earings of
the situation. It was while they were thus engaged that a fleet of
thirty or forty great military motor-lorries rattled by.

"The beginning," cried Max bitterly, nodding towards them.

"Yes, I fear so. I wonder what they are after?"

"Let us follow and see. We may as well know the worst."

The wagons came to a stand alongside one of the largest of the stacks of
empty shells which now dotted the yard, and, with a promptitude that
showed that everything had been arranged beforehand, the tarpaulins that
covered the stacks were thrown aside and the shells passed one by one
into the wagons.

"Now that seems queer to me," remarked Dale, as he watched the men with
a thoughtful face. "What can the Germans want with shells that will only
fit the Belgian guns! Queer, I call it."

"They may be going to use them in the captured guns," replied Max. "Let
us look in again at the casting-shops and see if they have started on
shells for German guns. 'Pon my word I have half a mind to appeal to the
men to cease work, strange as it would be coming from the owner's son
while the manager of the works made no sign. The place is running at top
speed too--see, Dale?"

It was evident that there was no relaxation here. The whole of the
buildings and furnaces engaged in the castings were simply humming with
energy, and when they entered the nearest door they were amazed. Double
the number of men that were at work the day before were now engaged and
were working with an intensity that seemed inexplicable to Max.

As they entered, one of the foremen came up to them.

"Keep a still tongue, Dale," muttered Max beneath his breath.

"You are late, Monsieur," he said, addressing Max and gazing at him
somewhat closely. "Are you going to work this morning?"

"I think not," replied Max, shrugging his shoulders. "I see you are
pretty well full up with men."

"Yes, we have had a lot more hands placed at our disposal here. I
estimate that we shall turn out at least three times as many shells as
yesterday."

"The new men are German-speaking, of course?"

"Of course. This business will be profitable for the firm no doubt?" The
man looked at Max as though not quite certain of the state of affairs.

"Undoubtedly. Has Monsieur Schenk given any orders for a change in the
calibre of the shells?"

"No. We are still on the same gauge. But I suppose we shall be making
all sizes soon. There is no help for it, of course; we must submit to
t