ral times by impatient sentries,
he succeeded in finding his friend the major. To
him he explained the situation.

"Your aunt and her maid?" said du Chaillu.
"Yes, I shall be able to manage that."

"My cousin and I cannot go, I suppose?"

"Not to-night, I'm afraid, my boy. The orders
are very strict." He looked a little puzzled, but
went on: "I'd like to make an exception in your
case, for you have done so much for Belgium--"

"Oh, I don't want to go and neither does
Arthur!" cried Paul, with a laugh. "It's just as
I thought. Only my aunt wants us to go, and I
was afraid that perhaps we could."

The major laughed, too.

"That's more like what I had expected from
you," he said. "Yet it would be better if you did
go. However, women and children first. We've
made the rule, and we must make no exceptions,
or it would be impossible to enforce it at all."

"Oh, we'll get along all right," said Paul.
"And--well, I have an idea that may not be of
any use, so that I'd better not say anything about
it yet. But I hope that Paul and I can still do
something for Belgium and Liege."

"I've no doubt that you will try to do that,"
said du Chaillu. "Come, show me where you left
your aunt, and I will see that she is allowed to go
out on the next train. I will take her into the
station by a private entrance for there is little chance
of getting through the crowd in any other way."

He was as good as his word. Madame de Frenard
listened to his explanation of how impossible
it was for Paul and Arthur to be allowed to go
on the train, and glanced at Paul. She thought
that she understood his submissiveness better now!

"But--women and children?" she said.
"Surely these boys?"

"We are not children!" protested Paul and
Arthur in one breath.

Major du Chaillu smiled rather sadly.

"No, they are not children in such times as
these, Madame," he said. "We have not quite
come to the point of calling upon boys to fight,
but we cannot treat them as children. Still, I
shall see that they are looked to, as well as I can,
be assured of that, Madame de Frenard."

And with that assurance she had to be content.

CHAPTER VIII

THE UHLAN

"Come along with me," said du Chaillu, when they had left Madame de
Frenard in the station. "I'll see that you're put up for the rest of
the night, and to-morrow we'll make other arrangements."

"Thank you," said Paul, "but I think we'd better go back. A good many
th