reached in his pocket, and a startled expression came over his
face.

"Neither have I," he exclaimed, feeling first one pocket and then
another. "I have lost my pocketbook. All I have is a little change."

The lads looked at each other in silence for several minutes.

"What shall we do?" Chester asked finally.

"I don't know what to do," replied Hal; "but we have got to do something.
I guess the best thing is to go back to the embassy and see if we can't
raise the price of a couple of tickets. I am sure the ambassador will let
us have it."

"A good idea," said Chester. "I guess the sooner we get there the
better. Come on."

The ambassador received them immediately.

"I'm awfully sorry, boys," he said, after listening to their troubles,
"but I am afraid I can do nothing for you."

"Can't you lend us enough money to get to Brussels?" asked Hal in
surprise. "You'll get it back, all right."

"Yes, I can lend it to you, and I am not afraid of not getting it back."

"Then why can't you help us?"

"The reason is this," the ambassador explained, "this morning's train to
Brussels was the last upon which foreigners were allowed to depart. The
German government has given orders that all foreigners now in Germany
must remain until mobilization is completed. So you see you are up
against it"

Hal and Chester looked at each other, and both smiled faintly.

"I see we are," said Chester.

"Now, I'll tell you what I can do," continued the ambassador. "I can let
you have enough money to keep you until such a time as you will be
allowed to leave the country; or, better still, you can come and live
with me. What do you say?"

"I'm sure we appreciate your kindness very much," said Hal, "and we
may be forced to take advantage of it. We shall look about the city
this afternoon, and, if nothing else turns up, we shall be glad to
stay with you."

"Let me hear from you before night, anyhow," said the ambassador, rising.

"We certainly shall. Come, Chester, let's go out and look around a bit."

The boys left the embassy.

The streets of the city were even more densely thronged than they had
been the night before. Thousands and thousands of people paraded up and
down--war the sole topic of their conversation.

Late in the afternoon, as Hal and Chester were walking along Strassburga
Strasse, a hand was suddenly laid on the former's arm, and a voice
exclaimed:

"I thought you boys were on your way to Brussels. How does it