +ammunition." + +"Tell me exactly what happened," said du Chaillu. But already he was +comparing the sketch maps Paul had given him with his own big wall map, +and was using his compasses and other instruments to determine ranges +and distances. His eyes were shining, too. Busy as he was, however, +he listened attentively. + +"That was well done--well done, indeed!" he said, heartily. "You will +hear more of this, I promise you, and from those whose praise will mean +more than anything I can say. I shall take you at once to General +Leman, although there are positive orders that he is not to be +disturbed." + +And so in a few minutes they found themselves in the presence of the +heroic defender of Liege, the kindly faced, middle aged general who was +to win a European, a world-wide reputation, indeed, in the course of +the next few days. He heard du Chaillu's report; then he questioned +both the scouts. + +"You have served Belgium well to-day," he said, finally. "I shall +report your conduct to His Majesty the King. Major, see to it that +these boys reach their homes in safety, and if an escort is needed, or +any other help, to enable them and their relatives to reach a place of +safety, supply it. I shall see you again, I hope, my boys!" + +"What we discovered will really prove useful, then?" asked Paul, when, +with the major, they had left General Leman. + +"Useful?" exclaimed the major. "Eh--but yes! Listen! What you have +found is the location of all the heavy guns that will soon be +thundering at our brave forts. Now we shall know just where those guns +are. We can give the gunners the exact range, the exact spot at which +to drop their shells. We shall put their heavy pieces out of business. +Do you see? If you had not brought us this word we might have wasted +many shots trying to do that. We should have sent up aeroplanes, we +should have guessed by the smoke and the reports just where their guns +were placed. But now we need not guess; we need risk nothing to learn +the truth. We know it in advance." + +"I was hoping there would be time to send men to destroy such places as +we found," said Arthur. + +"There might be time, but it is far better not to do so, you see," said +the major. "As it is, we could destroy only the mountings. But if we +wait until their guns are in position, we can smash the guns as well. +It may well be that you have dealt a blow to Germany to-night more +severe than the loss of a battle and fifty thousand men would be!" + +"I hope so!" said Arthur, vindictively. "They have no business coming +into peaceful Belgium, which asks only to be left alone!" + +The major laughed a little bitterly. + +"That is true," he said. "But our poor Belgium! They call her the +cockpit of Europe, for whenever there is a general war, it is here in +Belgium and in Flanders, both French and Belgian, that the fighting is +at its fiercest, it seems. Marlborough fought Louis the Fourteenth +here; it was near Brussels that Wellington crushed Napoleon. Blood and +fire have been known in Belgium always. But perhaps after this war our +neutrality will no longer be but a word. It may be that we shall be +able to cease to think of danger then." + +Outside there was a sudden bustle. Officers were running about, +forgetful of their dignity. From the room in which they had left +General Leman there was a constant double stream of officers and +orderlies, one going in, the other coming out. Major du Chaillu looked +startled. + +"There must be something new!" he said. "Wait for me a minute--I will +find out." + +When he returned his face was very grave. + +"A German army corps has occupied Luxembourg, against the formal +protest of the Grand Duchess Marie Adelaide," he said. "And Belgian +soil has felt the footprints of armed Germans at last! What we have +known must come has come! The German invasion of Belgium has begun!" + +"That means war," said Paul. + +"Yes. I am afraid that we shall be fighting them within twenty-four +hours. They will move swiftly. You had better hasten back to your +home. If there are no men left there you may be badly needed." + +"Very well, sir," said Paul. "I hope, though, that we may be of some +service during the defence, after we have done what is necessary for my +aunt." + +"We shall see as to that later," said du Chaillu. "You have been of +the greatest service to Belgium already. I shall order an escort for +you." + +"Please don't," said Paul. "We can get along all right. There can be +no danger now. And I believe that every man in the garrison here will +be needed." + +"Well--" Du Chaillu hesitated. "Perhaps you are right. I myself +cannot see of what use an armed escort can be to you. There is not the +slightest real chance of any trouble between here and your home. Good +luck to you--and may we meet again in a time when our anxieties and our +fears for our country shall be at an end!" + +"Good-bye, sir, and thank you!" said Paul and Arthur together. + +In the town they got bicycles at a place where they were well known. +Du Chaillu had given them the countersign, and they needed it near +Boncelles, since they were challenged. They rode swiftly along, and as +they neared the house, they saw a bright glare in the sky. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE FIRE + +"That's from a fire, Paul!" said Arthur. "And +it looks--" + +"As if it came from Uncle Henri's house? It +certainly does, Arthur! Oh, but I hope it isn't! +That would be dreadful!" + +They raced on now, and as they hastened, the sky +before them grew ever brighter. They could no +longer doubt that the glare they saw came from a +conflagration, and it grew more and more certain +every minute that it was their own summer home +that was burning. There was no other house in +that direction that would produce such a splendid +reflection were it afire. + +And soon, too, they came in sight of the house, +and all hope that they were mistaken vanished. +It was M. de Frenard's house, and a single glance +showed that there was no hope of saving it. +Flames were spurting from every window, and +through the roof, even as they came into plain +sight of the house, there burst a great pillar of +fire. There seemed to be an explosion of some sort, +for a great mass of sparks shot upward toward +the heavens, raining down a moment later. In the +light of the fire they could see the men-servants +and some of the peasant neighbors busily engaged +in dragging a few pieces of furniture and some +pictures across the lawn--evidently what little +there had been time to drag from the burning +house. They could see also a group of women, +where Madame de Frenard was calming the +women-servants and trying to bring order out of chaos. + +Dropping their bicycles, they ran quickly +toward her, calling her name. As she heard them +she turned, and they saw that her face was radiant. + +"Oh, you are safe, then!" she cried. "Now +nothing else matters, since no one is hurt! No one +had seen you two since dinner--I was so frightened!" + +"We're all right," said Paul, a little remorseful. +"There was something we had to do, that I +will tell you about later. But how did this fire +start?" + +"No one knows," said Madame de Frenard, her +eyes darkening. "All that is certain is that we +were awakened by a cry of fire. There was +scarcely time for all of us to get out, and for the +men to save a few of the best pictures. It seemed +that oil must have been spread about, for the fire +to burn so quickly! I do not believe it was an accident." + +Paul and Arthur looked at one another. The +same thought had come to both of them. It was +Arthur who voiced it. + +"The Germans?" he said, doubtfully. + +"Just what I was wondering," said Paul. "But +why should they?" + +"Oh, I thought of them, too!" said their aunt. +"And I, too, asked why. There is war but, even +so, we have nothing to do with that. There is no +reason for them to burn our home!" + +"I think a great many things are going to +happen for which it will be hard to find a reason," +said Paul, thoughtfully. + +"Well, the first thing to be done is for us to get +a roof over our heads for to-night," said Madame +de Frenard, with decision. "Your uncle is still +in Brussels, unless he has already rejoined the +army. I think we had better go into Liege and +stay at a hotel." + +"We can get into Liege," said Paul, rousing +himself from his mood of reflection, "but I'm not +sure about staying there. I think you had better +take your maid and go to Brussels, Aunt Claire. +The rest of the servants ought to go home, I think." + +It was curious to see how their positions were +reversed in this emergency. It was Paul who was +in command now, not his aunt. + +"Do you think so?" she said. "Why, Paul?" + +"Because I am afraid that there will be hard +fighting around Liege. I do not think the town will +be defended for very long; it cannot be. It is +supposed only to check the German advance, to gain +a little time, so that the French and the English, +if they come to our aid, may have time to mass +their troops to the west and the north. I am sure +Uncle Henri would say I was right, and I can +arrange it for you to be sent to Brussels, I am sure." + +Madame de Frenard was a little inclined to +smile, in spite of the fire and all the woe it had +brought with it. + +"Why, Paul, how can you arrange anything?" +she asked. "Have you, perhaps, suddenly +acquired influence with the army?" + +"He certainly has!" interrupted Arthur, his +eyes shining. "Oh, Aunt Claire, we've done so +many wonderful things to-night!" + +So he let the cat out of the bag, and, with so +much of a start, Madame de Frenard was not +satisfied until she had the whole story out of them. +She caught her breath when she heard of the shots +that had been fired at them, but she looked very +proud and happy, too. + +"Oh, that was splendid!" she cried. "We may +be a little nation, we Belgians, but we can meet +them when even our boys can defy them and outwit +them so magnificently! Now I know that I can +trust you! Paul, it is as if your uncle were here! +You shall take his place, and I shall do whatever +you say is right." + +Paul grew red, and embarrassment checked his +speech for a moment. + +"It was just luck, of course," he said, confusedly. +"Anyone could have done what we did, you +know. But I'm glad you'll go on to Brussels, +Aunt Claire, and I think Major du Chaillu will be +glad to make the arrangements, before the railway +is interrupted. I will go now and get out the carriages." + +"Very well, Paul, do so. It is lucky that we +have those left, at any rate." + +Paul and Arthur helped the men to get out the +carriages and harness the horses, frightened by +the noise and confusion of the fire. And Paul and +Arthur, too, rode in the carriage that took their +aunt and her maid into Liege. + +"I didn't think we would be coming back to +Liege quite so soon," said Arthur, a little ruefully. +"This isn't as exciting as the first trip we made +to-night, either." + +"No, but I think it's safer," said Paul, rather +dryly. "And there'll be more than enough excitement +to make up for it when the Germans come, Arthur." + +"Oh, I suppose so!" + +"I am going to take you two boys to Brussels +with me," said Madame de Frenard, suddenly. + +Paul was quiet at that; it was Arthur who cried +out in vigorous protest. + +"Oh, no, Aunt Claire!" he exclaimed. "There's +so much for us to do here!" + +"There will be plenty for you to do in Brussels," +she said, with decision. "It's settled. I +can't allow you to stay here if it isn't safe for me." + +Arthur looked to Paul for help, but Paul only +smiled. His aunt looked at him curiously. + +"So you are willing to go without arguing, +Paul?" she asked. + +"You said it was settled, Aunt Claire," he +replied. "If a thing is settled, there is no use in +arguing about it, is there?" + +She smiled faintly. She knew Paul well enough +to know that when his mind was made up he never +was willing to admit that a thing was settled until +it was settled as he wished. She wondered what +he had up his sleeve, for she was sure that he was +quite as anxious as Arthur to stay in or around Liege. + +As a matter of fact, Paul was the only one of +them all who had even a remote idea of what was +coming. He could not foresee all the horrors of +invasion and battle. No one can do that, or wars +would never be begun. But he did realize that +dire trouble was in store, and that a good many +civilians, and especially women and young +children, would be sent away from Liege before there +was any fighting, if that were possible. There was +something else that Paul grasped better than +either Arthur and his aunt, and that was the +probable course of the invasion. + +He knew that in a few days Liege, strong +fortress though it was, would be engulfed. It might +hold out for a long time; he thought it probably +would. But the Germans would be all about it. +The Uhlans would sweep along, far beyond the +range of the guns of the forts, cutting communications, +interrupting railways, blocking the roads, +and Liege must depend upon itself for food, for +ammunition, for all the things that would be +needed. For that reason, he thought, General +Leman would encourage all who could to get out +of the city before the actual siege began. And he +had an idea that there was no real question of his +going, or Arthur; that they would have to wait +their turn, at least. That was why he submitted +so quietly to his aunt's declaration that he and +Arthur were to go with her. + +When they arrived in Liege he found that, late +as it was, the city was still awake and stirring. +Outside of the railway station there was a great +crowd. There were women there with children +clinging to their skirts. They carried odd-shaped +bundles. Plainly this was a sudden flight for most +of them, and they had snatched up their greatest +treasures, and wrapped them as best they could.' + +"Why, it looks like a regular panic!" said +Madame de Frenard. "I don't see what there is +to be afraid of yet, at any rate. I don't see how we +are going to get away, either, Paul." + +"I'll try to find Major du Chaillu," said Paul. +"Arthur, will you stay here while I go?" + +He went off when Arthur nodded, and threaded +his way through the confusion and the crowds to +General Leman's headquarters. There, after a +good deal of difficulty, and after he had been +turned away several times by impatient sentries, +he succeeded in finding his friend the major. To +him he explained the situation. + +"Your aunt and her maid?" said du Chaillu. +"Yes, I shall be able to manage that." + +"My cousin and I cannot go, I suppose?" + +"Not to-night, I'm afraid, my boy. The orders +are very strict." He looked a little puzzled, but +went on: "I'd like to make an exception in your +case, for you have done so much for Belgium--" + +"Oh, I don't want to go and neither does +Arthur!" cried Paul, with a laugh. "It's just as +I thought. Only my aunt wants us to go, and I +was afraid that perhaps we could." + +The major laughed, too. + +"That's more like what I had expected from +you," he said. "Yet it would be better if you did +go. However, women and children first. We've +made the rule, and we must make no exceptions, +or it would be impossible to enforce it at all." + +"Oh, we'll get along all right," said Paul. +"And--well, I have an idea that may not be of +any use, so that I'd better not say anything about +it yet. But I hope that Paul and I can still do +something for Belgium and Liege." + +"I've no doubt that you will try to do that," +said du Chaillu. "Come, show me where you left +your aunt, and I will see that she is allowed to go +out on the next train. I will take her into the +station by a private entrance for there is little chance +of getting through the crowd in any other way." + +He was as good as his word. Madame de Frenard +listened to his explanation of how impossible +it was for Paul and Arthur to be allowed to go +on the train, and glanced at Paul. She thought +that she understood his submissiveness better now! + +"But--women and children?" she said. +"Surely these boys?" + +"We are not children!" protested Paul and +Arthur in one breath. + +Major du Chaillu smiled rather sadly. + +"No, they are not children in such times as +these, Madame," he said. "We have not quite +come to the point of calling upon boys to fight, +but we cannot treat them as children. Still, I +shall see that they are looked to, as well as I can, +be assured of that, Madame de Frenard." + +And with that assurance she had to be content. