The Boy Allies at Liege | Page 5

fellow," interrupted Chester, "never mind that, now.
I don't blame you, but you can see it's impossible. You'll have to wait."
"You are right, of course," replied Hal. "The thing to do now is to send
mother a telegram to the first station and tell her not to worry, that we
shall be along on the next train. But, just the same, I'd like to get my
hands on that--"
"Come, now," Chester interrupted again, "let's send that telegram and
find out when the next train leaves."
They found the telegraph office, and Hal prepared a message, which he
handed through the window.
The clerk glanced at it, and then passed it back.
"Can't be sent," he informed Hal.
"Can't be sent! Why not?"
"Nothing can be sent over this wire but military messages from this
time on," said the clerk.
"But we missed the train, and I want to send this message to my mother,
so she won't worry," pleaded Hal.
"I'm sorry," the clerk returned kindly, "but it is impossible. I must obey
my orders."
Hal and Chester were nonplused.
"What shall we do?" questioned Chester.
"The only thing I know to do," replied Hal, "is to take the next train
without telegraphing. Mother is sure to be at the Brussels station. I

guess she knows we have enough sense to get there."
"All right Let's find out when the next train leaves."
On their way to the ticket window, Hal stopped suddenly.
"What's the matter" asked Chester.
"Matter!" exclaimed Hal. "The matter is I haven't any money. All I
have was enough to send that telegram, and that amount won't get us to
Brussels."
Chester reached in his pocket, and a startled expression came over his
face.
"Neither have I," he exclaimed, feeling first one pocket and then
another. "I have lost my pocketbook. All I have is a little change."
The lads looked at each other in silence for several minutes.
"What shall we do?" Chester asked finally.
"I don't know what to do," replied Hal; "but we have got to do
something. I guess the best thing is to go back to the embassy and see if
we can't raise the price of a couple of tickets. I am sure the ambassador
will let us have it."
"A good idea," said Chester. "I guess the sooner we get there the better.
Come on."
The ambassador received them immediately.
"I'm awfully sorry, boys," he said, after listening to their troubles, "but I
am afraid I can do nothing for you."
"Can't you lend us enough money to get to Brussels?" asked Hal in
surprise. "You'll get it back, all right."
"Yes, I can lend it to you, and I am not afraid of not getting it back."

"Then why can't you help us?"
"The reason is this," the ambassador explained, "this morning's train to
Brussels was the last upon which foreigners were allowed to depart.
The German government has given orders that all foreigners now in
Germany must remain until mobilization is completed. So you see you
are up against it"
Hal and Chester looked at each other, and both smiled faintly.
"I see we are," said Chester.
"Now, I'll tell you what I can do," continued the ambassador. "I can let
you have enough money to keep you until such a time as you will be
allowed to leave the country; or, better still, you can come and live with
me. What do you say?"
"I'm sure we appreciate your kindness very much," said Hal, "and we
may be forced to take advantage of it. We shall look about the city this
afternoon, and, if nothing else turns up, we shall be glad to stay with
you."
"Let me hear from you before night, anyhow," said the ambassador,
rising.
"We certainly shall. Come, Chester, let's go out and look around a bit."
The boys left the embassy.
The streets of the city were even more densely thronged than they had
been the night before. Thousands and thousands of people paraded up
and down--war the sole topic of their conversation.
Late in the afternoon, as Hal and Chester were walking along
Strassburga Strasse, a hand was suddenly laid on the former's arm, and
a voice exclaimed:
"I thought you boys were on your way to Brussels. How does it happen
you are still in Berlin?"

Turning, Hal perceived that the person who had accosted him was none
other than Lieutenant Anderson, and with him was Captain Derevaux.
All four expressed their pleasure at this unexpected meeting, and the
boys explained their misfortune.
"How is it you and Captain Derevaux didn't get away?" Chester finally
asked.
Captain Derevaux smiled.
"We were so unfortunate as to be recognized by a member of the
German general staff at the station this morning,"