Directly before them was the winding Meuse. A little to the right, and probably a mile and a quarter away, was a little town, and to the left, four miles distant, was Huy, a town of about 4,000 inhabitants, also on the northern bank of the stream.
The railway, from Liège to Huy, was at the foot of the hill, winding its way along, and below the great hill to the east, was discernible, a German encampment, which supported the battery on the hill.
The frowning forts around Liège were distinctly visible, because their great guns were now in action. The sounds which reached them were like the continual reverberations of thunder, only sharper and punctuated by the occasional heavy discharges. Above every fort floated a Belgian flag.
The boys looked at Gascon, whose countenance portrayed anxiety, which they noticed for the first time in his demeanor.
"Do you think we shall be able to cross the river?" asked Alfred.
"We can find means to do that, if we are able to reach it. The trouble will be to get there, and we cannot possibly do that during the day."
"Do you see any of the Germans near the stream?"
"No, but they have plenty of places to conceal themselves. It is clear that we must avoid the railroad."
"Why not move to the right?" said Alfred. "That is the most direct way to the city."
Gascon did not reply, but in a few minutes, he began to descend to the west, and all followed him at a distance. The valley was reached after passing by a dozen or more cottages, all of which were unoccupied.