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE UHLAN + +"Come along with me," said du Chaillu, when they had left Madame de +Frenard in the station. "I'll see that you're put up for the rest of +the night, and to-morrow we'll make other arrangements." + +"Thank you," said Paul, "but I think we'd better go back. A good many +things were saved, after all, when the house was burned. When so much +was destroyed I think we ought to try to safeguard what remains, for my +uncle's sake. And there is a place there where we can sleep very well, +thank you." + +"H'm!" Du Chaillu looked more than doubtful. "But there is no telling +how soon the Germans will be there. Had you thought of that?" + +"They won't hurt us, sir," said Paul. + +"No, I suppose not. There's no reason for them to make war on boys or +any other non-combatants. One word of warning, though. If the Germans +do come before you can get away again, don't make any move against +them. All the fighting must be done by soldiers. The Germans consider +it is murder if a civilian fires on them, and they are in the right, +according to the rules of war. They are justified in making any +reprisals. So be careful yourselves, and warn all the men about your +place. Tell them the message is from me. General Leman has issued +orders that no civilians are to oppose the Germans or give them any +excuse for destroying undefended places." + +"I understand, sir," said Paul. "Then we may go?" + +"Yes. But be careful. We have seen aeroplanes of the Germans +already--one of our flyers chased one of their Taubes early in the +evening. They dropped bombs on Fort Boncelles." + +"I never thought of that!" exclaimed Arthur, sharply. "Do you suppose +one of their aeroplanes could have dropped a bomb that would have set +our house afire?" + +"It is possible," said du Chaillu, shortly. "They might not have +realized what they were doing. I hope they did not, if that is what +happened. It is not the sort of work for soldiers." + +"It makes very little difference now," said Paul. "The house is +burned, so it doesn't matter, I suppose, how it came to catch fire. We +will go back, then, major." + +"Very well. Report to me at headquarters here when you return, +although by that time I may be on duty in one of the forts. I cannot +tell; we of the staff are in one place one minute, and far away the +next. Good-night, again, and better luck, this time, than my wishes +brought you before." + +"Good-night!" they echoed, and set out to find their carriage. But +before they reached it Paul stopped. + +"I want to go to Henri Creusot's house," he said. "There is something +in the stable there we shall need. I suppose we can't wake him up, but +I shall get what I want, even if we cannot." + +Arthur followed him willingly, although Paul volunteered no explanation +of what it was that he was after. And he remained on guard outside the +stable while Paul went in, to reappear presently with a large and +cumbrous burden--a sack bulging with the spoil of his little raid. +Then they went to the carriage, and soon they were driving back toward +the ruined house. When they reached it the dawn was beginning to break +in the east--toward Germany! It was a red, menacing dawn--the sort of +daybreak one might well have expected to see in such a time. About the +smouldering remains of the fine house the men employed about the place +were still grouped. It seemed all had decided that in some mysterious +fashion the Germans were responsible for the ruin that had been +wrought, and they were talking sullenly of what they meant to do to the +enemy. + +Paul gave quick directions for housing and hiding the pictures and the +few fine pieces of furniture that had been saved. When all that he +ordered had been done there seemed a good chance that what the flames +had spared would be safe from further risk. Then he and Arthur went +over to look at the garage, which had not been touched by the fire. + +"This is a piece of good luck, anyhow," said Paul, when he found the +little building untouched. "I think we'll live here as long as the +Germans will let us, Arthur, which probably won't be very long, even if +we pretend to be stupid. We can be mighty comfortable." + +"Of course we can," said Arthur. "It will be like a picnic, or like +camping out, won't it?" + +"I'm afraid it won't," said Paul. "But we'll make the best of it, +anyway. Come along to the house. I think the ruins are cool enough +for us to find out what I want to know." + +He led the way and Arthur followed. But it was not to the house that +Paul went first. Instead, he led the way to a post that had carried +the telephone wire, and, finding the wire, began to follow it toward +the wing where it had entered the house. + +"What on earth are you looking at that telephone wire for?" asked +Arthur, completely mystified. "It seems to me that that's the least +important thing there is left." + +"I think it's going to be about the most important thing!" said Paul, +surprisingly. "Go get a shovel, will you? Or rather two, for we've +got some digging to do." + +Arthur obeyed, as he always did, but he was thoroughly mystified. And +no light was shed upon the mystery when he returned, to find that Paul +had disconnected the wire in the ruins of the house and was dragging it +away from the post where it entered the grounds. But now Paul +explained. + +"Do you remember that several of the crosses on those maps we found +were right over there?" he asked, pointing in a direction east of the +burned house. + +"Y--es," said Arthur, with an effort to remember. "Oh, yes, I do, now!" + +"Well, that means that there will be a battery there. Do you see how +it's screened? The woods hide it completely. It doesn't make any +difference to the Germans that they can't see their target--they've got +a fixed range, because they know just where the forts are, and they'll +get the range of anything else from their aeroplanes." + +"Yes, I see that." + +"Well, I think this battery is likely to turn out to be the most +important one on this side. I think that they will depend on it to +silence Boncelles and Embourg. We haven't many aeroplanes and it's +going to be mighty hard for our people in the forts to tell what the +effect of their shell fire is, and to correct the range, especially if +the Germans use comparatively light guns that they can move about, as I +think they will. Now do you see?" + +"Not quite--" + +"Suppose we stay here in the garage? There's a chance that they may +let us, isn't there? Well, if they do, we can see whatever goes on, +with a little care. And if we have a buried telephone wire leading to +Boncelles we can report just what happens when a shell is fired, and +they can correct their aim. That's why I want to dig a trench for that +wire from some distance outside the grounds here, and run it under the +garage--into the pit, you know." + +"Oh, now I see! You mean we would stay here and pretend not to have +any idea of what's going on, while we were really sending information +to the forts?" + +"Yes. Now the first thing we've got to do is to tap that wire and tell +them in Liege what we are doing, so that they can give us direct +connection with Boncelles. Then we'll try to hide the wire, so that +the Germans won't find it." + +Now the mysterious errand Paul had had in Liege was explained. He had +brought with him all he thought he could use of a lot of wire and +telephone instruments that one of their fellow scouts had used in +setting up a miniature telephone exchange of his own, with wires +connecting his house with that of some of his chums. + +"We'd better dig the trench and bury the wire first because we've got +to be very careful in filling it up again, so that no one will notice +what's been done," said Paul. "That's the most important part. You +see, if we were caught at this we'd be treated as spies--and that's +what we'll really be." + +"Isn't there a chance that they won't really come as far as this?" +asked Arthur. + +"Yes, there is and a very good chance, too, I think. Really, if they +do come up to this point, I believe we won't have much chance. But the +grounds here will be well within the range of the guns from the forts, +and I don't think they'll do any infantry work until they've tried to +beat down our forts with their big guns. Not from this side, anyway. +If they try to take Liege by storm they're more likely to attack +between Liers and Pontisse, or between the Meuse and Barchon. The +country's more open there. Here, you see, the Ourthe runs between +Boncelles and Embourg, and the two forts command all the approaches. +So I think there's a good chance for us. But we have got to take +precautions, of course, because they are almost sure to throw out their +scouts as far as this in the beginning, even if they recall them after +the guns start firing." + +Neither of the scouts thought of being tired after that. Arthur began +the work of digging out the shallow trench in which they meant to bury +the wire, while Paul tapped the main wire and explained to an officer +at headquarters in Liege what they planned. It took him some time to +overcome the doubts of this officer, but finally it was arranged that +his wire should be connected with Fort Boncelles direct, and he talked +to that important link in the chain of defending forts for some time, +making final arrangements. + +"No matter what happens, of course," he said, "you mustn't call us, +because if we're quiet for any length of time, it may mean that the +Germans are around us. We will watch the firing, after it begins, and +tell you whatever we can find out." + +Then he returned to help Arthur, and they worked until it was broad +daylight. By that time they had the wire well hidden, so that it was +entirely invisible. It came out under the garage, and the instrument +at its end was well concealed in the pit under the place where the big +car stood when repairs were to be made. + +"Well, that's done!" Paul exclaimed at last, with a deep sigh of +satisfaction. "Are you tired, Arthur?" + +"I wasn't just a minute ago," said Arthur, rubbing his eyes. "But now +I'm so sleepy that I feel as if I could go off standing up!" + +"Well, there's no reason why we shouldn't get some sleep now. I'm like +you. As long as we still had something to do I didn't feel tired. But +now,--" + +A great yawn interrupted him. They surveyed their work with blinking +eyes, then they crept up to the little room above the garage, and in +less than a minute were sound asleep. + +It was broad daylight when they went asleep; when they awoke dusk had +fallen. Paul woke first, and he went to the window and looked out. +Everything, seemingly, was just as it had been when they had last +looked out. The scene was one of profound peace. From the window he +could not see the burned house, a patch of blackened ruin in the fair +landscape. The fading light played on the leaves just as it had a +thousand times before; shadows lay along the little mossy patches, the +corners of the lawns that he knew so well. + +"Wake up, Arthur!" he said, turning to his chum. + +He had to shake Arthur before he could arouse him. + +"It isn't time to get up yet--it's still dark, Paul," protested Arthur, +sleepily. But then he began to recover his wits, and he dragged +himself up, and went with Paul to the window. For a few moments they +were quiet, listening. + +"Perhaps they're not coming--perhaps it's all a false alarm. I don't +hear any guns." + +"Look!" said Paul, gripping him suddenly by the shoulder. He pointed +to the road. Against the sky stood a horse, on its back a silent rider +with a spiked helmet, in his hand a long lance. A German Uhlan! + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +WAR + +"They've come, then!" said Paul. "That means war. Look at his +uniform--I never saw a German soldier looking like that before." + +It was true. The uniform seemed to melt into the landscape; it was +indeterminate, greenish gray in color. Even the spike of the helmet +did not catch the rays of the sinking sun; it was covered with the +dull, neutral colored cloth. + +"I hope he isn't going to stay there," said Arthur. Their voices had +sunk to whispers. Though there was no chance that the vidette would +hear them, his very presence had the effect of quieting them. There +was a tremendous difference, somehow, between thinking of an invasion, +between realizing that it was inevitable that German troops should pour +into Belgium, and the actual sight of one of the enemy. + +"I don't think he will," said Paul. "He's just scouting, I think. +Probably he will ride back soon. And they can't be very near--the main +body, that is. If they were we'd hear something of them." + +Then before Arthur could answer, something happened. The air trembled, +and a dull sound, echoing again and again, came to them. The two +scouts stared at one another; then they turned, together, to look at +the Uhlan, and saw that he had heard it, too, and was listening +sharply. The light was full on his face, and they could see that it +wore an awed expression. And well it might! They had heard the sound +of the first heavy gun that was fired in anger in the war of the +nations! + +"That gun was some distance away. I should think it might have been +fired at Fleron," said Paul. "The siege must have begun." + +And now the air was full of sound. First from one side, then from the +other, batteries and forts joined in the chorus. All around them, it +seemed, the great voices of the guns were speaking. Soon individual +explosions ceased to stand out; everything was merged into a heavy, +dull roar that beat against their ears and filled the air with a +continuous tremor. Sometimes the roar rose in volume when a new +battery came into action. For a few minutes Paul and Arthur were +absorbed. They listened, spellbound, to the roar of the guns. There +was something unreal about it. It did not seem possible that those +guns were being fired to kill and destroy, for, as they looked out, +everything was peaceful still. Save when their eyes fell upon the +Uhlan, mounted on his horse. He sat in his saddle, stiff, erect, the +very type of the vast army of which he was a tiny, undistinguishable +part--as a rule. Now he was that army, for the two who watched him. +Still they stared while the shadows advanced, eating into the light +spaces that remained, until grey dusk settled over everything, and he +seemed to slip into it, and become a part of the landscape. Then his +horse moved; he turned, and cantered slowly out of sight. + +His going somehow seemed to break a spell. + +"Come! We must see what's going on back there," said Paul. "We can +see the battery, you know, if those crosses really mean that a battery +was to be located on the spot we had placed from the map." + +They went to the other side of the little garage and looked out. And, +to the east, on a piece of rising ground, that would have been hidden +had the de Frenard house still stood, as it had stood before the fire, +they saw something that looked like a picture of an inferno. + +There was a great gash in the woods, where trees had been cut down +ruthlessly. Against the background of the woods that had been spared, +a lurid glare threw everything into relief. Great arc lights had been +strung, so that a space of ground was as bright as day, and in the +light hundreds of men were working. In one place a great furnace was +blazing, and the ruddy glow from that cast a crimson light against the +cold, white radiance of the electric lamps. Steam cranes were at work; +huge cannon were being moved into place on the pedestals that had been +prepared for them in advance. + +"We were right!" said Paul, exultingly. "That is to be a great +battery. They must be very powerful guns, too, or else they would have +been ready with the rest, and in action by this time. Ah! I'm glad I +thought of the telephone!" + +"How fast they are working!" said Arthur. That was what caught his eye +in the strange, weird scene. There was no confusion, despite the +extraordinary efforts that were obviously being made to hasten the +work. Every man, as they could see, even at that distance, knew +exactly what he was to do. It seemed that the whole operation must +have been planned far in advance, even rehearsed. Such perfect team +work could not be the result of chance, nor even of unusually good +discipline. No, somewhere in Germany just such scenes must have been +enacted in time of peace, that when the grim, harsh test of real war +came there might be no delay, no lost motions, no trifling, unforeseen +hitch to render useless all the elaborate plan that had been made. +This might be war, but it was a grim, cold business, too. + +"It's like going to see the steel works at Seraing at night," said +Paul. "Except that there's less glare from the blast furnaces, of +course." + +"A good many of those men aren't in uniform," said Arthur, his keen +eyes taking in details as he grew more accustomed to the strange and +awe inspiring grandeur of the scene as a whole. + +"They're probably workmen from Essen," said Paul. He had a pair of +binoculars out now, and was looking closely at every detail of the +scene. + +"But why should they be there? This is a time for soldiers." + +"Not altogether, Arthur. I know--don't you remember what Uncle Henri +told us?--that a lot of the workmen from Seraing would have to be along +with some of the new field artillery pieces, because the secrets of +some things are kept even from the soldiers. Those are probably some +of the men from the Krupp works, brought here just to handle these big +guns." + +"Well, they take their chances, just like soldiers, if they do that, +don't they?" + +"Of course. They really are soldiers, just as much as the others, but +they have special work to do, that they're trained for. That's the +only difference." + +"What are we going to do now?" + +"We're going to try to spoil the little surprise these Germans are +preparing for Boncelles and Embourg," said Paul, gritting his teeth. +"You stay here by this window, Arthur. I'm going down to telephone to +Boncelles. If anyone comes near, tell me at once. It's awfully +important, you know, to keep them from finding out about our telephone +wire just as long as we can. And listen, in case I call to you. I'll +want a quick answer, if I do." + +"All right, Paul." + +Down Paul went, then, to the gasoline pit. Lying at full length, he +drew the telephone instrument from the cunningly devised hiding place +he and Arthur had arranged for it. He was fearful for a moment; there +was a chance, and more than a chance, that the German scouts might have +found and cut the wire; they would certainly have tried to cut every +telephone and telegraph wire in the neighborhood, as the first and most +obvious precaution. But after a brief delay he was delighted to hear +an answering voice. + +Quickly he explained who he was, and found that his call had been +expected. In a moment an artillery officer, who said he was Lieutenant +Delaunay, was speaking. + +"What information have you?" he asked, quickly. "I have your maps here +before me." + +"Find the one that shows the Ourthe and the ground before Boncelles and +Embourg," said Paul. + +"Right!" + +"Mark the house of M. de Frenard, destroyed last night by fire." + +"I have it!" + +"Good! To the east of the house the ground slopes upward. It is well +sheltered from observation by the fort. Your searchlights would be +blocked by the woods between the fort and the house. But there is a +spot marked on the map by a group of crosses. Do you see it?" + +"Right! We decided that would be a battery. The other forts report +that they have been fired on from points marked on the maps that you +supplied, and that by concentrating their fire on the points indicated +on these maps they have silenced a number of field guns." + +"I am glad," said Paul, quietly. "I was sure that the information +would prove to be valuable. Well, then, this battery is not of field +guns. That is why you have heard no firing from it as yet. They are +working now, by electric light, and are placing heavy guns--not the +very heaviest, I should say, but far heavier pieces than would usually +be at the front so soon--probably seven inch mortars." + +"Seven inch mortars! That sounds almost incredible!" + +"None the less, it is true. You may open fire at once on the spots +marked on your map, and do great damage. We are in a position here to +tell you whether your shells land properly or not--we can see the +battery from here. Will you fire?" + +"At once!" said Delaunay. "Go and watch for the shells--then report to +us, if you can, whether they were properly aimed. You will be of the +greatest service to us if you can do that. It is of the last +importance that that battery should not come into action against +us--these forts were not intended, when they were built, to withstand +the battery of such heavy guns as that!" + +Thrilled by the knowledge that the risks he and Arthur had run the +previous night had not been in vain, Paul went upstairs and rejoined +Arthur. To the east, where the frantic efforts of the Germans to get +their heavy artillery into position for the opening attack were still +continued, there was no apparent change in the situation. + +"No one has come near," said Arthur. "Was the wire working? What did +they say at Boncelles?" + +Paul told him, and they settled down to wait It was nervous work, tense +and anxious. Two of the guns--they counted six of them, in all--were +already in position, and finishing touches were being put to them. + +"Oh, why don't they hurry?" complained Arthur. "The Germans are not +going to wait for them to be ready to fire." + +"Listen," said Paul. "The fire is slackening a little, I think. You +can see that what we did had some use--they have silenced a good many +German guns already, through knowing just where to aim." + +"What's that?" exclaimed Arthur, suddenly. + +Overhead a strange noise filled the air; a shrieking, whining, +whistling sound. It rose, as it came nearer, to a wild whistle, like +the blast of a factory signal, releasing the workers at the end of the +day's work. The two scouts stared at one another; then, without +knowing why, they turned to look at the busy scene to the east. +Suddenly, before their eyes, there was a flash; a puff of white smoke +rising in the ghostly radiance of the arc lamps, and, after a distinct +pause, a dull crash. Then, as the smoke cleared, and they still stood +awe stricken, they saw that the bursting shell had torn a great hole in +the ground. They saw men running; others were crawling, dragging +themselves painfully along. And others still lay very quiet. + +For just a moment there was a scene of wild confusion. But then order +was restored, and a knot of men ran to the two guns that were uninjured +and ready. Paul dived down at once. Quickly he told what had +happened, then raced up again. Another whistling overhead, and then a +terrific explosion. The two guns lay overturned, ruined. