would be
most unquestionably conquered.

Then what, what had occurred to make this Berlin crowd--the swarm of
people who hurried along the streets elsewhere, the mobs which gathered
in front of embassies--so violent, so intensely hostile to France, so
suspicious of the presence of spies, so furiously disappointed and
angry?

"Spies! British spies!" a young man in the ranks of that crowd
bellowed, catching a full view of Jules and Henri; "spies from the King
of England! Kill them!"

And the mob took up the shout: "British! Down with Britain!"

Was that then the explanation of the hatred, of the intense animosity,
shown by these people? Was that then the reason why these two Berlin
constables, for one of them at least knew Jules and Henri to be
French--why they too should grit their teeth, should scowl and mutter
at the name of Britain? Yes, indeed, that was the reason why all the
subjects of the Kaiser, deliriously happy but a few hours ago, were now
snarling with anger, less contented with what was occurring, furiously
indignant at something beyond their conception. For within half an
hour of Henri's successful purchase of tickets, which were to take
himself and his chum to safety in England, there had come news of
importance from London. Already German troops had invaded Belgium, had
fired upon the people, were engaged with King Albert's soldiers, and
Britain--that arrogant Britain, ever an eyesore and a thorn in the
flesh for Germans--had protested, had declared her detestation of that
Germanic act, and her decision to oppose it. Indeed, she had answered
the deeds of the Kaiser and his soldiers by declaring war, by
announcing her determination to fight the Germans, and her decision to
support France and Belgium and Russia to her utmost.

That, then, was the reason why that mob, gathering weight at every
moment, howled with rage when, seeing Jules and Henri so distinctly
British in appearance, they recalled to their minds the engrossing fact
that all Britons were now their enemies.

"Hang them to the nearest lamp-post! Strangle the spies!" they
bellowed; "why take them to the police station?"

In his excessive zeal to deal a blow for his country, with an extremity
of valour which he would hardly have displayed had Jules and Henri been
free to defend themselves, one youth, possessed of coal-black, flashing
eyes, of raven locks, and of pallid and bloated features, darted in
between the two constables a