The cavalry of the two armies had met so close to the fort that, with a glass 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 glass, 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, passing the glass to Chester.

Chester put the glass 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 asked Hal, when the Germans had withdrawn.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!”

“It is,” declared Chester; “and the more I see of it the more I realize that fact.  But come.  Let us see if we can find the captain.”

It was almost an hour later before they accidentally ran across him, and the young Frenchman carried his arm in a sling.

“It looks as though I am likely to be on the hospital list for a few days,” said the captain, smilingly.