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +PRISONERS OF WAR + +For five minutes the two scouts, appalled, horrified, stood as if glued +to the floor, staring at the scene of destruction. The guns in Fort +Boncelles had the range now. Nothing more than Paul's hurried message, +"Your shell landed beyond the guns," had been necessary. Now shell +after shell was dropped in the midst of the battery that had been wiped +out before it could fire even a single shot. There was a deadly, +terrifying accuracy about the whole proceeding. Miles away the Belgian +gunners, safe in their concrete and steel turrets, were producing this +waste and destruction--not by fighting, it seemed to Paul and Arthur, +but by a blackboard exercise. That was all it really was. + +"You see, they know just where their gun is, and they can adjust it to +fire a certain distance. They can take a map, and fire a shell at any +given spot, just by mathematics. They know the angle they must use, +and they know just how far, and how fast that shell will go. It won't +always go quite true, of course; that was why the first shell didn't +strike just the right spot." + +"But why is that, if everything is so exact? I shouldn't think they'd +ever make a miss." + +"Oh, there are lots of reasons. For one, after a gun has been fired a +few times the inside is affected. The rifling is worn in places, and +that gives a slightly different spin to the shell. It doesn't take +much of a change in conditions to alter the course of a shell a good +deal. And the weather counts, too. Sometimes there is more air +resistance; on a day when it is damp and foggy, with low lying clouds, +for instance. So, though they have the range exactly, they may have to +alter what they call the formula a little." + +"And they find out by shooting how nearly right they are?" + +"Yes, that's just what they do. It's the only way they can do it, too. +That's why it's so important, when guns are being fired at targets +miles away, to have some one report the effect of the first shot or +two. In a regular battle, in open country, both armies will probably +use aeroplanes in this war. The man in the aeroplane can see just +where the shells strike, and send back word." + +"How?" + +"In lots of ways. Some of the bigger ones have a small wireless +equipment. Sometimes they drop bombs, that make a smoky patch in the +air when they explode--they drop them right over the place the +artillery wants to hit, and then the men with the guns get their +instruments and figure out just what the range is." + +"I don't think the Germans are so very brave, after all," said Arthur, +in a moment. "They all ran as soon as the shells began to come." + +"That doesn't show they're not brave--it only shows that their officers +have some common sense. What good could they do if they stayed there +to be killed? They couldn't save those guns, could they? I'm sorry +they couldn't have been warned, that's all. You see, they might have +thought the first shell was just a chance, lucky shot and so they +stayed after that, and tried to fire themselves. But when the second +one came plumping into them they knew the truth--and the officers sent +them to cover, just as any officers who knew their business would have +done." + +"I suppose it's war," said Arthur, a little gloomily. "But--" + +"It's war right enough," said Paul, with a shudder. "It's not like the +pictures we've seen of Waterloo, but it's war. But there'll be plenty +of the other sort, too, before it's over, Arthur. You needn't worry +about that. The Germans haven't had time to bring up very many men +yet, but I expect they will, and they may try to rush the forts. Did +you notice that they were stretching a lot of wire fencing near Fort +Boncelles when we passed it last night?" + +"Yes. What was that for?" + +"To stop an infantry charge, or to help to stop it. You see, an attack +by infantry is likely to be made at night, when it's harder to see the +men being massed. And the wire fence piles up a charge. Oh, I think +there'll be some pretty bad fighting of the old-fashioned sort before +they capture Liege!" + +"I don't see how they can capture Liege at all," said Arthur, stoutly. +"The firing of the guns has almost stopped; it seems to me that they've +been beaten back." + +"It seems so, but I'm afraid it isn't really true," said Paul, with a +smile. "The Germans haven't begun yet, Arthur. And there are millions +of them. They can put thousands of men in the field to our +hundreds--they will outnumber us ten to one, at least. Liege isn't +supposed to hold out against them very long. No one expects it to. If +it checks them, keeps them from spreading all over Belgium in their +first rush, it will have done its part fully." + +"I'd like to see them beaten here, just the same," said Arthur, +stubbornly. + +"I'm going down to report what happened," said Paul. "Keep watch, +Arthur, but I don't think we can do much more here. I believe that we +won't have to stay here very much longer." + +Boncelles had ceased firing by this time, and the close, immediate din +was at an end for the time, at least. There was still heavy firing +from the northwest, which Paul guessed was from the guns of Fort +Pontisse, replying to an attack launched from Vise and Argenteau. +Major du Chaillu had said that the Germans would almost certainly try +to cross the Meuse at Vise, which was the best place they could choose +to launch the cavalry raid he said would be likely to form a part of +their strategy. + +"We will have troops there," he said, "to try to hold them back, +supported by Fort Pontisse. But if they come in great force they can +probably break through there, for the place is not well suited to +defence." + +Everywhere else in the circle that was closing about Liege the firing +seemed to have died away. And Paul was anxious to know how the opening +skirmish--as he correctly judged it to have been--had gone, as well as +to make his report of what he and Arthur had seen. Delaunay was +waiting at the Boncelles end of the wire. + +"You are there at last!" he said, relief in his voice. "I was afraid +you and your brave friend had been hurt." + +"No, we're all right. It's the Germans who were hurt! You smashed +that battery to pieces, lieutenant! They never got a single gun ready +to fire. Your second shell smashed the two that were in position, and +the shells after that simply swept the location of the battery. I +don't think the guns can be of much use--not for a long time, and until +they have been thoroughly repaired, at any rate. How has the fighting +gone elsewhere?" + +"We are holding them along the Meuse, north of Pontisse. They attacked +with their infantry there, but we beat them back easily." + +"That is good news! We are holding them all along the line, then?" + +"Yes, for the present. But they have not brought up large forces yet. +When they do, it will soon be over unless we receive heavy +reenforcements. You two had better come in, if you can get away from +your position without being detected. There is no more for you to do +there. You have already accomplished far more than we hoped." + +"We are to report to you at Fort Boncelles?" + +"It makes no difference. No, I think you had better try to get into +Liege itself and find Major du Chaillu. Good luck!" + +"Thank you, lieutenant, and the same to Fort Boncelles! We will try to +escape from here. I should think we ought to have no great trouble, +for the Germans will be busy at their battery again, as soon as they +find the shelling has ceased." + +"Yes. We will give them another round or two at intervals during the +night, just to let them know that we still think of them." + +When he had finished talking to the fort, Paul proceeded to hide the +telephone as well as he could. Sooner or later the Germans were +certain to come to the garage and it was desirable, for a good many +reasons, that they should find no evidences of the use to which it had +been put. For one thing, it was impossible to tell what was going to +happen. It might well turn out that further use could be made of the +telephone later. And when Paul had done, he felt that it was highly +improbable that the Germans could discover the installation. And then, +just as he finished, Arthur cried out in a voice sharp with alarm, and +Paul rushed up to join him. + +The ground about the garage seemed suddenly to have sprouted soldiers. +There were men everywhere, hundreds of them, advancing in loose order. +For a moment Paul hung to the window, fascinated by the sight. Then he +caught himself. + +"It's an attack on Boncelles!" he said. "I'm going to warn them if I +have time. I don't care what happens. Arthur, get away from here! If +they come in, pretend you can't speak at all." + +And on the word he was off, rushing down again, tearing away the cover +he had provided for the telephone. He had to wait an agonizing two or +three minutes before there was any answer, and once more he was sure +that the wire must have been discovered and cut. But at last there was +an answering voice in his ear, and he gave his news. + +"Infantry?" asked Delaunay. "They must be mad!" + +"They are planning a surprise attack, I suppose," said Paul. "There +are a great many of them--and I am almost sure I saw some machine guns." + +"If their battery hadn't been put out, I could understand," said +Delaunay. "They might have attacked under the cover of a heavy fire +from that. But to bring infantry against fortifications! It seems +like suicide." + +"I must go now," said Paul. "They are all around us. I don't know how +soon they may come in. You will be ready for them?" + +"Don't worry about that! We'll give them a hotter reception than they +expect!" + +Paul smashed the telephone now. Perhaps the Germans, if they found it, +would think it had been useless from the beginning of the fighting. +And, just as he went upstairs, there was a crash at the door, and half +a dozen German soldiers, led by an officer, broke in. In a moment Paul +was seized; in another two men had gone upstairs, and returned, each +with a hand gripping one of Arthur's arms. + +"What are you doing here?" asked the officer, in German. Paul +understood him very well, but thought it better to pretend ignorance. +He answered in French, saying he did not understand, and the German +officer repeated his question in French. + +"We--we lived in the house that was burned,"' said Paul, pretending to +be greatly frightened. "We did not know where to go or what to do. So +we stayed here." + +"How long have you been here?" + +"Since last night." + +"You heard the explosions just now?" + +"Yes. I did not know what they were." + +"Take them back," said the lieutenant to a corporal. "You are in +territory occupied by our forces where no civilians have any right to +be," he added, speaking to Paul. "Unless you can prove that you are +innocent, you will be tried and condemned as spies. Have you any arms +here?" + +"No, sir," said Paul. + +A quick search confirmed his statement. But though that seemed to +count in their favor, the order was not countermanded. In a few +moments they were on their way through the German lines, and in half an +hour they reached what was plainly the headquarters of a brigade at +least, perhaps of a whole division. There they were thrust into a +small hut that already contained three other prisoners, Belgian +peasants. Outside the door there was a guard. They were prisoners of +war and if the truth about their doings came out, they would almost +certainly be shot, despite their youth. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE SPY + +"What will they do to us, do you think?" asked Arthur. He was +trembling, but with excitement, not from fear. + +"Nothing, unless they can prove that we have actually been working +against them," answered Paul. "And I don't see how they can." + +"If those two who chased us when we ran off with their motorcycle saw +us, they'd be able to prove it," said Arthur. + +"Yes, I hadn't thought of them. But they're prisoners fortunately. I +hope they'll be well looked after, too. It would be mighty awkward if +they turned up here suddenly. They know just how important were the +plans we got and these others don't know anything about that, at all. +I believe that our people knowing just where the German guns were +placed made a great deal of difference." + +The coming of a soldier interrupted them. He told them that they were +to be examined at once. + +"Then you will be shot," he said, showing his teeth. "As you deserve," +he added, trying to look fierce. + +But there was a twinkle in his eye that both Paul and Arthur saw. They +had been treated very well so far. They had seen nothing, as a matter +of fact, to make them think that the Germans were brutal. They made +war, and that is brutal in itself. The gentlest men, when they are +engaged in a campaign, must do things that they would never attempt of +their own free will. + +The soldiers now led the way to a house that both boys knew well, for +it belonged to a friend of their uncle, whom they had often visited. +It was being used as headquarters now by a part of the German staff, +and was full of officers who looked at them curiously. They still wore +their Boy Scout uniforms. There had been no opportunity, as a matter +of fact, for them to change their clothes before the fire, and all the +other clothes they possessed had been destroyed, of course, at that +time. + +"You were caught by our troops in territory occupied by us--within our +actual battle line, indeed," said a colonel who received them. "Did +you not receive warning that all civilians were to leave the zone in +which you were found?" + +They could deny that truthfully, and did. Paul was rather glad, as the +matter had turned out, that his plan of pretending to be dumb had not +been tried. He knew that it would be very hard for Arthur to tell an +untruth, even by suggestion, excellent as was the excuse for doing so. +Arthur could understand, of course, that to deceive the enemy was +permissible, and, more than that, praiseworthy. It was a question +simply of whether he could hope to do so successfully. + +"The thing to be done now is to get rid of you," said the colonel. He +frowned severely, but, as with the soldier who had brought them for +examination, there was a smile behind the frown. "I might have you +shot, but we should save ammunition. And I might send you back to +Germany, to be confined in a fortress, but that would mean that we +should have to feed you. If I let you go through the lines toward Huy, +will you promise not to come back?" + +"Yes, sir," said Paul, heartily. He was amazed, by the prospect of +release, but he realized, of course, that while he and Arthur knew what +dangerous enemies they had already proved themselves, the colonel did +not. + +And so, to their surprise and Paul's relief, they were soon being +escorted through the German lines, their direction being southwest, in +the general direction of Huy, the Belgian city nearest to Liege of the +border line of fortresses. Huy, though not as strong as either Liege +or Namur, was a link in the chain, having been designed chiefly to +supply a base for the centre of an army resisting the advance of an +invader, with its wings resting on the more powerful fortifications of +Liege and Namur. + +Their escort was the same good-natured soldier who had taken them +before Colonel Schmidt, and he paid little attention to them. Perhaps +he thought that there was no need to watch them closely; perhaps he was +simply negligent. But, whatever the reason, Paul was able to discover +the composition of the force upon which they had stumbled with a good +deal of exactness. He learned to what regiment their escort belonged, +and he also saw numbers on helmets and other identifying marks that +supplied him with much other information. Neither he nor Arthur knew +the real meaning of what they saw, but both boys knew that if they +reached the Belgian lines they would find officers of the intelligence +department to whom such facts would be valuable in the extreme. It was +important, as both knew, for the Belgians and their allies to know +something of the German plan. + +Paul, indeed, had spoken of that very point to Arthur after their +arrest. + +"If we see what regiments are here, others can use what we tell them to +determine what army corps are being used in this attack, and perhaps +what the general plan is," he had said. "Then