"A big shot landed about fifty feet in front of us, and exploded, and I never knew there was so much dirt in the whole of Belgium. You should have seen how that German officer looked. He had a most lovely uniform; but it was one mass of dirt, and I was just wondering, as I looked at him, if he had another suit like it, when I happened to think of the soldier who was going to arrest me. As he was not around just then I marched down a little lane, which was directly in front of the place where the shot struck, and there I crossed the double row of hedges, and seeing no one ahead I just marched across to the first field, and when I got there didn't I make tracks for our lines?" said Alfred, with glistening eyes.
"And you don't think that amounts to much?" asked Ralph.
"Well, it is nothing compared with being blown up in a machine," answered Alfred.
Ralph mused a while, and then burst out laughing. "Well, that is too good. Both of us to lose our machines on the same day. I am glad the Germans didn't get my machine," he said.
"Well, didn't they get it? I should think they did," and it was Alfred's time to laugh.
The troops were now massed along the crest of a small hill which crosses the road north of the town. Early in the morning the German forces could be seen deploying in all the open spaces to the north and east of the town, and before seven the shells began to fly as on the previous day. The boys meantime were kept busy with orders, Ralph using the horse which had been turned over to him, and Alfred, seizing the first opportunity, secured a new machine.
Map of Louvain
The second day's fight was terrific. More than 1000 men fell on that day, on the Belgian side alone. It was one continual scene of fighting in the retreat from St. Trond to Tirlemont. Hasselt and Diest both fell that day, but of this the boys had no knowledge until later.
The force passed through Tirlemont in good order, fighting every inch of the way. The Germans were now, on the 19th of August, advancing on Louvain by three roads, from Diest, Tirlemont, and from Hammeville. The boys were with the central force on the Tirlemont road.