oon as they saw how impressed the
Belgian city official seemed to be with the arguments the boy brought
forward.

Of course, in the end, the burgomaster yielded, and wrote them out the
passport they wanted so badly. This document would possibly permit them
to go even beyond the lines where the Belgian army was intrenched,
waiting to deal a blow at the enemy in case the Germans turned
threateningly toward Antwerp.

"I do this much against my will," he told them, as he was shaking each
one by the hand upon their leaving. "But my old friend has written me so
much that is clever about the faculty you boys have shown in taking care
of yourselves, that I am in hopes you may get through safely. But I
shall be sad indeed if anything overtakes you through my giving way to
sentiment. I wish I could influence you to remain here in safety, and
send out some messenger in your stead to bring this man to Antwerp."

"We have made up our minds to accompany our friend, the grandson of the
Charles Crawford you knew, sir," Rob told him, "and all we can promise
is that we mean to be very careful. If the man you will send around to
us as a guide does his duty faithfully, we hope to get along fairly
well. And believe us, sir, we feel that you have advised and assisted us
even more generously than Mr. Crawford expected of you. We thank you a
thousand times. Good-bye."

That night passed without anything unusual happening to disturb the
three boys. Their hotel chanced to be situated in a quiet part of the
seething city, so that they were not at all annoyed by patriotic
outbursts. And boys as a rule have a happy faculty of losing their
troubles in sleep.

With the coming of that next morning all of them were early astir. After
breakfast they went in search of mounts, having secured some hints from
the proprietor of the hotel.

Horses were certainly at a high premium just then in Flanders. Nearly
every animal of any worth at all had been taken by the Belgian field
forces for army use. If a few were by accident hidden, and escaped this
search, they were apt to be discovered by the advancing Germans.

"It would be of no use, anyway, getting hold of respectable nags," Rob
explained, when he saw even Tubby gape at sight of the poor looking
animals they had offered to them at exorbitant prices, "because we'd
never have the least chance to get anywhere on their backs. No matter
how many passes we had from burgomasters, or even King Albert himse