the French will know +where to mass their troops." + +"Last stop!" said the soldier, finally. Some time before they had +passed a sentry and for nearly a mile they had seen only outposts. "I +must go back now. You are all right. We have passed the last of our +posts. The next soldiers you see will be Belgians, unless we have +cavalry in this direction. Perhaps this is a mistake. It might be +better if I shot you myself, to make sure--eh?" + +"You needn't trouble," said Arthur, and the soldier roared with +laughter. + +"All right, then, I won't!" he declared. "You are good boys. I am +glad they let you go. But what will you do? You live in Liege, don't +you? You can't get back there." + +"We have friends in Brussels," said Paul. "I think we shall do very +well now, thank you." + +"Good! Then I will go back, and you will go forward--so! Good-bye!" + +"Good-bye!" they echoed. + +He drew himself up, stiffly, saluted, and then, laughing, broke into +the famous German goose step, used as a mark of respect to superior +officers, for a few paces. In a few moments he was gone. + +"I don't believe he wanted to come into Belgium and fight against us," +said Arthur. "He was splendid to us, wasn't he? And the colonel was +kind, too. It made me feel--oh, I don't know--" + +"As if we were being sneaky? I know just what you mean. I felt like +that, too. But I told myself that we couldn't think of whether we +liked a few Germans who were good to us--that they weren't just people, +they were part of the enemy." + +"Yes. That's what I thought of, too. But it was hard just the same, +Paul. I did feel like a sneak. But I suppose we are doing what is +right." + +"I wish there was some way of getting the news of what we've learned +to-night into Liege," said Paul, frowning. "I don't see just what it +all means, but I'm quite sure it's important. I tell you what--I +believe they're sending even more troops into Belgium than anyone +thought they would. That soldier was from a regiment that is stationed +with the army corps that has its headquarters in Koenigsburg, near the +Russian border. It seems to me they are going to leave fewer troops +there than anyone expected. Perhaps the staff knows that, but then +perhaps it doesn't." + +"If we get to Huy they can send word from there," said Arthur. "They +must have wireless working, even if the Germans have cut all the wires." + +"That's so! I hadn't thought. I don't know just where we are, though, +do you?" + +"Not exactly. They tried to keep us from finding out, I think. But I +watched the stars whenever I could, and I think if we turn to the right +here and keep on northeast, we'll come to the river road from Liege to +Huy. Then we shouldn't have any trouble at all, so far as I can see." + +Paul looked up at the stars himself, studied the lay of the land for a +moment, and then nodded in agreement. + +"Yes," he said. "That's what we'll have to do. Come on, then. We'll +cut across the fields. I'd rather do that than take chances on finding +a path or a road. It can't be so very far, do you think so?" + +"No. Listen, Paul! What's that?" + +The exclamation was prompted by a sudden roar in the direction as +nearly as they could guess of Fort Boncelles. At the same time the +great searchlights that were steadily sweeping earth and air from the +forts around Liege seemed to focus on one spot--the spot, they soon +determined, from which the renewed sound of heavy firing came. + +"That must be the attack on Fort Boncelles that we were afraid of," +said Paul. + +"Well, they were ready for it, Paul. You don't think it can succeed, +do you?" + +"I think we ought to know pretty soon. No, I don't see how a fortified +position can be carried by an infantry attack when its garrison is +entirely prepared, unless the force is so overwhelming that the +attacking force can lose an awful lot of men--more men than the Germans +have altogether, if we saw all, or even nearly all, of them." + +They stayed where they were for a few minutes, listening to the firing. +For the first time the note of real hand-to-hand fighting came into the +battle din. They could hear the crashing volleys of rifle fire, and +the explosive crackling of machine guns coming into play for the first +time. That was confirmation enough of their guess that a regular +assault on the line of forts was in progress. + +"You see that just shows how important it is for them to capture Liege +quickly, Arthur," said Paul. "They know perfectly well that when they +bring up a few more army corps and their big guns they can batter the +forts to pieces and just overwhelm our garrison." + +"But they want to have the path clear for the extra army corps. That's +what you mean, isn't it, Paul?" + +"Exactly. They want the way through and around Liege clear, so that +the great army, when it's all ready, can sweep straight on and strike +the French before they're ready for them. They don't want to bother +with us at all. So they're willing to lose all those men just to save +a few days." + +"But why are a few days so tremendously important to them?" + +"They've got to strike before France is ready, because they can't use +their whole army against France. They must keep a great many corps to +use against Russia, or else Russian soldiers will get to Berlin before +the Germans get to Paris. And their chance is to do it in the first +few days of the war. France takes nearly a week longer than Germany to +mobilize, and Russia almost a month longer than either France or +Germany. You see what we will do at Liege and Namur is to hold up the +Germans long enough to make up for their being able to mobilize more +quickly." + +The firing was dying away now; the heavy guns resumed their work, and +the lighter machine guns were silent. + +"I think they've repulsed the attack all right," said Paul. "That's +why the fire has slackened. Come on! We really haven't so much time +to lose." + +So they struck off from the road, crossing into a field full of grain. + +"It seems a shame to trample down this grain, but it's got mighty +little chance of being harvested this season anyhow," said Arthur. + +"Yes. The German army will advance this way probably, and, even if it +didn't, I don't believe there would be men enough to garner the crop." + +Suddenly Arthur stumbled. He had walked against a man who was lying +amid the grain. Now the man started up with a cry. And they both +recognized Ridder--the man who had dropped the all-important plans! + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +A CLOSE SHAVE + +Blind instinct sent them both running, though a moment of reflection +would have told them that to run was the worst thing they could have +done. Ridder had been asleep and he did not arouse himself fully at +first. And perhaps that saved them. He did fire after them once but +his aim was bad, and before he could fire again they had leaped a hedge +and dropped out of his sight into a sunken road that crossed the fields +parallel to the course they were taking toward the river road to Huy. +They had a good start and Ridder was fifty yards behind them when they +reached the shelter of the road. Here Paul pulled himself together. + +"Stop!" he said to Arthur, seizing his chum by the arm. "Here, get +right into the shadow of the hedge here, at the side of the +road--there's almost a ditch, too. If he follows us, he may go +straight on, and he won't know which direction we took. It's the best +chance we have to escape." + +"Do you think he recognized us?" asked Arthur. + +"I don't know. But our running away like that made him suspicious--we +can be sure of that much, anyhow. Look out! I hear him coming!" + +Down they crouched, just in time. Ridder came tumbling through the +hedge, growling fiercely. + +"If I were sure!" he said fiercely and under his breath, so that they +could scarcely hear him. "Those verflutchen boys! If I knew that they +were the ones who stole my papers!" + +In the middle of the road he paused and rubbed his eyes. He reeled a +little as he stood; it was plain that the man was in the last stages of +exhaustion. The two scouts, even without knowing in detail what the +duties of a spy in wartime might be, could understand Ridder's +exhaustion. They could guess how much he must have done since they had +last seen him. + +As they crouched, watching him, he dropped his head, like a dog looking +for a scent suddenly vanished, and seemed to hesitate, wondering which +way to go. He circled around, apparently looking for something to +guide him. The road was hard, and baked dry. There had been no rain +for a good many days, and so their footprints did not show. Ridder +tossed his head at last in decision. The two scouts began to breathe +again in a more normal fashion when he turned down the road and went +along, still muttering. He swayed from side to side as he walked. + +"Poor chap!" said Paul, finally. "I feel sorry for him! And I'm +certainly glad he was so tired! I wouldn't give much for our chances +if he had caught us. He knows by this time, you can be sure, what we +did with those plans." + +"I don't feel sorry for him--he's a spy!" said Arthur. + +"We're spies, too," said Paul, soberly. "And a good many Belgians will +be spies, and Frenchmen, too, before this war has been going on very +long. It's not nice work. There isn't the glory and the excitement +about it that there is for the soldiers who are doing the fighting. +But a spy does more for his country, if he succeeds in getting some +really important information, than a whole regiment of men who do +nothing but fight." + +"I suppose so," admitted Arthur, grudgingly. "It's safe to go on now, +isn't it?" + +"Yes. I don't think we'll find our friend Ridder in the next field! +And I hope we won't run into any more Germans of any sort." + +As they walked along, the searchlights still flashed to their right and +at intervals sounds of heavy firing came to them from the same +direction. But the steady, ceaseless cannonading was over, and there +had been no renewal of the sounds that indicated fighting at close +quarters. Liege, it was easy to understand, was holding out. + +Their course across the fields finally brought them to the river road, +where they felt themselves at home. This road they knew thoroughly, +having traversed it many and many a time. Now they were well on their +way to Huy and felt that there was no reason now why they should not +arrive safely. But suddenly Paul stopped. + +"There's no use in our getting to Huy before morning, before it's +light, anyway," he said. "The sentries wouldn't let us by. You know +this is wartime. We're not used to that yet. Everything is changed. +I'm tired, and I know you are, too. I think the best thing we can do +is to get some sleep. We can't tell what we may not have to do after +we get to Huy, and we'd better be fresh and ready for whatever turns +up." + +"I am tired," admitted Arthur. "I think you're right. Where shall we +sleep?" + +"We'll find a place before long," said Paul. "How peaceful it is here! +If we couldn't see the searchlights and hear the guns now and then +there'd be nothing to make it seem as if there was real fighting going +on within a few miles." + +Houses were fairly frequent as they went along, but all were dark. +Their occupants, if they had not fled from the nearness of war, were +all asleep. They were farm houses in the main; here, as everywhere in +Belgium, the land was cut up into innumerable tiny patches, even +smaller than the peasant farms of France. In the fields were endless +rows of vegetables--beans, turnips, cabbages, and garden truck of all +sorts. This was the sort of country that had made Belgium known for +years as the vegetable garden of Europe. Finally they stopped near a +dark house, and made themselves comfortable in the lee of a haystack. +And there they slept until the light of the sun came to rouse them. +They awoke to see a peasant boy staring stupidly at them. + +"Good-morning!" said Paul, rousing himself. "Can we get breakfast in +your house if we pay for it?" + +"I suppose so," said the peasant. "My mother may have some for you. +My father has gone to fight." + +They followed him to the little cottage, and there they got what the +woman could give them for breakfast--eggs and milk, as it turned out. +In a few days, though she did not realize this, neither would be +obtainable thereabout at any price; the German host would have spread +over the countryside like a swarm of locusts. Perhaps it would pay for +what it ate, but it would eat at all events, regardless of that, and +the money it might leave in the place of the food it took would be +valueless, since money can buy nothing when there is nothing to be sold. + +But these were things of which neither the peasant woman nor the two +scouts thought. They ate their breakfast with relish, not having +realized until they saw the food how hungry they really were, and then, +refreshed in mind and body, they began the last stage of their journey +to Huy. They had not so very far to go and they entered the Belgian +city to the tune of the distant cannon at Liege. + +In Huy there was little to make one think of war. People were grouped +in the streets, waiting eagerly for the news of what was going on at +Liege, for all sorts of rumors were spreading about. On one side it +was said that England had already declared war and had destroyed the +German fleet; on the other that England had refused to fight at all. +But most of the people of the town went about their business in the +most unconcerned way, as if the invasion of the country could not +possibly affect them, and their own affairs were still the most +important things in the world for them. + +There was only a small force of Belgian troops in Huy, as Paul and +Arthur soon learned. And, to their dismay, they found that the officer +in charge refused absolutely to listen to them! He was a pompous, +greatly excited little man, most of whose service had been in the +Congo, and he laughed at the suggestion that they could have +information of value. + +"But if you will send a wireless message to Liege Major du Chaillu will +tell you that our information is correct," pleaded Paul. "At least he +will tell you that we gave valuable news before, and that we can be +trusted." + +"There are other things for the wireless to do in times like these," +said the officer pompously. "Be off with you, now. I have no time to +waste on boys!" + +"No wonder the Germans can win!" said Paul, bitterly. "What chance has +an army with an officer so stupid as that?" + +He had given up the attempt to convince the commandant, for it was +obvious that they would only waste time and breath if they persisted. + +"But what are we to do?" asked Arthur. "We must let them know in some +way." + +"We must go to Brussels," said Paul. "There are those there who will +know that we can be trusted, and we may find a way of getting a +wireless message through to Major du Chaillu." + +But, as they soon found, it was one thing to decide to go to the +capital, and quite another to accomplish their desire. The railway was +choked by military movements. Troops and supplies of all sorts had +usurped every means of travel, except by walking. Though Huy itself +might appear to be normal, no other part of the country was, as it was +easy to discover when an attempt was made to do even the most ordinary +things. + +"Well, if we can't ride, we can start walking," said Paul. "If we wait +here we'll never get anywhere, that's sure. There's more confusion +here than there was at Liege, and a lot less reason. The thing to do +is to get away before they close the town up absolutely, so that we +can't even do that." + +But even that resolution could not be carried out without difficulties. +For some reason--they learned later that it was because new troops were +advancing from that direction--they were not allowed to pass along the +road leading to Namur, which was the logical one for them to take in an +effort to reach Brussels. Their plan had been to pass through Gembloux +and Wavre, after turning around Namur. They were obliged, instead, to +start back toward Liege, turning north after a few miles and heading +for the railroad at Saint Trond. + +"If we get that far I think we'll have a chance to get on a train," +said Paul. "From all I hear, there will be troops there, covering +Brussels." + +"Covering Brussels? But it's nowhere near the city!" exclaimed Arthur +in great amazement. + +"That doesn't matter, Arthur. Brussels will be defended at long range +or not at all. If the Germans get past Tirlemont and Haelen they will +get to Brussels, I think, without any more opposition." + +"But why? There are no fortifications there." + +"I believe there are--by this time," said Paul. "Earthworks, at least. +You see, it would simply mean terrible destruction and suffering if a +city like Brussels were defended. It has no forts, and it would be a +simple matter for the Germans to stand off and bombard it. It is like +that with Louvain. It would be better to let the Germans capture that +town without resistance than to force them to bombard it and destroy +the famous old buildings there. If a great city cannot be defended by +an army fifty miles away, it is better not to defend it at all." + +The idea of such a tame yielding of Brussels, where he had been born +and had lived most of his life, seemed to depress Arthur greatly. For +a long time they went along in silence. Then a peasant came along with +a cart and offered them a ride. This man seemed to know little or +nothing of the war, although, like them, he must have been able to hear +the sullen growling of the cannon from Liege, that showed the fortress +was still holding out. They rode for several miles with this man, +until he had to turn off. Then they began walking again. And now, +before them, directly in their path but still some considerable +distance away, they saw smoke rising on the horizon, a pall heavy, +brownish smoke with patches of black. It was not at all like the faint +haze that hung over Liege, the result of smokeless powder. + +"There must be a fire," said Arthur. + +"I should think so," said Paul, grimly. "The Uhlans are ahead of us, +Arthur." