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.