pitiful. They would in time become so accustomed to them that such spectacles must be taken as a part of the war game; still, all of them were sure that in this case "familiarity would not breed contempt."

Then at times it happened that houses were scarce, and a stretch of the road, from some reason or other, ahead appeared deserted. Often, in the distance, they heard strange sounds like far-away thunder. It thrilled them to imagine that possibly this was the roar of big guns; perhaps they were even drawing near to an actual battlefield!

About this time the boys noticed that their guide was acting as though excited.

"What's the matter, Anthony?" asked Rob, bent on knowing the worst.

In his broken English the Belgian guide tried to tell them his fears.

"Look you—over thisaways—you see men, horses—they run thisaway, they run thataway—some shake hands at us—I do not know, but it may be they will turn out to be Uhlan cavalrymen—bad men who ride far in advance of the army, to screen movements of troops. If they are Uhlans, we may not go ahead further!"