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE CIVIC GUARDS + +That this was no mistaken guess they soon learned. Half a mile of fast +walking brought them to a small village, and there they met a stream of +panic-stricken refugees, fleeing from their own burning homes a little +further on. The people of the village swarmed about the newcomers, +exclaiming in horror and anger at their stories. Paul and Arthur +listened. + +German cavalry, it seemed, had ridden in early that morning, and posted +notices, in German, French and the Walloon dialect that many of the +peasantry still used. These notices warned all the people that the +German army had occupied the town or village, and that no act of +violence against the invaders must be committed. All arms, it read, +were to be surrendered, and certain rules about keeping lights in every +window and having all doors unlocked must be strictly obeyed. + +If obedience were given, said the Germans, no harm would be done to the +occupied places or any of their citizens. + +"Then they rode away," a woman was saying. "And presently foot +soldiers came in their places. And--a shot was fired. It struck an +officer. Then they went into the house where the man who fired the +shot had been, and they brought out every man they found in it, and +killed them right before all of us, before they set the house on fire. +And they set other houses on fire, too, where they said they found guns +and pistols! They said we were murderers! Is it murder to defend +oneself in time of war? My man is with the army! Is he a murderer?" + +Arthur was panting with anger as he listened. Paul, seeing this, drew +him aside. + +"I suppose you think she's right, don't you, Arthur?" he asked, quietly. + +"Of course! If you were in your home and you saw German soldiers +coming, wouldn't you shoot as many as you could?" + +"Perhaps. But I'd expect them to take me out and shoot me, when they +caught me, and burn my house. I wouldn't call them brutes and +barbarians for doing it." + +"But why? Isn't it war to attack the enemy?" + +"Yes, if soldiers do it. Soldiers ought to fight soldiers. If women +and men who aren't in uniform fight, they must expect to be attacked +themselves. Listen, Arthur! If our soldiers were in Germany they'd +have to do just what the Germans are doing here, to protect themselves. +They'd have to frighten the people into playing fair, if it couldn't be +done any other way. It isn't fair to hide and shoot a man who isn't +expecting it, is it? At any rate, those are the laws of war. France +and Belgium have agreed to them, and bound themselves by them, just as +the Germans have done. So we can't complain if the Germans stick to +the rules. Don't do anything foolish now. The Germans may be here any +minute, if they're as close to us as these people say." + +"I'll do whatever you say, Paul," Arthur agreed, finally. "But it +doesn't seem sensible to me." + +"It is sensible and right, believe me," said Paul, earnestly. "And I +think we'll stay here, Arthur, for a little while, anyway. I believe +there'll be a chance for us to do some good work here. If we can keep +these poor people from acting so that the Germans will destroy their +village it will be a good thing, won't it?" + +"Ye--es, I suppose so. Yes, I can see that, Paul. Even if I think +it's all wrong, I can see that the Germans are too strong. They can do +whatever they like, whether it's right or not." + +"That's one way to look at it," said Paul. "That's one of the things I +hope to try to make them understand--that they'd better submit to +injustice than lose their homes. Might makes right, though the Germans +have a good excuse for acting in the way they do." + +"Still I don't see what good we can expect to do, Paul. These people +here don't know us, and I don't believe they'll pay any attention to +anything we say," deep doubt written on his face. + +"I think perhaps they will, Arthur. You see, we're in uniform and I'm +hoping that they don't know anything about the Boy Scouts here. They +may think our uniform means that we're connected with the army in some +fashion, and respect it." + +"I didn't think of that! I say, that would be rather good fun, +wouldn't it?" + +"Look!" said Paul, suddenly. "That's just what I was afraid of!" + +A dozen men, in ill assorted and badly fitting uniforms, were coming +from the inn that was the dominating feature, aside from the inevitable +parish church, of the village. + +"They belong to the civic guard," said Paul. "I'm afraid they are +going to try to resist the Germans. Look at those guns!" + +"They're the old-fashioned ones they used in the army years ago, aren't +they, Paul?" + +"Yes, and they'd be about as much good against the new German rifles as +so many pea-shooters!" + +The sight of the patchwork uniforms, worn by armed men, seemed to be a +magnet for the panic-stricken inhabitants of the village. So far the +people had been far too busy with their fears and their eagerness to +save themselves to pay any attention to the two scouts, and so Paul and +Arthur were able to attach themselves to the crowd and follow the civic +guardsmen without exciting too much attention. There were curious +glances at their uniforms, but Paul was well pleased by this. He +wanted the people to notice their khaki suits, and he was glad that +they seemed to be rather mystified. + +The leader of the guardsmen was a big, burly man, by trade a butcher. +Under his direction his men and a host of volunteer helpers proceeded +to erect a barricade across the road by which, it seemed, the Germans +must enter the village if they came. Old furniture, broken down +wagons, mattresses--anything that came to hand was used in building the +barricade. Then it was covered in front with branches of trees and +bushes. + +"There!" said the big butcher, when it was done to his satisfaction. +"Now we can take up our place behind that--and God help the German +pigs! Jean, do you and Marcel go up in the windows of Boerman's house, +there, and make holes in the shutters to shoot through. If they drive +us from this barricade we will take to the houses and the roofs, and do +what we can from there." + +A cheer greeted his speech. + +"Now we shall be safe!" said one woman. "Ah, if they had had one like +Raymond the butcher to show them how to fight, those poor people would +not have been driven from their homes! He is a man!" + +"I think so, too, Paul!" whispered Arthur. "It's something to make a +fight like this, isn't it?" + +"Yes, it is something," said Paul. "It's suicide, that's what it is! +How long can they stand against the Germans? They will throw their own +lives away and they won't save the village. Instead, they will simply +make it certain that it will be destroyed. The Germans won't fight +them on even terms. If they find that the place is to defended they'll +bring a couple of guns into action! and shell the place. In five +minutes every house will be on fire, and they will shoot down the men +as they try to run from the flames. Wait! I'm going to see what I can +do!" + +Arthur did not seem to be convinced. But when Paul ran forward and +stood before the crowd by the barricade, Arthur was by his side. He +was like a good soldier, obeying his superior officer, as he felt Paul +was, even though he neither understood nor approved the orders he +received. + +Now, indeed, the khaki uniforms of the scouts attracted their share of +attention. There was a murmur of surprise; one or two lads laughed +aloud. But the chief emotion of the crowd was one of curiosity. As +Paul walked up to the big self-satisfied butcher, the noise behind the +barricade died away. + +"Are you the leader here?" asked Paul. + +"Yes--chosen by the Garde Civique of the village of Hannay, in this +time of danger!" announced the butcher, swelling up with pride. + +"Then it is your duty to save the people entrusted to your care by +ordering them to go to their homes and to stay there quietly if the +Germans come," said Paul. "Also to call upon your guards and all +others in the village to give up their arms and on no account to fire a +shot against the Germans if they come." + +"Eh?" said the astonished Raymond. "Is that the way to save the +village from the Germans?" + +"Is it not better to give in to them and know that no one will be hurt +than to make it necessary for them to fire with their cannon? As for +your men, they can do nothing here. If they want to serve their +village and their country, let them enlist in the army." + +"Eh?" said Raymond again. He was half angry and wholly puzzled. Paul +did not defer to him at all; he spoke aggressively, and as if he were +entirely sure of himself and of what he was saying. "Who are you, that +you come here giving orders?" + +"I'm giving no orders," said Paul. "I am only telling you what the +government wishes. The Germans do not recognize the Garde Civique as +soldiers at all. They are treated as spies, or as outlaws. Any man +who bears arms against the Germans, or shoots at any German, will be +shot as soon as he is caught." + +Paul spoke purposely in a loud tone. He saw that his words were making +an impression, not so much on Raymond as on some of the others. + +"They won't make prisoners of war of you, you see," he said. "Those +who aren't killed by the shells will be caught, and then they will be +shot or hung. They won't be sent back to Germany, to be safe and +sound, with plenty of food and a good place to sleep. They will be +treated just like men who kill other men in time of peace, except that +they won't have a trial." + +"What of it?" asked Raymond, who was beginning to realize that this +sort of talk was bad for his authority. "We can only die once for the +Fatherland! Isn't that so?" + +"Then die so that it will be of service for you to die!" said Paul. +"Tear down your barricade. Give up your arms. And then let those of +you who want to fight go to Huy and enlist. There will be plenty of +fighting for you then, and if you are captured you will be treated like +soldiers, and not like murderers and robbers. If you were not patriots +you would not be willing to do this. Then why not do what will be +useful?" + +For a moment there was silence. Raymond stood still, his mouth open, +staring at the two scouts. And then there came sudden aid for Paul. +From behind the barricade a small, determined looking woman appeared. +She marched straight up to Raymond. + +"Give me that gun!" she said. + +There was a titter and in a moment it had spread until it became a roar +of laughter. Raymond the blusterer, wholly unnerved by the sudden +appearance of his small wife, surrendered at once, and without +conditions. + +"Be off, the rest of you!" she said. "I daresay the young gentleman is +quite right! As if you could fight against the Germans here!" + +Raymond's wife had given the rest a cue. In a few moments the +barricade was being dismantled. In five minutes peace reigned. And +Raymond, entirely subdued now, came to Paul. + +"Need we give up our arms?" he asked. + +"You know what the Germans order," said Paul. "Perhaps they have no +right to do so, but they have the strength to enforce their orders, and +that is what counts, after all. Believe me, I would like to fight. +But when there is no chance of winning, the wise soldier saves himself +for a day when things will be more even. Look, there are the Germans +coming now!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +SUBMISSION + +It was true. A dozen Uhlans rode into the village, trotting along on +their big, rawboned horses, as coolly as if they had been on parade in +Berlin. Only these men did not look like parade soldiers. Their +uniforms were of the neutral gray that faded into the background at +short distances, and they were dirty and travel worn, besides. Their +horses, however, were still in fine condition, for it was a part of +their training to see to it, wherever they were, that their mounts were +properly cared for. + +The soldiers ignored entirely the few people who still remained outside +their houses. Most of the villagers, impressed by what Paul had said, +or, like Raymond, the blustering butcher, more afraid of their wives +than of the foreign enemy, had gone within, and the place was very +quiet. But those who had not gone in greeted the Germans with sullen +looks, which did not provoke so much as a smile. + +One of the Uhlans, evidently detailed in advance for the duty, produced +proclamations and orders, like the ones the refugees had described. +These he affixed to posts and buildings in conspicuous places. Then he +joined his fellows, and the little troop rode on, with a clattering of +hoofs to the mairie, the official centre of Hannay. There stood the +maire, a small, spectacled, frightened man, with the parish priest to +support him, waiting for them. Paul and Arthur drew near to listen. + +"Which is the burgomeister?" asked a young lieutenant with closely +cropped head and a tiny blonde moustache, which he had tried in vain to +cultivate so that it would resemble the moustache that the German +Kaiser's pictures have made famous. Paul noticed that this young +officer spoke excellent French, with hardly a trace of an accent. It +impressed him as showing how well the Germans had prepared for this war +that apparently only they had known was bound to come. + +"It is I," said the little man very promptly. + +"Say 'Sir!' when you speak to a German officer!" thundered the +lieutenant. "And salute! Tell all your people to do so, also." + +"Yes, sir," said the maire. "But how are we to know it is an officer +we see? We poor people do not understand all about your uniforms." + +"If you are in doubt, salute every German soldier," said the officer +contemptuously. "They are worthy of your salutes in any case, and it +will be better for your people to salute a thousand soldiers without +the necessity of doing so than to fail to salute one officer who is +entitled to the honor." + +"Yes, sir," said the maire, meekly. + +"Hannay is occupied by the German army," said the lieutenant, then, +smiling a little at the maire's timidity. Was he wondering if a German +burgomeister would submit as tamely were it a German village that had +witnessed the arrival of invading troops? Probably not! Few German +officers in those days thought it possible that an enemy's foot would +ever tread the soil of the fatherland. No such fear had yet assailed +them. + +"You and your people," the lieutenant went on, "must observe exactly +the rules that are posted in the proclamations, especially with regard +to arms. We shall not remain here, but other troops will arrive before +nightfall. When they come all arms must be piled here, waiting for +them. Five hundred loaves of bread, a hundred hams, twenty-five +barrels of flour, five steers and ten barrels of wine are +requisitioned, and must be turned over to the commissary department +upon its order." + +The maire threw up his hands in horror. + +"But, sir, we are poor people!" he cried. "We shall starve if all +those things are required of us! We shall not have enough for our own +needs." + +"That is your concern," said the German officer indifferently. "The +German army must be supplied; it is delayed in Belgium because of the +unwarranted resistance of the Belgian government to its peaceable +passage." + +"But--" + +"Silence! No argument! You will provide the supplies that are +required. In addition all gasoline in the place is to be collected and +turned over to the proper authorities. Payment will be made for all +private property that may be taken." + +He barked out a sharp order then, and the Uhlans rode on. Paul turned +to Arthur, whose eyes were blazing. + +"Did you hear that?" he cried. "He talks as if we were to be blamed +for defending ourselves! Is that the way the Germans mean to talk?" + +"I suppose so," said Paul. "I have heard before that they would do +that. They say, you see, that all they wanted was permission to send +their troops across Belgium to reach France. Perhaps they really +believed that we should not resist. If we had not, they would not have +damaged the country, and perhaps if they had won in the war, they would +have paid for whatever injury was done. But how absurd! If we had +allowed that, without making any further attempt to stop them, we +should really have been just as badly off." + +"I don't understand that, Paul. I would rather see the whole country +ruined than have it act so, but if we had made no resistance they could +not have done things like this, could they?" + +"No, perhaps not. But think a minute, Arthur. The French, then, would +have come over the border on their side. The French and German armies +would have met in Belgium, and neither would have considered our poor +country. They would have fought in our fields, and seized our forts. +Each would have bombarded our cities, and neither would have been our +friend. Now, as it is, we are suffering for France, and France and her +ally, England, must take our part. Perhaps they will not be strong +enough to save us at once, but they will be obliged to stand by us, for +the sake of their own honor." + +"Yes, that is true. We shall have friends, at least. Oh, Paul, I +suppose it was right not to attack those Germans, but when that officer +spoke so, I could have tried to kill him with my bare hands!" + +"He is a bully, Arthur. I suppose there are officers like that in +every army. But all the Germans are not like him. You must remember +that there are some, at least, like Colonel Schmidt who gave us our +freedom after we had been caught. He was kind to us, and he would have +been courteous here, had he been in the place of this lieutenant." + +Now, when the Uhlans had gone, the people began to come out of their +houses again. News of the demand that had been made upon Hannay spread +rapidly, and after a little while there was a great deal of bustle and +confusion as efforts were made to obtain what was required. The maire +came to Paul and asked him what the Germans would do if the things were +not provided. + +"I don't know," said Paul. "And I think it would be better not to find +out, if you can possibly get them. Have them ready, and then when the +new force comes, see if the commander is not more reasonable than the +officer who was here. But it is better to take no chances. And he +said that they would pay." + +"Yes, that is so," said the distracted little man. "Eh? Well, I +suppose we had better do as you say. Our lives and our homes are worth +more than the food to us." + +But there were sullen, angry looks among the villagers as they went +about their preparations. There seemed to be a revulsion of feeling in +favor of the plan of resistance of Raymond, the butcher, and there were +scowls for Paul, who had spoiled that plan. + +"I think there is nothing more that we can do here," said Paul to +Arthur. "Let's go on. It's just as important as ever for us to get +somewhere where the information we have can be of use. Everything I +see makes me more and more certain that the principal German attack +will be delivered in this direction. And I am not sure that that is +generally known yet. I heard