The Boy Allies at Liège; Or, Through Lines of Steel

Two eager American youths find themselves caught in the sudden upheaval of Europe’s first great conflict. While staying in Berlin, they hear the shocking news that the Kaiser has declared war on France, and their mother, Mrs. Paine, rushes to calm their fears. The embassy advises an immediate departure, and the boys learn that the only safe route out of Germany now runs through Belgium, a country already bracing for the oncoming storm.

Hal, a seventeen‑year‑old whose family history is marked by generations of battlefield sacrifice, and his close friend Chester, the son of a prosperous lumber magnate, have come to Europe on a grand tour arranged by Hal’s mother. Their excitement about seeing the continent quickly turns to a sobering realization that travel will be anything but leisurely. As they begin to pack, they must confront the uncertainty of crossing a continent on the brink of war, wondering what the journey ahead will demand of them.