Page 57 - A Hero of Liége

was therefore decided to scout to the west and south.

Early in the afternoon Pariset and Kenneth started, working towards
Brussels by way of Tirlemont and Louvain. Kenneth had been provided

with field-glasses, through which he closely scanned every bridge and
culvert, while Pariset piloted the machine. Flying low, they were able to
examine the line thoroughly. All that Kenneth had to guide him was the

knowledge that the bridge was near a mill. There was a tunnel between
them. It was therefore pretty clear that the bridge and the mill could not be

far apart.

They flew over the main line as far as Brussels without discovering any

bridge that fulfilled the conditions. Then they retraced their course and
scouted along the branch lines running south from Louvain, Tirlemont and

Landen respectively. Within a few hours they had examined the whole
triangular district that had Brussels, Liege, and Namur at its angles. At
Namur they descended for a short rest, then set off again, to try their luck

on the lines running from the French frontier.

Both felt somewhat discouraged. To trace the many hundreds of miles of
railway that crossed the country between the Meuse and the Somme
promised to be work for a week. Indeed, it was getting dark by the time

they had run through the coal-mining and manufacturing district between
Mons and Valenciennes. Alighting at the latter place, they heard that great

numbers of German troops had already crossed the Belgian frontier, and the
forts of Liege were being attacked. There was much excitement in the town,
and Pariset had some difficulty in getting petrol to replenish his tanks.

Next morning they set off early along the line running eastward through

Maubeuge to Charleroi. It seemed unlikely that they would find the spot
they sought in the midst of a manufacturing district, but if they were to
succeed, nothing must be left untried.

Towards ten o'clock they were crossing a stream to the south-east of

Charleroi when Kenneth suddenly gave a shout. He had noticed on the
stream a water-mill, between which and a larger river, apparently the