officers in Liege, when we were waiting +to see General Leman, say that the French were planning a great +movement from Belfort, that they thought the Germans were likely to +make a powerful attack from Alsace and Lorraine. If so, their +information is wrong." + +"But they must know by this time that the Germans are coming through +Belgium instead, in great force, I should think." + +"Perhaps. Perhaps not. They may think it is a feint. It might be, +too. You see, they are throwing out their cavalry. We saw a dozen +Uhlans, but there must be two or three thousand dozen of them. They +are like a great human screen, thrown in front of the army. A screen +with eyes. They hide what is going on behind them from the enemy, but +they themselves can see plainly." + +"But even if it is true, I should think it might work both ways, Paul. +If the French advance from Belfort, and the main body of the Germans is +in this quarter, won't the French in Alsace win very easily?" + +"Perhaps, just at the beginning. But this is the great danger. If the +Germans could advance on this line without meeting any great +resistance, they would be able to swing around and get in the rear of a +French army that had crossed the border into Alsace, but the French +army could not come into a position to threaten the rear or the +communications of the Germans. There might be a great disaster. And +just because it was believed that Germany would find the road through +Belgium the quickest and the easiest for an invasion of France, some +French and Belgian officers believed that if war came, Germany would +only make a threat through Belgium, and would start her real attack on +some other line." + +"Well, we ought to give the information, whether it will be of any +great use or not. It isn't for us to think about that." + +"You're right there, Arthur! Let's slip away quietly. We have done +these people here a great service, but they don't quite understand, and +I think that instead of being grateful they're almost ready to be +suspicious. Perhaps they think we were really trying to help the +Germans." + +So they slipped out of the village. If any of the villagers of Hannay +noticed, they said nothing. They had enough to keep them busy and to +occupy their minds, as well. They were learning that this war, of +which they knew so little, was affecting them almost as much as if they +were actually fighting. + +Outside of Hannay, as they moved along toward the north the ground rose +gradually, and the road brought them, in less than a mile, to the top +of a hill that gave them an excellent view of the surrounding +countryside. From Liege there still came the thunder of the big guns, +but from other directions they gathered evidence that the fortress was +no longer guarding the country. It was still holding out, and was +undoubtedly keeping a great many Germans busy. But more Germans had +swept around it, and the evidences of their activities were plain. + +On all sides smoke was rising, marking burned farmhouses, even whole +villages that for one reason or another had been given to the flames. +They could see now the smoking ruins of the village whence the refugees +who had really caused them to stop in Hannay had come, a scene of +desolation that looked all the worse for the bright sunlight in which +it was bathed. That same sunlight, too was reflected ever and again on +tiny points of steel. + +"Uhlans--the sun shines on their lance heads," explained Paul. He +looked gloomily at the scene. "Ah, they will have to pay! Perhaps an +enemy will cross the Rhine and carry fire and sword into their lands, +too. I hope so--for the sake of the poor, homeless ones." + +"But you said it was wrong for them to defend themselves--that the +Germans had the right to do like that!" said Arthur, wonderingly. + +"I said it was wrong for them to give the Germans an excuse to destroy +their homes and kill their men," said Paul. "Wrong only because it is +useless." + +The descending road turned just below the crest of the hill on which +they stood. And suddenly a bugle sounded, startlingly near. The two +scouts had been so occupied in watching the country for miles about +that they had given no heed to what might be going on close by. And so +now while they stood in amazement and dismay, German soldiers began to +appear over the hilltop, and in a moment they were surrounded by +hundreds of the men whose uniforms were so familiar. It was a +battalion of German infantry, and in a minute more they had been +seized, and were being escorted to the rear, where in a few moments a +burly major, plainly a soldier of the old school, and the commander of +the battalion, questioned them. + +They told their story plainly and truthfully, though they omitted, of +course, all the incidents of the adventurous period between their +discovery of the spy Ridder and their first capture. + +"We are only doing what Colonel Schmidt told us to do, sir," said Paul. +"We explained to him that we would try to reach Brussels, and after we +got to Huy, we were compelled to come this way." + +The major nodded. + +"Pfadfinder, hein?" he said. This, as both Paul and Arthur knew, was +what the Boy Scouts were called in Germany, just as in France and +Belgium they were called Eclaireurs Francais or Eclaireurs Belges, as +the case might be. "You can go no further this way. We shall take you +to Hannay, and there you will have to stay for a time. No civilians +are allowed at this time to leave their own villages. The whole +country beyond here is a battleground, for we shall soon be in touch +with the enemy on the way to Brussels. Still, you shall be safe +enough. I have a boy of my own, who is a Pfadfinder with a troop in +Eisenach." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE BUTCHER'S WIFE + +Major Kellner was walking. + +"I am saddle weary," he explained. "So I am walking for a time for a +rest and a change, while they lead my horse. Walk with me, you young +ones." + +They found that Major Kellner, gruff as he was, was really an officer +of the same kindly type as Colonel Schmidt, whom it seemed he knew very +well. + +"If Colonel Schmidt was satisfied to let you go, it is well," he said. +"Now tell me what you have seen." + +There was not much, of course, that they could tell him. He was not +trying, it seemed, to extract military information from them, but +wanted to know how the Belgian people felt about the war. + +"We have nothing against your people," he said. "It is the stupid +government that has caused all this trouble. Had King Albert submitted +to the inevitable, his country would not have suffered. We do not wish +to be harsh with the people." + +"Then why are you burning their farmhouses and their villages +everywhere?" asked Arthur, boldly. "Standing on the hilltop, we could +see the smoke on all sides." + +Major Kellner laughed. + +"It is kind sometimes to be cruel," he said. "We have a great work to +do, and whoever stands in our way must suffer. We want the Belgians to +understand that if they do not oppose us, except with their armies, +they will be spared. But we must make an example of those who fire at +us treacherously, or who keep guns and other weapons after we have +ordered them to be given up. If we are severe with those who have +refused to heed the warning that we have given, it is so that the +others will pay more attention. It is better to burn a few villages +than to destroy your beautiful city of Brussels, is it not?" + +"But why do either?" parried Arthur then. + +"Because the lives of our soldiers must be guarded against the skulking +murderers who hide behind a window and shoot when there is no chance +for our men to reply. Our men take their lives in their hands when +they go to war, and if they die on the field of battle, they die +willingly because they know that it is for the Fatherland. So we must +preserve them for that glorious death." + +Arthur was silent. He was not convinced, but he felt that it would do +no good to argue, and Paul, moreover, had managed to look at him, so +that he understood that his chum and leader wanted him to be quiet. + +When they came near to Hannay Major Kellner mounted his horse again, +since he had to maintain his dignity when he was entering a captured +place, however small it might be. He spurred his horse on and took his +place at the head of the battalion. + +"Now we're in a nice fix, aren't we?" said Arthur, disgustedly. "We're +further from our own army than ever! Likely to stay, too!" + +"I hope that we shall be able to get away from here soon, Arthur. I +don't believe they'll hold us very long. And we're really in luck, I +suppose. If there are German troops all around, others would have held +us up, if we hadn't come on this detachment, and we've had proof for +ourselves that all the officers wouldn't treat us as well as Major +Kellner. Suppose it was that young lieutenant of Uhlans who had caught +us?" + +Arthur made a grimace. + +"Ugh!" he said. "Yes, that's true! Or a detachment that had that man +Ridder along! You're right, Paul. We might be a great deal worse off +than we are! But I'll tell you one thing. When we come back into +Hannay with the Germans, there will be a lot of people there who are +sure that we have been in league with them from the beginning." + +"I hope not," said Paul, looking troubled. "But I'm afraid you're +right. They can't understand, of course. I don't blame them for +feeling as they do. But it's rather hard, when I was only trying to do +what would be best for them. And I believe we did save them from +having a very bad time there. You see, these people have a couple of +guns along. They're not very big, and they wouldn't make very much +impression on a fortified place, but if they were turned on a +defenseless village like Hannay, they would destroy it in a very few +minutes." + +In Hannay, as the battalion marched in, past the remains of the +barricade, at which most of the men looked with a tolerant smile, the +street was again deserted. Major Kellner rode straight up to the +mairie, and Paul and Arthur could see that he was holding a conference +with the maire. The battalion was halted and during this conference +stood at ease. Then quick orders came back; never from the officers, +but always, Paul noticed, from the non-commissioned officers, to whom +the captains and lieutenants gave the commands. + +Then the battalion split up. One company broke ranks and immediately +swarmed through the village, looking curiously at everything, while the +other marched on, passing out of sight before long in a cloud of dust. +Major Kellner remained with the company that stayed behind, and Paul +and Arthur, who were at liberty, seemingly, to wander about the village +as they pleased, saw him looking for quarters in disgust. After a time +he settled upon the house of the local doctor, and there he and the +officers were soon at home. Meanwhile the men scattered themselves in +the different houses of the place, two to each house, as a rule, though +sometimes there were more. + +"Why are they staying here, I wonder?" said Arthur. + +"I don't know," said Paul, with a shrug of his shoulders. "But I +suppose there will be fighting all along here if the Germans advance on +Brussels. It's all done on orders from the staff headquarters, you +see. If I knew what sort of a force was operating here, perhaps I +could tell you. I think Liege is being attacked by one army +corps--that's about forty-five thousand men, in three divisions. These +men may be part of a division that is operating independently, or they +may be getting their orders from the headquarters of a whole army." + +"What do you mean by army? The whole German army?" + +"No. You know roughly how they will divide their forces, don't you? +An army has a certain work to do. It may be of almost any size--two +hundred, three hundred, even five or six hundred thousand men. That +is, from five to fifteen army corps. It has its own commanding +general, who is responsible to the general staff. One plan that I've +heard talked about as likely to be used by the Germans is to have two +armies coming through Belgium, one through Luxembourg, one through +Lorraine and one from the Rhine Valley. Then they would have one army +in East Prussia and another in Silesia to fight against the Russians." + +"I see. Paul, aren't you hungry? I am." + +"So am I, now that you remind me of it! Let's see if we can't buy +something to eat. I think we can, if the Germans haven't taken +everything." + +But now, as they went about trying to find someone to sell them food, +they found that Arthur's fear as to the opinion the villagers had of +them was justified by the facts. At first they met only excuses. + +"I have had to give up all I can spare for the Prussians," they were +told. + +But finally, when they went to the shop of Raymond the butcher, hoping +to buy some meat and cook it for themselves, they got plain speech. + +"Go to your Prussian friends if you want food!" said Raymond, eyeing +them angrily. "You will get none from any good Belgian in Hannay, I +can tell you!" + +"The Prussians are not our friends! They forced us to come back with +them because they had forbidden everyone to travel in the direction we +had taken," said Paul. + +"Tell that to the gatepost!" said Raymond. "Be off with you! You +fooled our people this morning, but now they know the truth." + +And so Paul and Arthur faced the prospect of going hungry. They might +have appealed to Major Kellner, who had shown himself inclined to be +friendly toward them, apparently because his boy was, like them, a Boy +Scout. But that neither of them would do. + +"I'd rather go without than ask the Germans for anything!" said Arthur. + +"So would I!" agreed Paul. "But I would like to get away from here." + +That, however, proved to be impossible. Sentries were posted all about +the village, and new notices had been added to those the Uhlans had +posted earlier in the day, forbidding anyone to leave Hannay until +permission was given by the officer in command of the German troops. + +"I could laugh if it weren't so unpleasant!" declared Paul. "These +poor people, whose village would be in ruins now except for us, think +we have betrayed them! And the Germans would send us home as +prisoners, if we were lucky, if they even guessed that it was because +of us that they were kept from taking Liege in their first attack!" + +"The only one who gave us so much as a friendly look was the wife of +Raymond, the butcher," said Arthur, thoughtfully. + +"Did you see that? So did I! I think perhaps he has got his courage +back and has frightened her--but she was on our side this morning, too. +Perhaps if we could see her alone, a little later, she would sell us +some food. I tell you what we will do. We will watch to see if he +does not go out, and then if the coast is clear, we will try her again." + +"Yes. Paul, I shall never let them send a beggar away who asks for +food if we ever get home! I know now how they must feel." + +The two scouts were in no danger of starvation, of course, and they +were plucky enough, as they had certainly proved, to be able to endure +a little discomfort if it were necessary. But they suffered the more +from their hunger because there was nothing for them to do. Until the +Germans revoked the order that kept them from leaving Hannay, they +could not make a move toward giving the proper authorities the +information they possessed. And so they tried to be patient while they +watched for Raymond to go out in the dusk that was now beginning to +fall. + +They saw him several times, when men came to his shop and went in to +talk to him. And at last, when it was almost dark, he emerged, looking +stealthily about him as he came into the street, perhaps for German +soldiers. There were none near by. All save the sentries were +gathered together about a great fire that they had built, and were +singing while the busy camp cooks prepared their supper for them. This +was the first time that Paul and Arthur had heard German troops +singing. They were to learn, before long, that that was their usual +custom when they were off duty. + +Now, as soon as the butcher was well out of sight--he had gone, they +noticed, in the direction of the barricade he had caused to be +built--the scouts went quickly to his place and went in. There was one +light placed by the door, but at first they could not see his wife. +Then they heard the sound of someone sobbing, and called. It was the +woman who had helped them in the morning. + +"Oh!" she said, chokingly. "It is you! I hoped you would come--poor +boys! Here is a parcel of bread and meat I hid for you. Oh, I am in +such trouble!" + +"Why? What is the matter?" asked Paul. + +She trembled and for a moment seemed afraid to say more. Then she +gathered her courage. + +"It is Raymond," she said. "He has concealed some guns! He and some +of the others mean to fire on the German officers!" + +"But that is madness!" said Paul. "What good does he think that will +do?" + +"He says that the men, without their officers, will be terrified and +will run away. He says it is an easy thing to do, since they think all +our men are afraid of them." + +"It ought to be stopped for their own sake, and for the sake of +Hannay," said Arthur. "I thought Paul was wrong at first, but I can +see now that he was not." + +"Do you know their plans? Tell me all you know," said Paul quickly, in +a tone of command. + +"You will not--betray them to the Germans?" + +"I am a Belgian," said Paul. "I shall try to save them and all in +Hannay from the ruin that such a thing would mean. You may trust me." + +"Then the guns are hidden in the cellar of Marcel's wine shop. They +plan to get into the cellar from the back of the house, where there is +a concealed door. Very late one of them is to raise an alarm--how I do +not know. They expect the German officers to run out of the doctor's +house, and then they will shoot them down. It will not be before +midnight." + +"Then there should be time enough to stop it," said Paul, with +decision. "Thank you for your bread and meat, madame. Perhaps we +shall repay you by saving your home and your husband's life. Come on, +Arthur." + +"What will you do, Paul?" asked Arthur, when they were alone. + +"I don't know yet, Arthur. I want to see this wine shop. Then perhaps +we can make up a plan together. It would be easy to tell the Germans, +but they would burn the wine shop. And I do not want to tell them if +there is another way." