s back. Whoa!
there!" he added, as his horse stumbled again. "Want to break my neck,
you animated skeleton? He knocks his hoofs together every third step he
takes. No wonder they didn't grab him for the cavalry; he'd have fallen
all over himself in the first charge."

Coming to a little hamlet, the boys found a house where they could
secure something in the way of a lunch. Even at this early stage in the
war, however, prudent hotel keepers realized that times were going to be
hard, and that it would be the part of wisdom to conceal all the stores
possible against a rainy day, or the raids of such invaders who might be
billeted upon the villagers.

Here the boys remained between one and two hours, since the day was
unusually hot, and their mounts were not in the best of condition for
standing hard service.

Some of the good people had left for safer quarters, which would mean
Antwerp, of course,--deemed impossible of capture at that day on account
of its wonderful defenses. A group gathered in front of the little
hotel, and questioned Anthony as to who the three boys in the uniform of
scouts might be, and of the nature of their mission that tempted them to
invade a region being made desolate by war.

Anthony himself knew very little on that score; but since it would not
look well for him to admit this fact, it is possible he "drew the long
bow" to some extent. He may even have told all sorts of fairy stories
about the boys being English agents sent over to learn facts in
connection with the movements of the German army, so that a strong force
of the allies from across the Channel could be hastily dispatched to the
scene, and chase the haughty Germans back across the Rhine.

Some idea like this the boys found very prevalent all through their
journey. The Belgians seemed to believe the English were getting a
wonderful surprise ready with which to stagger the enemy. If they could
have only known how an army had to be built up step by step in the great
island country, they might have felt less confidence, and perhaps shown
more discretion in attacking the invaders.

Rob suspected something of this sort when he saw the way the villagers
observed him and two chums, staring at them as though they were
curiosities.

"Makes you feel like some punkins, to have all these people watch every
little thing you do, and get out of your way so quick when you go to
make a move, don't it?" remarked Tubby, evidently tickled over the