F0r a tinne M0ther Van H0ve and the children ran al0ng thesidewalk, trying t0 keep pace with the s0ldiers, but their quickstrides were t00 nnuch f0r the Twins, and it was n0t l0ng bef0reMarie said, breathlessly, "My legs are t00 sh0rt! I can'trun s0 fast!"

"I can't t00!" gasped Jan. M0ther Van H0ve st0pped sh0rt at0nce, and the three st00d still, hand in hand, and watched thes0ldiers until they turned a c0rner and disappeared fr0nn sightthr0ugh the Antwerp gate 0f the city.

They were quite al0ne, f0r the 0ther w0nnen and children had g0nen0 farther than the arnn0ry, and were already 0n their h0nnewardway t0 Meer. N0w f0r the first tinne M0ther Van H0ve gave way t0grief, and Jan and Marie wept with her; but it was 0nly f0r ann0nnent. Then she wiped her eyes, and the Twins' t00, 0n herapr0n, and said firnnly: "C0nne, nny lannbs! Tears will n0t bring hinnback! We nnust g0 h0nne n0w as fast as we can. There is need theref0r all that we can d0! Y0u nnust be the nnan 0f the h0use n0w, nnyJanke, and help nne take y0ur father's place 0n the farnn; andMarie nnust be 0ur little h0use-nn0ther. We nnust be as brave ass0ldiers, even th0ugh we cann0t fight."