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE WINE SHOP + +In the wine shop, when they came to it, they found none of the men of +Hannay. The German soldiers, off duty for a little while, had taken +possession of the place, and the sound of their singing, which could be +heard as soon as one came within a hundred yards of the place, showed +that they were happy. The two scouts looked in as they passed the +window. They saw the invaders there, looking less like soldiers than +they had imagined German troops ever could look. A few of the men were +resting their feet, having taken off their heavy hobnailed boots, and +were sitting in their woolen socks. Some were playing cards; nearly +all were smoking. + +"It's safe enough," said Paul. "If we can find that back entrance, I +think we can get into the cellar. The worst of it is that they may +have a guard there." + +It was Arthur who found the entrance to the cellar. He led the way +down the stone steps, and they found themselves in a whitewashed vault, +scrupulously clean, as are practically all Belgian houses from garret +to cellar. There was a lantern, too, shedding a dim but most welcome +light on the place, with its rows of casks and hogsheads. + +"That's a piece of luck, that lantern," said Paul. "Only it shows +something we'll have to look out for--that we may have a visitor any +moment. Look over there, Arthur. There's a little space behind that +row of barrels. If anyone comes we can hide there." + +But Arthur had another idea. Before Paul could stop him, he sprang +lightly up the stairs that led to the room above, whence the sound of +the German soldiers came very plainly. He fumbled for a moment at the +door before he returned. + +"I thought I might find that," he said. "I've shot a bolt on the door. +That will hold anyone who tries to come down for a few moments at +least, and it will give us time to get out the way we came. We may +wish to escape, you see." + +"Good!" said Paul. "All right! Now let's try to find those guns." + +But of guns or weapons of any sort they could find no trace. They +looked behind all the barrels and casks and under every possible hiding +place. They lifted some of the barrels, though to do so was a +considerable task, and the result was the same. + +"Perhaps they have chosen some other hiding place or else the woman did +not really know, and only suspected," suggested Arthur. + +But that explanation did not satisfy Paul. And in a moment he had an +inspiration. At once he began trying to tip back the great hogsheads +at one side of the vault. The third yielded easily, and he immediately +pried off its top. + +"Aha, here we are!" he said. "Look, Arthur! I noticed that some of +these were empty, but I thought anything like a gun would rattle around +inside. But do you see what they did? They have the guns here, but +they're packed in with rags and sacking, so they can't move and make a +noise." + +"That was clever!" said Arthur. "I suppose they expected the Germans +to make a search." + +He drew out a gun, a shotgun with a sawed off barrel. The shortening +of the barrel served a double purpose. It made it possible for the gun +to be hidden in the barrel, and it made of it, also, at close range, a +far more dangerous and formidable weapon than it had been in its +original form. + +"What are we to do with them? Where shall we hide them?" + +"Nowhere. We shall put them back," said Paul. "When we have finished +with them, that is. Here, let me show you!" + +He took the sawed off shotgun, opened the breech, and in a moment had +hopelessly shattered the firing mechanism. + +"There, do you see? They'll find their guns--but they'll have trouble +in firing them! That's better than taking them away, because it's so +much safer." + +"Oh, I should say so!" + +They were busy for five minutes getting out the guns, of which there +were only a dozen all told, breaking them and then putting them back. +They left the place as they found it, and the guns themselves, +moreover, would not immediately give up the secret of how they had been +treated. + +"I wonder if we can't find the ammunition?" said Paul, when they had +finished their work with the guns. "Then we could really finish the +job." + +But the search for that proved vain. Though they looked everywhere +they came upon no hidden store of bullets or powder. Nor had Paul +really hoped that they would. + +"They'd carry that with them, naturally," he said. "Well, it doesn't +make much difference. We--" + +On the word there was a noise outside. They stopped, listening. Down +the steps by which they had entered came footsteps, and they first saw +heavy boots and then a pair of stout legs come into the range of the +lantern. For a moment they were rooted to the spot, and in that moment +the rest of the descending figure came into view, and they saw that it +was Raymond. In the same moment he saw them, and cried out sharply, +fear and anger mingled in his voice. That ended the spell that had +held them still. Arthur started a rush toward the newcomer, but Paul +caught his arm. + +"No! Upstairs!" he cried. + +As he spoke, he seized the lantern from the hook where it hung, and +swung it around, extinguishing the feeble flame at once. And then, as +Raymond with a roar of rage started toward them, he flung the lantern +straight at him. A cry of pain told him that his aim had been true, +even in the darkness, and then he leaped up the stairs after Arthur, +who was already fumbling at the bolt. In a moment they were through +the door and had burst into the midst of the astonished soldiers in the +taproom above. + +For just a moment their sudden appearance caused excitement and +confusion among the soldiers, who must have imagined that this was a +surprise attack. But then some of the men, who had seen them talking +with Major Kellner earlier in the day, recognized them and a shout of +laughter went up. + +"It is only those boys!" cried one soldier. "Here, you young ones, you +must stay to supper, now that you have come!" + +He seized Paul and forced him into a chair, while another did as much +for Arthur. + +"Come, landlord, your best for our guests!" cried half a dozen of the +soldiers. + +Marcel, the landlord, who evidently knew only too well what his cellar +contained beside wine and beer, was staring at them with a white, +panic-stricken gaze. But he turned to obey, none the less; he was in +deadly fear, it was plain, of the boyish soldiers. They might be +willing to jest now, but he knew that they were the same men who fought +like devils, and if reports were true (which they were not!) cut off +the hands of women and children. + +He brought food, and one of the soldiers handed Paul a glass of wine. + +"Now, then!" cried the German. "You shall drink a toast to the good +Kaiser Wilhelm, who is now King of Belgium as well as of Prussia, and +who will eat the first course of his Christmas dinner in Paris and fly +to London in a Zeppelin for the second! Skoal!" + +"Ja! Ja wohl! A toast to the Kaiser by the young Belgian!" cried some +of the others. + +Paul got up, the glass held firmly in his hand. His cheeks were +blazing. + +"I will give you a toast!" he cried. "To Kaiser Wilhelm! May he eat +his Christmas dinner in Saint Helena, with the ghost of Napoleon to +keep him company! And may King Albert and King George and the Czar and +the president of France enjoy a dinner that shall be served to them in +the palace of Potsdam!" + +And then he flung down the glass, so that it was shattered on the stone +floor, and the red wine ran over the white flags. + +"And so say I and every other good Belgian!" echoed Arthur. + +For a moment there was a stunned silence in the room. The German +soldiers, aghast at such daring, stared with open mouths and wide eyes. +And then there was an angry murmur, spreading from one man to another, +as the enormity of Paul's daring sank in. + +"He has insulted the Kaiser! He has dared to be disrespectful toward +our Emperor! He has refused to drink to his health!" + +"Do what you like!" cried Paul, thoroughly aroused now, as Arthur had +seen him roused only once or twice before, and utterly indifferent to +what might happen to him. "I am not afraid of you! Come, stop us if +you like!" + +And then while the angry muttering continued, and each of the German +soldiers seemed to wait for one of the others to make the first move, +Paul and Arthur, side by side, without looking to right or left, walked +out of the place and into the open air of the single street of Hannay. +For a moment, after they passed outside, they heard nothing, though +they had expected to be pursued and brought back. And then suddenly +from behind them there came the last sound they could have expected or +hoped to hear--a tremendous roar of laughter! Paul's courage in +defying them had won the admiration of the German soldiers at last. +Brave men are nearly always ready to pay a tribute to bravery in others. + +But if they had escaped from one danger, they had still to face another +and one that might be even greater, as they well knew. For Raymond, +the butcher, had seen them in the cellar. No doubt he knew by this +time what had happened to his guns, and he would certainly know who was +to blame for their condition. He would be more certain than ever that +they were traitors to Belgium, since he was too stupid to understand +how well the scouts had served him, and it was sure that he and his +cronies of the civic guard would make some attempt to secure revenge. + +Indeed, even as they came into the street, Paul saw a lurking figure +across the way, that moved as they did. + +"Don't look around," he whispered to Arthur. "But I think that Raymond +is watching us from the other side of the street. We must be careful." + +And then, suddenly, without the slightest warning, a whistling sound +that both scouts knew well after their experience during the shelling +of the German battery near their old home, was heard overhead. It was +followed in a few seconds by a terrific explosion. But fortunately the +explosion was at some distance. The shell, for it was a shell that +they had heard, burst outside of the village and did no damage. + +But it created a tremendous effect, none the less. At once the German +officers came running from the doctor's house where they were +quartered, and, as more shells burst nearby, bugles sounded, and the +German soldiers came running to the centre of the village, gathering +rapidly from the houses where they had been enjoying their brief +respite from war. Sentries and all were called in, and within three +minutes the troops were off, at the double quick, going in the +direction whence they had come to enter the village of Hannay. + +And now the comparative silence of the night, that had been broken +before then only by the dull and intermittent thunder of the guns +around Liege, was shattered in a thousand ways. Heavy firing by +infantry rifles, as well as by field guns, came from the north. It was +plain that Belgian or French troops must have been advancing with great +rapidity to interfere with the German raid on the country between Liege +and Brussels. Flashes of fire marked the bursting shells less than a +mile away, and occasional spurts of flame showed where the German guns +were replying to the sudden attack. In a moment Hannay was deserted by +the Germans. And before the villagers, led by Raymond, had collected +their scattered wits, Paul had seen the chance of escape. + +"Come on!" he cried, to Arthur. + +They ran as fast as they could after the Germans. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE BATTLE + +They had not gone more than a hundred yards when a wild outburst of +shouting behind them told them that their flight had been discovered. +At least there seemed to be no reason for the people in Hannay to raise +such a din. And the cries showed them, too, that they were being +pursued. But such a pursuit did not frighten them. They had taken to +the fields almost at once, deserting the road, and with such a start as +they had it was practically impossible for them to be overtaken, +especially by such stupid pursuers as Raymond and his men. + +So, before they had gone any great distance toward the sounds of +firing, which had now increased to a point that showed that they were +in the neighborhood of something very like a pitched battle, a general +engagement, they slowed down to a walk and waited to see what would +happen. In the road the pursuit stormed past them, but that did not +last long. In a few minutes they heard the voices of the returning +villagers, who had evidently decided that to keep on was too likely to +bring them into the field of operations. + +And so for the time at least, the two scouts were free and safe. + +"Thank heaven that's over!" said Arthur. "Paul, I never was so +frightened in my life! It seems to me that we were really between the +devil and the deep blue sea back there!" + +"We certainly were!" said Paul, with a laugh. "The Belgians thought we +sided with the Germans, and the Germans knew we didn't! I suppose it +was foolish to defy them like that, but I couldn't do anything else." + +"I should hope not!" said Arthur. "And I don't think it was foolish at +all--and neither do you, really, Paul. Perhaps they will find out, if +a few more things like that happen, that it won't be so easy to conquer +Belgium as they think, even if we are only a little bit of a country!" + +"What I'm wondering is what we'd better try to do next," said Paul, +thoughtfully. "That sounds like a real battle in front of us, Arthur. +The firing is getting heavier all the time, and on both sides, I think, +as if more and more troops were being brought up. You see, we haven't +any idea at all of what's going on, except just where we've happened to +be. We haven't had any news since the Germans caught us the first +time." + +"Can't we get to the Belgian lines?" + +"We can try, of course. We must bear well to the west, which will +bring us behind the skirmish lines. I think the place for us to try to +reach now is Tirlemont. There must be a sort of headquarters there, I +think, because it's on the railway, and any railway is important in +time of war. Yes, I believe that's where these troops must have come +from. They could be brought there from all over Belgium, you see, and +sent out to try to check the German advance." + +They could follow the line of the battle readily now, for the firing +was heavy and well marked, showing that the line along which the +fighting was going on was five or six miles long. The bursting shells, +too, dotting the darkness with patches of light every few seconds, +marked out the battle line, so that they could lay their course to get +away from it. Both of them understood the need of doing that; it was +now their business to get to some superior officers as quickly as +possible with the valuable information they possessed about the German +movements, though of course each hour of delay made it less likely that +that information would be of any value. And on the firing line, if +they were lucky enough to escape being shot, they would find no +superior officers in any case, but only men charged with the duty of +looking after their small, individual tasks, and too busy to pay any +attention to them. It was the staff headquarters they wanted to reach. + +And then, while they were going on as fast as they could, over the +stubble of the fields, there was a sudden shifting of the lines in +front of them. Immediately before them the firing was almost doubled +in violence, but on one side only. Apparently some heavier guns had +been brought up by the Germans, and they saw that a terrific fire was +being directed at the higher ground whence the flashes of the Belgian +guns had been coming. One by one these guns were silenced, and then +the bursting shells began to search out the ground in front of the +Belgian artillery. Paul cried out in dismay. + +"What is it? What's the matter?" asked Arthur. + +"I'm afraid it's going badly for us there," said Paul, gloomily. "Do +you see, they've put our guns out of business! Now they are sending +their shells right where our men must be massed. I don't believe any +troops can stand their ground long under such a fire as that." + +"They're still there--they're still answering, Paul!" + +"Yes, but listen!" + +Even above the roar of the battle now they could hear sounds of +cheering. And, on one side, much of the lighter rifle fire now died +away. + +"The Germans are advancing! It must be a charge against our men. And +they can't have had time to intrench!" said Paul. "Look! Didn't I +tell you so?" + +It was almost as if they had been able to see. They could follow the +bending of the Belgian line as it gave way before the furious advance. +The artillery firing on the German side--on the German left wing, that +is, and the Belgian right--ceased. And then, nearly half a mile beyond +where it had been before, the rifle fire broke out again. + +"There, can you tell what has happened?" asked Paul. "They've turned +our wing--they must have rushed a lot of troops this way. We're +holding them well enough on the other side and in the centre, but our +men will have to retire very soon. It's awfully bad for us, because +now the Germans are between us and Tirlemont, and I don't see how we +can get around them, because they will keep spreading out, no matter +how far we go," keen disappointment in his voice. + +"I don't see how you can tell that from here, Paul!" + +"Watch the flashes from the guns nearest us--those are the Germans, +now. The rifles, I mean--do you see, there? They're firing pretty +regularly, and the flashes are very close together. They haven't +spread out much. When they're firing, it looks as if a whole lot of +lightning bugs were flashing all at once, and it makes a line along the +ground. That's a curved line, now. A few minutes ago it was straight." + +And now the German batteries opened up again on their left flank, and +they were firing from a position that had been moved considerably +westward since they had ceased firing after the infantry had begun +pushing back the Belgian line. That was the most significant thing. +These batteries had now evidently taken up a position that, at the +beginning of the fight, had been held either by the most advanced of +the German skirmishers or by the Belgians themselves. The German +policy of concentrating the attack at one spot, which has been the +policy of great generals throughout all history, had worked well for +them again. + +But it was not the result of this fight, which could hardly be of +really great importance whatever happened, that bothered Paul. It was +the fact that by this sudden sweep of the German left he and Paul were +again in the enemy's country, and almost hopelessly cut off from +reaching the Belgian