CHAPTER XVI
THE MARCH OF TRIUMPH
“How do you know?” asked Frank, as he and Billy made a grab for the piece of paper on which Tom had jotted down his notes.
“Leave that alone,” said Tom, holding it out of reach. “I had the work of getting this stuff and I’m going to have the pleasure of telling you the news.”
“Get busy then,” adjured Billy impatiently.
“Before I tell you anything else,” said Tom, “listen to this: The Kaiser’s skipped.”
“What?” they exclaimed in chorus.
“Straight goods,” vowed Tom. “He ran away like a cur. He didn’t even wait till the armistice was signed. He struck out like a coyote for Holland yesterday. He had a special train waiting for him.”
“Yellow all through!” exclaimed Frank in disgust.
“He’s a hero—I don’t think,” remarked Billy.
“They say that the crowd in Holland guyed him something awful while he was at the Eysden railroad station,” went on Tom. “Told him that wasn’t the road to Paris and a lot of other little things like that.”