The Boy Allies at Liege Part 32

"To arms!"

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE BATTLE.

Captain Derevaux, who had been sleeping soundly, sprang to his feet, picked up his sword and pistols, and, without even a word to Hal and Chester, dashed from the hut.

"The battle has begun!" cried Hal.

"Come!" exclaimed Chester. "Let's get to some place where we can see. I can't stay here!"

"Nor I!" cried Hal. "Come on!"

The two lads hurried from the hut. As they emerged, a troop of Belgian cavalry swept past them, on the way to the front. The boys followed as rapidly as possible in its wake. Presently they came to a small hill.

Climbing to the top, they found they could command a good view of the advancing German columns, which they could see in the distance, and which were even now almost close enough to grapple hand-to-hand with the hors.e.m.e.n swooping down on them.

All along the German front the Belgian cavalry hurled itself upon the advancing foe. They met with a crash, and horses and riders went down in heaps. For a moment the Germans gave way. For a moment they recoiled, and then they sprang forward again.

The charge of the Belgian cavalry was magnificent, but it was in vain.

The German forces pressed onward, and the cavalry was forced back, cutting and slas.h.i.+ng as it slowly retreated. Under a withering fire, that suddenly broke out all along the German front, the hors.e.m.e.n fell by hundreds. It was more than flesh and blood could stand. A retreat was sounded, and the cavalry fell back upon its support. But, even as they drew off, there burst from the German front the sharp roar of the mitrailleuse. The German maxims had opened fire. The Belgians fell faster than before.

And now the Germans were ordered to charge. Squadron upon squadron raced over the open ground in a mad dash toward the Belgian line; and as they charged, the rapid-fire guns of the great forts poured forth their answer. Great holes were cut in the German columns, and men and horses were mowed down like chaff.

And still the Germans came on.

Suddenly a fierce rifle fire broke out all along the Belgian front, even as the rapid-firers continued to belch forth their messengers of death.

Men reeled and fell in ma.s.ses. The Germans wavered, halted, then retreated. A great shout went up from the Belgian lines.

Under the support of their own field batteries, the Germans reformed for a second charge. As before, the defenders waited until they were close, then poured in a deadly fire. The Germans staggered, then sprang forward.

A second volley greeted them, and a second time the Germans wavered, halted and retreated. A third time they charged, with the same result.

All this time a long-range artillery duel was in progress, whatever advantage there was resting with the Belgians. Shot and sh.e.l.l poured into the oncoming solid ranks of the German infantry, cutting great gaps in their ranks; but these quickly filled up again, and the Germans continued their steady advance.

All this Hal and Chester saw, and more. For they could see, to the left, the successful advance of the enemy, as it moved upon the town of Liege.

In vain the Belgians charged upon the advancing line and poured in shot and sh.e.l.l. The Germans came on. To the right the Germans also were pus.h.i.+ng slowly, but surely, forward.

"It is terrible! terrible!" said Chester, with a shudder, as he watched men fall right and left.

"Horrible!" agreed Hal. "But come. We must move. It is as Captain Derevaux said. The Belgians will be unable to hold the town. They must retire upon the forts; and we had better retire before them."

The boys descended from their position of vantage and made their way to the nearest fort, which they were allowed to enter upon informing an officer of their connection with the Belgian army, just as the Belgian troops withdrew from their positions in front of the city and fell back upon the forts.

Liege was left at the mercy of the Germans.

For some minutes thereafter there was a lull, as when a great storm dies down, only to begin again with greater fury. The enemy's left wing, which was nearest the fort in which the boys had taken refuge, could be seen forming for a charge, while from the fort a rain of lead continued to fall upon them. Although men were falling on every hand, the Germans formed without the least confusion.

Then came the order for the charge. From five different points the enemy hurled itself forward upon the fort; nor did the hail of lead stop them.

Closer and closer they approached, the five sections of cavalry drawing nearer together as they did so, so that when they were within striking distance they were almost in solid formation. In their rear the infantry, supported by field guns, already had formed for an advance.

The Uhlans must be driven back at all hazards, and an order rang out from the Belgian commander.

There sallied forth a body of Belgian cavalry and the few French that remained of the French Lancers who had borne the brunt of the fighting in the battle in which Hal and Chester had distinguished themselves. In the center of these Hal and Chester recognized Captain Derevaux, his sword flas.h.i.+ng aloft.

"He is a grand soldier!" whispered Hal to Chester softly. "A brave man, indeed. France may well be proud of him!"

"There can be none better," answered Chester. "May he come through the battle safely!"

Now the Belgians and French charged, and the fighting was hand-to-hand, while over the struggling hors.e.m.e.n the guns from the fort poured death into the ranks of the advancing German infantry.

The cavalry of the two armies had met so close to the fort that, with a gla.s.s he picked up, Hal could distinguish the faces of the combatants.

And again, so close was the fighting that the guns of the fort could not be brought to bear on the German cavalry for fear of killing friend as well as foe; but they continued to deal death to the infantry.

Looking through his gla.s.s, Hal sought out the form of Captain Derevaux.

Finally he espied him, right where the fighting was fiercest and men dropped fastest.

Hither and thither rode the gallant young Frenchman, striking, thrusting, parrying, now raising his revolver for a snap shot, the while urging his men on.

"If he gets out alive it will be a miracle!" cried Hal, pa.s.sing the gla.s.s to Chester.

Chester put the gla.s.s to his eyes and looked toward the field of battle.

"By Jove!" he muttered. "He is magnificent!"

At that moment the captain's horse went down, but, with a quick movement of his arm, guarding his head from a saber stroke, the young Frenchman seized the bridle of a riderless animal, and with a single movement swung himself to the back of his new charger. In another moment he was once more in the middle of the fighting, dealing out death on every hand.

The Germans gave way, slowly at first, then faster; and at length they turned and fled. As they did so, the guns from the fort poured a hail of lead into them, mowing them down as they retreated. The Belgian cavalry retired to the support of the fort. The German charge had failed!

And now messages filtered in from other parts of the field. The Belgians had been successful all along the line, with the exception of one point, which had permitted the Germans to enter the city of Liege.

The losses of the Germans had been appalling; those of the Belgians comparatively light.

"Can the Belgians fight?" asked Hal, when the Germans had withdrawn. "Can they fight? Well--"

His silence was more expressive than words.

"It's too bad we were unable to take part in the battle," declared Chester. "It certainly gives me a restless feeling to sit here and look on while others are doing all the fighting."

"It does make a fellow feel a little queer," Hal replied. "But, supposing we had been in that charge--where would we be now?"

Chester shrugged his shoulders.

"Perhaps here, and then again--perhaps, some place else," he answered.

"Who knows?"

"Neither you nor I, surely," replied Hal. "But think of the dead and dying on the field out there. War is a terrible thing!"