aces 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. E