to climb aboard.

At that instant a uniformed arm appeared through the door and
pushed Hal away.

"Go away, you American puppy," came a voice.

Hal slipped, and but for the prompt action of Chester, who caught him by
the arm, would have fallen beneath the train.

The train gathered momentum, as the boys raced along beside it, in vain
seeking an open door by which they might climb aboard. There was none but
their own compartment, and that had passed them. It was impossible for
them to overtake it, and there was not a train guard in sight.

The boys stopped running and stood still as the remainder of the train
slipped past.

On ahead they could see Mrs. Paine and the big German officer, both
gazing back toward them, the former gesticulating violently.

Hal stamped his foot with rage.

"I'd like to get my hands on that big lout!" he shouted. "I'd--"

"Come, come, old fellow," interrupted Chester, "never mind that, now. I
don't blame you, but you can see it's impossible. You'll have to wait."

"You are right, of course," replied Hal. "The thing to do now is to send
mother a telegram to the first station and tell her not to worry, that we
shall be along on the next train. But, just the same, I'd like to get my
hands on that--"

"Come, now," Chester interrupted again, "let's send that telegram and
find out when the next train leaves."

They found the telegraph office, and Hal prepared a message, which he
handed through the window.

The clerk glanced at it, and then passed it back.

"Can't be sent," he informed Hal.

"Can't be sent! Why not?"

"Nothing can be sent over this wire but military messages from this time
on," said the clerk.

"But we missed the train, and I want to send this message to my mother,
so she won't worry," pleaded Hal.

"I'm sorry," the clerk returned kindly, "but it is impossible. I must
obey my orders."

Hal and Chester were nonplused.

"What shall we do?" questioned Chester.

"The only thing I know to do," replied Hal, "is to take the next train
without telegraphing. Mother is sure to be at the Brussels station. I
guess she knows we have enough sense to get there."

"All right Let's find out when the next train leaves."

On their way to the ticket window, Hal stopped suddenly.

"What's the matter" asked Chester.

"Matter!" exclaimed Hal. "The matter is I haven't any money. All I have
was enough to send that telegram, and that amount won't get us to
Brussels."

Chester