No one appeared in the road in front of the lodges but it was a hazardous thing to cross the border without stopping, as the guards were authorized to shoot anyone who refused to halt, and the boys were equally aware of this danger in attempting such an escapade.
They were now not a hundred feet from the posts which marked the frontier and the speed of the car was not cut down. They were surprised to see Pierre's right hand withdrawn from the lever while he leaned forward and grasped the steering wheel with an intense grip.
ZIP! They shot past the boundary line without a challenge. The flag on the first lodge was German, indicated by the three horizontal stripes, black, white and red, and the flag on the other building had three vertical stripes, black, yellow and red, the colors of Belgium.
The Belgian Flag
The car fairly sizzled as it glided forward on a road that wound around a long curve parallel with the river and they had an excellent opportunity now to watch the pursuing car.
"That has a cross on the side of it, see?" said Ralph.
"It is a German military car," said Pierre.
"But why did they cross the frontier; and what right have they to try and to run us down, here in Belgium?" asked Alfred.