The Children of the New Forest

enjamin had stated his intention to return with the horse and see what had taken place, and he knew him well enough

cting the heavy masses of lead which had been melted from the roof, and appropriating them to their own benefit; but much of it was still too hot to be touched, and they were

s is a woeful sight.

ing

roopers, and they are n

the old lady-

n, "and the poor children, too. Poor Master

safe," rejoined Jac

thought she was King C

und out their mis

t out too," replied Benjamin; "to thi

ck? You don't sa

zed her and strapped her fast behind him, and galloped away with her to Lymington; but she struggled

-a judgment upon a

ether as they were, by the other t

old lady, then? Did yo

her. I forgot to say that, when she brok

old lady

o cares about her? it's the poor children tha

n't w

struck his sword upon the floor, and asked me whether I was one of them-'Who are you, then?' and I-all my courage went away, and I answered, I was a poor rat-catcher. 'A rat-catcher; are you? Well, then, Mr. Ratcatcher, when you are killing rats, if you find a nest of

thing about the ki

s are all out again, and, I h

from this part of the country-it's no use

Lymington earl

ood-by for m

e you goi

ly staid here to watch over the children; and now

d hastened away. "Well," thought Jacob, as he wended his way, "I'm sorry for the poor old lady, but still, perhaps, it's all for the best. Who knows what they migh

nlikely, and not borne out by the history of the times: but the old forester thought otherwise; he had a hatred of the Puritans, and their deeds had been so exaggerated by rumor, that he fully believed that the lives of the children were not safe. Under this conviction, and feeling himself bound by his promise to Colonel Beverley to protect them, Jacob resolved that they should live with him in the forest, and be brought up as his own grandchildren. He knew that there could be no better place for concealment; for, except the keepers, few people knew where his cottage was; and it was so out of the usual paths, and so imbosomed in lofty trees, that there was l

ushed before them, to welcome his master. "Down, Smoker, good dog! Well, Mr. Edward, I have been as quick as I could. How have Mr. Humphrey and your sisters behaved? Bu

ge down?" inquired Alice,

ey found that you and your brothers were

ont, and two back rooms for bedrooms. There was also a third bedroom,

here's venison left, I know," said Jacob; "co

said Alice, "if yo

ere's some potatoes in the basket in the corner, and some onions

who took a pail, and

cut the venison into pieces-the iron pot was cleaned; and then the

onions, for they will

umphrey, "I'll cut and

most manfully, although he was obliged to

ut the onions in, and let it all boil up together. Now you

d we will eat our own dinn

e drawer. And let me see, what can little Edith do? Oh, she can go to the cupboard and find the salt-cellar. Edward, just lo

, and Humphrey cried out, as he ve

the floor was swept, the hearth was made tidy. He shewed Alice how to wash out a cloth, and Humphr

troopers galloping in the forest!" Jacob went out, and observed tha

you are very quiet. Humphrey, you and your sisters must go to bed, and pretend to be very ill. Edward, take off your coat and put on this old hunting-frock o

p to the chins with the clothes. Edward had put on the old hunting-shirt, which came below his knees, and stood with a mug of water in his hand by the bedside of the two girls. Jacob

n," sai

" said the leader of the

r," replied Jacob, "

rouble,

ren all in bed wi

we must searc

cob; "only don't frighten the

sed through. Little Edith shrieked when she saw them; but Edward patted her, and told her not to be frightened. Th

ne of the troopers. "Shall we be off

something that smell

n?" continued he, taking

b. "I have no one to cook for me now

e such a mess as that every day in the wee

lied Jacob; "I will coo

e kettle had disappeared. Having satisfied themselves, they got up, told him that his rations were so

on as they were out of sight, Jacob called to Edward and the children to get up again, which they soon

" said Jacob, comi

aid Humphrey, looking at the

d Jacob. "Edward, go for the water; Humphrey, cut the onions; Alice, was

," observed Humphrey; "tha

improve by practice, and we shall have a b

said Edith. "Shan't have a

was cooked; but they were ve

said Humphrey wit

harles eats so good a dinner this day. M

t cause? Oh, if I could but

it. They say that every dog has his day, and who

e cottage that day, and they al

harles had been taken prisoner, and was at the Isle of Wight, and that the troopers were all going back to London as fast as they came. Feeling that there was now no more danger to be apprehended from them, Jacob set off as fast as he could for Lymington. He went to one shop and purchased two peasant dresses which he thought would fit the two boys, and at another he b

ome to put on, which they might rove about the woods in, and not mind tearing them. Alice and Edith went into the bedroom, and Alice dressed Edith and herself, and came out qui

r I shall no longer call you Miss and Master-that we never do i

ey might now go out of the cottage and play, they all set off,

nd of more than an acre, well fenced in to keep out the deer and game, the largest portion of which was cultivated as a garden and potato-ground, and the other, which remained in grass, contained some fine old apple and pear-trees. Such was the domicile; the pony, a few fowls, a sow and two young pigs, and the dog Smoker, were the animals on the establishment. Here Jacob Armitage had been born-for the cottage had been built by his grandfather-but he had not always remained at the cottage. When young, he felt an inclination to see more of the world, and had for several years served in the army. His father and brother had lived in the establishment at Arnwood, and