st blow had been struck, the first blood shed--the
French had taken Saarbruck.

"It is too late," Captain Barclay said, as Ralph and Percy rushed
in, to say that the news was posted up at the Prefecture. "It is
too late, boys. The English papers, of this morning, have brought
us the news that the Germans are massing at least seven or eight
hundred thousand men, along the line from Saar Louis to Spiers. It
is evident that they fell back from Saarbruck without any serious
resistance. In another two or three days they will be in readiness
and, as they must far outnumber our men, you will see that the
advantage at Saarbruck will not be followed up, and that the
Prussians will assume the offensive."

"Then what do you really think will be the result, papa?"

"I think, Ralph, that we shall be forced to do what--not having, at
once, taken the offensive--we ought to have done from the first. We
shall have to fall back, to abandon the line of frontier--which is
altogether indefensible--and to hold the line of the Moselle, and
the spurs of the Vosges; an immensely strong position, and which we
ought to be able to hold against all the efforts of Prussia."

The exultation of Dijon was but short lived for, on the 5th, the
boys came up in the afternoon, from the town, with very serious
faces.

"What is the matter, Ralph?"

"There is a rumor in the town, papa, that the Swiss papers have
published an account of the capture of Weissenburg, by the
Prussians. A great many French are said to be prisoners. Do you
think it can be true?"

"It is probable, at any rate, Ralph. The Swiss papers would, of
course, get the news an hour or so after it is known in Germany. We
must not begin by believing all that the telegram says, because
both sides are certain to claim victories; still, the absolute
capture of a town is a matter upon which there can be no dispute,
and is therefore likely enough to be true. We know the Prussians
were massed all along that line and, as I expected, they have taken
the offensive. Their chances of success in so doing were evident;
as neither party know where the others are preparing to strike a
blow, and each can therefore concentrate, and strike with an
overwhelming force at any given point.

"Now that the Germans have made the first move, and shown their
intention, both parties will concentrate in that direction. You
see, from Weissenburg the Germans can either march south upon
Strasburg, or southwest upon