_must_ come back. There are lots of things we have promised to do
together."

"Can't help it, Dale. But there's one thing you must promise me before I
go, and that is, that if I should not come back you will come over and
see me. Spend a fortnight at our place at Liege in the summer--eh?"

"You're coming back, old man," replied Dale with determination. "But all
the same, I will give you the promise if you like. My uncle and
aunt--all the relatives I have--would not mind, I know."

"Thanks, old man--you shall have a good time."

Presently Durend left, and in forty-eight hours he was back in his own
home in Belgium on the outskirts of Liege. Prompt as he had been, he
found he was too late, for his father had died at the time he was on the
boat on the way to Antwerp.

Though not altogether unexpected, the blow was a severe one to Max
Durend. He had been very fond of his father, who had latterly treated
him more as a chum than anything else, and had talked much to him of his
plans for the time when he could assist him in his business. His mother
was, of course, even more upset, and though Max and his sister, a girl
of twelve, did their best to comfort her, she was quite prostrated for
some days.

It was now more than ever necessary that Max should enter his father's
business, and, when old and experienced enough, endeavour to carry it
on. From the nature of the business it was evident that this was no
light task, and would require a great deal of training and an immense
amount of hard work if it were to be done successfully. But the prospect
of hard work did not appeal Max, and within a fortnight of his father's
death he was busy learning the details of the vast business carried on
under his name.

Monsieur Durend had been the proprietor of very large iron and steel
foundries and workshops in Liege. The business was an immense one, and,
beside the manufacture of all kinds of machinery and railway material,
worked for its own benefit several coal and iron mines, all of which
were in the district or on the outskirts of the town. The business had
been a very flourishing one, and had been largely under the personal
direction of the proprietor, assisted by his manager, M. Otto Schenk, to
whose ability and energy, M. Durend was always ready to acknowledge, it
owed much of its success. The latter was now, of course, the mainstay of
the business, and it was with every confidence in his ability that
Madame Durend appointed h