No one in the house, least of all their aunt, had time that night to
think of the two boys. As a matter of fact, it was that now famous
Saturday upon which Germany finally cast the die by declaring war upon
Russia in the interest of her Austrian ally, whose quarrel with Servia
she thus made her own. France, as the ally of Russia, was bound to
fight Germany. Belgium lay between the two huge powers on either side
of her, well-nigh certain to be caught in the disaster that war meant.
But the news that war had actually been declared had not yet come.
Madame de Frenard was waiting with the utmost anxiety for a telephone
message from her husband in Brussels, who had promised to send her word
as soon as there were any important developments.
And so Paul and Arthur slipped out to the garage, which was a favorite
hiding place. Now it was especially safe, since Marcel, the chauffeur,
had gone to Brussels with their uncle, and there was no likelihood of
any unwelcome interruptions. They repaired, therefore, to the room
above the one in which their uncle's automobile was kept, and spread
out the papers they had captured from the German spy. First there was
the sketch they had already seen of the Boncelles fort; then, equally
detailed, they found sketches and maps of the other forts--Flemalle,
Embourg, Chaudfontaine, Fleron, Evegnee, Pontisse, Liers, Lanlin,
Longin and Hollogne--the great chain of detached forts that made Liege,
in the opinion of military engineers, one of the strongest fortified
towns in Europe.
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