“Almost certainly, yes,” said Grenfel.  “And it is through Belgium that Germany has her best chance to strike at France.  So you see how serious things are.  I don’t want to go into all the history that is back of all this.  I just want you to understand what England’s interest is.  If we make war, it will be a war of self-defence.  Suppose you owned a house.  And suppose the house next door caught fire.  You would try to put out that fire, wouldn’t you, to save your own house from being burned up?  Well, that’s England’s position.  If the Germans held Belgium or Holland —­ and they would hold both, if they beat France and Russia —­ England would then be in just as much danger as your house would be.  So if we fight, it will be to put out the German fire in the house next door.

“Now I want you to understand one thing.  I’m talking as an Englishman.  A German would tell you all this in a very different way.  I don’t like the people who are always slandering their enemies.  Germany has her reasons for acting as she does.  I think her reasons are wrong.  But the Germans believe that they are right.  We can respect even people who are wrong if they themselves believe that they are right.  There may be two sides to this quarrel.  And Germans, even if they are to be our enemies, may be just as patriotic, just as devoted to their country, as we are.  Never forget that, no matter what may happen.”

He stopped then, waiting for questions.  None came.

“Then you understand pretty well?” he asked.  There was a murmur of assent from the whole circle.

“All right, then,” he said.  “Now there’s work for Scouts to do.  Be prepared!  That’s our motto, isn’t it?  Suppose there’s war.  Franklin, what’s your idea of what the Boy Scouts would be able to do?”

“I suppose those who are old enough could volunteer, sir,” said Franklin, doubtfully.  “I can’t think of anything else —­”

“Time enough for that later,” said Grenfel, with a short laugh.  “England may have to call boys to the colors before she’s done, if she once starts to fight.  But long before that time comes, there will be a great work for the organization we all love and honor.  Work that won’t be showy, work that will be very hard.  Boys, everyone in England, man and woman and child will have work to do!  And we, who are organized, and whose motto Be Prepared, ought to be able to show what stuff there is in us.

“Think of all the places that must be guarded.  The waterworks, the gas tanks, the railroads that lead to the seaports and that will be used by the troops.”

A startled burst of exclamations answered him.  “Why, there won’t be any fighting in England, sir, will there?” asked Dick Mercer, in surprise.

“We all hope not,” said Grenfel.  “But that’s not what I mean.  It doesn’t take an army to destroy a railroad.  One man with a bomb and a time fuse attached to it can blow up a culvert and block a whole line so that precious hours might be lost in getting troops aboard a transport.  One man could blow up a waterworks or a gas tank or cut an important telegraph or telephone wire!”