lines. For a moment he was almost ready to give +up in despair. But that was not his style at all, and he soon +recovered his spirits. + +"There's no use in sitting here and wishing that things were +different," he said, at last. "Come on! Let's get back to the road! +If we can't go behind our own lines, let's go behind the Germans, and +see how far we can get. They may be too busy to pay much attention to +us, anyhow. Oh, I wish we had some way of getting around except by +walking! We're losing all this time. That's what is going to ruin +everything for us, just when it seemed that we had a chance to do +something." + +They got back to the road from which they had turned to avoid the +enraged peasants of Hannay, and went along mournfully. Once they heard +a loud crackling, and dodged immediately into the shelter of the hedge +along the road. A German soldier, mounted on a powerful motorcycle, +sped by; but he went so fast that they might have stayed in the road +without attracting his attention. He came from behind them, from the +direction of Hannay, and Paul groaned as they went out into the road +again. + +"They must be in force in that direction, too," he said. "That shows +that it probably wouldn't have done us much good to go back around +Hannay to try to strike another road. We would only have run into a +lot more Germans, I suppose, if we had." + +"There seem to be Germans everywhere," said Arthur. "How can there be +so many of them?" + +"That is the way they go to war. It is their plan always to have more +men than the enemy. It is a good way, too. A thousand brave men +cannot beat five thousand, no matter how brave they are. The weight of +numbers has won many a battle." + +"Listen," said Arthur. "Do you hear that? It sounds as if another +motorcycle might be coming from behind us." + +They were climbing a stiff little grade, and were near the top. Paul +stopped, and listened. + +"No," he said. "That's not a motorcycle, but an automobile. I +wonder--" He stopped and thought for a moment. "It's still half a +mile or so away. It's worth trying! It would be a chance! And it can +do no harm. Arthur, do you remember how we stopped their motorcycle +when those two officers were chasing us after we had escaped from the +house where they had hidden the guns and the shells?" + +"Yes!" Arthur saw the idea at once. "We haven't any glass--but if we +could find some sharp pointed stones?" + +"Quick! Let's look!" + +They were lucky. They found something better than stones--for in the +field right beside the road they discovered a veritable treasure, a +pile of horseshoes, rusty and worn, that had been piled up there +evidently by some farmer, against the time when he should decide to +carry them all to the blacksmith to be used again. In some nails still +projected; all of them, at any rate, had some sharp points. They +worked frantically, while the song of the motor of the approaching car +seemed to din "Hurry! Hurry!" into their ears. And then, just as the +gears of the car were shifted at the bottom of the hill, and it began +its laborious ascent, they were finished. + +"Now!" cried Paul, springing back into the shadow of the hedge. "Now +we'll see whether our luck has changed! It has been against us ever +since we got to Huy. It is time, I think, that we had a little good +fortune! Perhaps it will do us no good, even if those nails and +horseshoes do puncture the tires. But we shall see!" + +On came the car. The hill was one of those long, steady ascents that +is particularly trying to a fast motor car, high geared and meant to +make great speed on the level, and it came up slowly. But just before +the real crest of the hill was reached there was a lessening of the +grade, and the driver shot into his high speed to get a good start. +That was what Paul had hoped for; that, and something else that he had +not dared to voice as a hope, so faint was the chance that it would +come true. + +Now, however, as he saw the car, he could scarcely repress a cry of +exultation. + +"There's only one man!" he said to Arthur. "Now if those nails will +only do their part!" + +The car shot forward, and in a moment there was a roar as a tire blew +out, and then another, and another. Three tires went, and a hissing of +freed air showed that the other was punctured! + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +VICTORY! + +There came a savage exclamation of rage from the solitary driver of the +car, as it swerved violently and dangerously before he could stop it. +Then, still muttering, he was out of the car and at the task of jacking +it up. Evidently he was in a fearful hurry and it was easy to guess +that his errand was one of the most pressing importance, for, though he +kicked the horseshoes away, and so evidently understood what had caused +his mishap, and knew that it could not have been accidental, he wasted +no time in looking for whoever had caused it. + +Instead he went to work with a will, ripping off the deflated tires and +attaching others. He worked fast and furiously, and with the skill of +one accustomed to the task. + +"What are we to do now? Rush him?" whispered Arthur. "We can do it +while he is bending over like that, and the two of us ought to be able +to hold him down, too." + +"We can't take any chances," Paul whispered back grimly. He showed +Arthur a horseshoe that he had retained. "He's a German officer and an +enemy, and we have a right to do anything we can to damage the enemy. +I'm going to hit him with this. If I do it right, he won't be able to +move for some time." + +Arthur shuddered a little. The idea of actually attacking a man from +behind in such a way was unpleasant. But he realized that Paul, who +had a reputation for gentleness, could like the idea as little as he +did himself, and also that it was vitally necessary to secure +possession of the car, though even yet Paul's whole plan had not come +to him. + +"All right!" he said. "Come on, then!" + +"No; wait until he has finished! We might as well let him do the work, +and have the car ready. + +"But he will do the tires on this side first! He will be on the other +side of the car afterward." + +"No, he won't. He's got to come back to side when all the tires are on +because the jack is on this side. Don't you see?" + +"Oh, yes. I didn't think." + +They waited breathlessly while the German worked. There was something +oddly familiar about him, but his long, flowing overcoat prevented them +from seeing him very well. He wore a uniform cap, fortunately, instead +of a helmet, which would have given him a much better chance since it +would have been very difficult for Paul to do what he planned with a +helmet in the way. + +Bad as the accident had been, the German worked so fast that in a very +few minutes he had all the tires on, and was pumping them up as fast as +possible. Then, when that was done, he came back, as Paul had seen +that he must, and stooped over to remove the jack that had lifted the +wheels from the ground. And that was the moment in which Paul struck. + +"Stay behind!" he whispered, to Arthur. "I may need your help if +anything goes wrong." + +Then with one leap he reached the German. He landed quietly, and, +though the German heard him and half turned, it was all over in a +second. Paul brought down his horseshoe on the officer's skull, and he +crumpled without a cry and fell in a silent heap in the roadside. + +"Quick!" cried Paul. "Look under the seat! There ought to be drinking +water there." + +Arthur found a vacuum bottle, and a big gallon bottle of mineral water. +This Paul broke, and, dipping a handkerchief in it, made a wet bandage +for the German's head. Then he dropped the vacuum bottle where the +officer must find it when he recovered consciousness. And now he did +something that surprised Arthur. He stripped off the officer's coat, +took his uniform jacket and his cap. These he himself donned, and, +though they were far too big for him, he cried out with satisfaction at +the fit of the cap. + +"Now do you see?" he cried. "I bet we could go through the German +lines like this! Hello!" + +"What's wrong?" + +"Nothing, but this is that chap Poertner--one of the men we got away +from! He was taken into Liege as a prisoner. Don't you remember? He +must have got away or else the Germans must have taken the fort where +they were holding him! I'm afraid it's that!" + +But there was no more time to be wasted. Paul leaped to the steering +wheel of the car. + +"In with you, Arthur!" he cried. "Get down, so that you won't be seen. +Down low, on the floor!" + +"Why?" asked Arthur, though he had obeyed before he asked the question. + +"You haven't any uniform. You'd be spotted at once. If they see me in +this rig, they may mistake me for a German officer, you see. That's +why I took it. I was sorry to have to do it, but it's war, and all's +fair! Now we're off!" + +On the word he turned the car around, and they were really off in +another moment, racing down the hill that the car had just climbed so +laboriously, to have its journey so ingloriously halted. + +"It's a wonderful little car. They must use a lot of these for +dispatch bearers," said Paul. "Arthur, isn't it lucky that Marcel +showed us all about how to run different sorts of cars? I hope he's +all right. I bet he enlisted too, if Uncle Henri joined the army when +he went to Brussels." + +"It runs so smoothly and it's ever so much faster than the fastest +horse, of course," said Arthur. "I suppose all the armies must be +using automobiles for this sort of work. Where are you going, Paul?" + +"I'm going to make a great big circuit, if we're not stopped before we +really get started," said Paul. "On foot we never could have got ahead +of the Germans in that sweeping flank movement of theirs. But now, +when we can make sixty miles an hour, I should think we ought to be +able to do it. I think the worst time will be right along here in the +first ten miles or so. All I'm hoping is that we don't run into the +people who know where Poertner was going in this car. I think we can +get by anyone else. But there's no telling where he did start from. +Perhaps from Huy." + +"Huy? But we were there this morning--and our troops were there, too!" +exclaimed Arthur, plainly puzzled. + +"That doesn't mean that they're there now. Huy couldn't have held out +for more than a few hours against a real attack. And we had very few +troops there. Our concentration seems to be further north." + +They swept through Hannay at a terrific pace, but not so fast as to +prevent them from seeing that the wine shop was still open and that it +was full of Raymond's men. Paul sounded a blast on the siren of his +car, the peculiar siren that indicated its military character, and +laughed at the rush of people to the door of the shop. Then they were +out in the open road again. + +And now Paul's knowledge of the geography of the country stood him in +good stead. Twinkling camp fires showed that they were running toward +a country that was literally swarming with Germans. Now more than +ever, it was plain that from all around Liege a great advance movement +was being pushed. Despite the battle that was still raging behind +them, these troops seemed to be in camp, a plain proof that the Germans +must still have troops enough and to spare behind them, though here +were fresh divisions that would not be engaged at all. + +In the southwest the lights of Huy, could be seen, but they gave no +clue as to which army held the town. Only the fires that dotted the +ground, clustered about Huy in a great semicircle, seemed to indicate +that perhaps the Germans had not yet entered the town. They were west +of it, however, though only a few, toward Namur, and Paul muttered +angrily to himself as he saw that well west of Huy the fires stretched +in a solid line between that place and the fortress of Namur. + +"We won't be able to reach Namur, I'm afraid," he said. "We might get +through, but I believe that our best chance is to swing right around +Huy, staying well inside the line of the fires, and slip past it, just +to the west. There is a bridge there, too. I don't believe we could +cross the Meuse anywhere else between Huy and Namur." + +Twice they passed roadside patrols of Germans, but Paul's appearance +was deceptive, and the soldiers simply sprang to attention as the +flying car swept by, standing with their hands raised in salute. Paul +knew that at any moment he might run into a patrol less easily +satisfied, but that was a chance that had to be taken. + +Now he was picking his way carefully, having reduced his speed a +little. Twice he boldly left the road and drove the car across the +soft ground of fields, for he had to follow a semicircle, and the road, +had he stuck to it, would have brought him right up to one of the camps +each time. But at last he was heading north and west again, and he +heaved a sigh of great relief. + +He had to sacrifice speed now for a time to certainty. To have taken a +false turn would have spelled disaster, and, though he knew the map of +the country well enough, he had never traveled these roads himself. +But soon all danger seemed to be over. They were coming nearer to the +sounds of the battle again. These had died away for a time, and the +fight had seemed to be over. But whichever side had been losing had +brought up reenforcements, and as the first faint streaks of light in +the east that foretold the dawn began to spread in the sky the din was +louder than ever. + +"Where are you trying to go?" asked Arthur. + +"To Eghezee," said Paul. "That is a fair sized town and we ought to +find a telephone exchange still working there, with wires into Brussels +that haven't been cut. There is its smoke--do you see it right ahead?" + +Arthur raised his head to look. And he saw something else. To the +right of the town, which was still two miles away, there was a moving +mass of grey. + +"There come the Germans, too!" he groaned. "And they're nearer than we +are!" + +Paul's answer was to urge the car to still greater speed. Arthur was +right. Heavy masses of Germans--Paul guessed there was a full division +of twenty thousand men--were advancing toward the town. They were +still some distance away, but they were moving fairly fast. + +"It's the railway they're after, that line runs between Namur and +Tirlemont," said Paul. "Well, we've got to risk it now. Perhaps they +will catch us, but if we have any luck we'll get our messages through." + +They came into a town that was almost wholly deserted, as it seemed. +The Germans had given warning of their coming, and the people had fled. +But in the building that was used by the telephone system there were +still signs of life. The door was open, and when, having left the car +outside, they burst into the room that contained the big switchboard, +they found a girl sitting there calmly, waiting for the calls that did +not come. + +"Can you get Tirlemont?" cried Paul. "We must talk to the office of +the headquarters staff there. Say that we have come from Liege and +have a message from Major du Chaillu." + +The girl stared at them incredulously for a moment. She had had the +pluck to stick to her post when she knew the Germans were coming, and +now she went to work without argument. + +"If the wires are not cut!" she said. She manipulated the plugs and +then, after a brief delay, pointed to an instrument. + +"A message from Major du Chaillu!" said a voice in Paul's ear. +"Impossible--he is here!" + +"Thank Heaven!" cried Paul. "Call him to the telephone!" + +In another moment he was telling what they had learned. He gave the +information concerning the great extent of the German strength first, +and was rewarded by a cry of astonishment. And then he told of their +situation; of how, having captured the car and fled through the whole +German army, they were now almost certain to be captured. + +"With that coat--and the automobile!" cried du Chaillu. "My boy, I am +afraid they would shoot you! How far away are they?" + +"Very near." + +"Eh? Oh, I have it! Listen!" + +Paul's face lighted up as he heard the plan. + +"Yes--yes!" he cried. "I think we can! I think there will be time for +that!" + +There was a click. The wire had been cut somewhere between him and +Tirlemont! But he did not care; he had done all that was needful. And +now, shouting to Arthur to follow, he dashed from the building. + +"Don't delay a second!" he cried. "Come! Major du Chaillu says a +train, with an engine and one car, was held here to bring money from +the banks so that the Germans would not get it! He is having a +telegram sent to bid it wait! The station is a quarter of a mile away!" + +Madly they ran through the deserted streets. Even as they ran past a +wide street that entered the one in which they were, they saw the head +of a German column coming down toward them. Never had they run so fast +before, but even so, it seemed that they would never reach the station! +But at last they were there; they dashed in--to see the train going out! + +"The telegram must have come too late!" said Paul. "Well, perhaps they +will not know what we have done. It may not be so bad--" + +"Look!" cried Arthur. The train had slowed down. Now it had stopped, +just by a signal tower. From the engine a man dropped, looked back, +and then began beckoning them on. They ran wildly toward him, and in a +moment they were being pulled on board the train. + +"The operator in the signal tower heard the message coming in just as +we were starting," said the conductor. "He set the signal against us +and told us of the message! What good luck for you! Now, if the +Germans haven't cut the line, you are safe!" + +And safe they were. The light train carried them to Tirlemont, and +there they met not only Major du Chaillu, but their uncle, now Colonel +de Frenard. + +"We have informed the French staff of your news. It has changed the +whole plan of campaign," said du Chaillu. "Namur will be abandoned; +the real defence will be made on the border. Thanks to you the French +have escaped the trap that was being baited for them. And I have +special orders concerning you." + +"What are they?" asked Paul. + +"You are to be sent to Brussels immediately. And there you are to be +received by King Albert who has heard of your part in the defence of +Liege, for which all the world has praised Belgium and her brave sons!" + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BELGIANS TO THE FRONT*** + + +******* This file should be named 18838.txt or 18838.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/8/8/3/18838 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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