The Boy Scouts on the Trail | Page 4

is not a cripple or diseased, has to be a soldier for three years,
the sight of a uniform, even of a long column of marching troops,
means nothing.
And then, with the most startling abruptness, there came a change.
Nothing official, as yet. But suddenly the government allowed the real
news, or most of it, to be printed. Austria had made demands of Servia
that no country could meet! Russia had protested! Russia and Austria
were mobilizing! Germany had sent an ultimatum to Russia,
demanding that she stop massing her troops in Poland and on the
borders of East Prussia.
"It means war," said Henri Martin to Frank. Gone was the exultation of
his voice. Frank had noticed that, since the first appearance of the really
ominous news, the excitability of his French schoolmates had
disappeared. They were quiet; far quieter than American boys would
have been in the same case, he thought.
"But this is not France's quarrel," said Frank. "She cares nothing for
Servia."
"Servia? Bah! No one cares for Servia--except Austria and Russia!
Servia is only an excuse. Austria wants to get some ports and Russia
wants them, too, or wants a friendly country to have them. But I will
tell you why it means war, Frank, my friend. It is because Guillaume,
their Kaiser, thinks it is the chance to crush France!"
"Why now more than at any other time, Harry?"
"Lieutenant Marcel told me what he thinks. It is that England is having
much trouble. In Ireland there is rebellion, almost, over the home rule.
The Germans think England will be afraid to fight, that she will have to
think of her own troubles. He does not know those English, that Kaiser!
They have their quarrels among themselves. But if anyone else
interferes--pouf! The quarrel is over--until the one who interferes is
beaten."

"Yes, I believe that. We're like that in America, too. Why, right after
the Civil War, we nearly had to fight about Mexico. And the men in the
South, who had just been fighting the northern army, were all ready to
volunteer and fight for the country."
"Well, that is one reason, then. And, for another, France is getting
stronger, and Russia too. For a few years after the war with the
Japanese, Russia was weak. But now she is getting strong again, and
Austria is getting weaker. If Germany and Austria can ever win it is
now--that is what the Kaiser believes. And why must France fight?
Even if she is not attacked she must help Russia because of the treaty."
"But she didn't fight with Russia against Japan."
"Because only one country was at war against her. If England had
joined Japan, we should have had to fight with Russia against her,"
Henri explained.
It was during the morning recess that they held this conversation. Now
the bell called them back to school. The class to which they went was
one that was being taught by M. Donnet himself, the head master. He
was at his place by his desk, and the boys had taken their seats.
Suddenly, just as the master was about to speak, a servant appeared
with a telegram in his hand. He took it to the master. M. Donnet tore it
open and read it, while a serious, grave look came into his eyes. Then
he stood up.
"Mes enfants," he said, his whole manner somehow changed from the
one they knew, "I am called away from you." He stood very straight
now; Frank had no difficulty, as he had had before, in imagining the
schoolmaster as a soldier. "France needs me--our France. I go to
Luneville, to be prepared to receive the brave men who will fight under
my command if--"
He stopped.
"If war shall come!" he finished the interrupted sentence. "I leave you.
No man knows what the next few hours may bring forth. The order of

'mobilisation generale' has not yet been issued. Only superior officers
are called for as yet. Perhaps I may return. If not, I shall exhort all of
you who are sons of La Patrie to do your duty. You are too young to
fight, but you are none of you too young to be brave and loyal, to help
your parents, and your mothers if your fathers are needed by the
fatherland for active service.
"You are not too young to show courage, no matter what may come.
You are not too young to keep alive the spirit of the sons of France--the
spirit that won at Austerlitz and Jena, that rose, like the phoenix from
its ashes, after Gravelotte and Sedan, when the foe believed that France
lay crushed for evermore! Perhaps you, like all who are French, may be
called upon to make sacrifices, sometimes to