fore
the Germans get to Paris. And their chance is to do it in the first
few days of the war. France takes nearly a week longer than Germany to
mobilize, and Russia almost a month longer than either France or
Germany. You see what we will do at Liege and Namur is to hold up the
Germans long enough to make up for their being able to mobilize more
quickly."

The firing was dying away now; the heavy guns resumed their work, and
the lighter machine guns were silent.

"I think they've repulsed the attack all right," said Paul. "That's
why the fire has slackened. Come on! We really haven't so much time
to lose."

So they struck off from the road, crossing into a field full of grain.

"It seems a shame to trample down this grain, but it's got mighty
little chance of being harvested this season anyhow," said Arthur.

"Yes. The German army will advance this way probably, and, even if it
didn't, I don't believe there would be men enough to garner the crop."

Suddenly Arthur stumbled. He had walked against a man who was lying
amid the grain. Now the man started up with a cry. And they both
recognized Ridder--the man who had dropped the all-important plans!

CHAPTER XII

A CLOSE SHAVE

Blind instinct sent them both running, though a moment of reflection
would have told them that to run was the worst thing they could have
done. Ridder had been asleep and he did not arouse himself fully at
first. And perhaps that saved them. He did fire after them once but
his aim was bad, and before he could fire again they had leaped a hedge
and dropped out of his sight into a sunken road that crossed the fields
parallel to the course they were taking toward the river road to Huy.
They had a good start and Ridder was fifty yards behind them when they
reached the shelter of the road. Here Paul pulled himself together.

"Stop!" he said to Arthur, seizing his chum by the arm. "Here, get
right into the shadow of the hedge here, at the side of the
road--there's almost a ditch, too. If he follows us, he may go
straight on, and he won't know which direction we took. It's the best
chance we have to escape."

"Do you think he recognized us?" asked Arthur.

"I don't know. But our running away like that made him suspicious--we
can be sure of that much, anyhow. Look out! I hear him coming!"

Down they crouched, just in time. Ridder came tumbling through the
hedge, growling fiercely.

"If I were sure!" he said fierce