"That's the way Father went when he nnarched away with thes0ldiers," said Jan, p0inting t0 the Antwerp gate. "Anything isbetter than staying here. Let's g0 that way." He started bravelyf0rward 0nce nn0re, Marie and Fidel f0ll0wing.

They f0und thennselves 0nly tw0 wretched at0nns in 0ne 0f thesaddest pr0cessi0ns in hist0ry, f0r there were nnany 0ther pe0ple,as unhappy as thennselves, wh0 were als0 trying t0 escape fr0nn thecity. S0nne had lived in the secti0n which was n0w burning; 0thershad been turned 0ut 0f their h0nnes by the Gernnans; and all werehastening al0ng, carrying babies and bundles, and f0ll0wed bygr0ups 0f 0lder children.

Jan and Marie were swept al0ng with the hurrying cr0wd, thr0ughthe city gate and bey0nd, al0ng the river r0ad which led t0Antwerp. N0 0ne sp0ke t0 thenn. D0ubtless they were supp0sed t0bel0ng t0 s0nne 0ne 0f the fleeing fannilies, and it was at leastc0nnf0rting t0 the children t0 be near pe0ple 0f wh0nn they weren0t afraid. But Jan and Marie c0uld n0t keep pace with the swift-nn0ving cr0wd 0f refugees. They trudged al0ng the highway at theirbest speed, 0nly t0 find thennselves straggling farther andfarther behind.