Under the Storm

eaper, whose

GFE

l over the dumb things as they were over little Ben, who could now run about and talk. All that year nothing particular happened to the children. Patience's good butter and fresh eggs had come to be known in Bristol, and besides, Stead and Rusha used to find plovers' eggs on the common, for which the merc

talk of victories of their cause, while in the Cathedral the canon's voice trembled and grew choked in the prayer for the King, and the sermons were generally about being true and faithful to King and church whateve

ery, it was understood that the Dean thought

or their poverty by swagger and noise, and Steadfast was thankful that it was unlikely that any of them should find the way to his little valley with what they called requisitions for the King's service, but which

take o

give you

family, especially to little Ben. However, most of the garrison and the poorer folk of the town were taken up with mending the weak places in the walls, and digging ditches with the earth of which they made steep banks, and there were sentries at the gates, who were not always civil. Whatever the country people brought in

ince Rupert was coming to defend it. Steadfast was very anxious, and would not le

ed by the distant rattle of musketry, such as had been heard two years ago, in the time of the first siege but it was in quite another direction

Gates. "I saw 'em first! Hu

s Hart, throwing her apron over her head.

and they have enow to do with one another. I wonder if Sir Georg

ed out a woman. "He

e there was a bridge over a small river, a mill, and one or two houses near. On the nearer side of the river could be seen the flash of steel caps, and a close, dark body of men, on the further side was another force, mostly of hors

ck's shoes just now. I wonder where he is, poor rogue.

own, "and the bridge too, trying to hinder the King's

drawing together. Is i

troop galloping up stream. Be

folks have told them of Colham for

eorge is there,

lham Lane. See, see, there's a lot of 'em drawn

ot help repeating. But from the red coats on and behind the bridge, proceeded a perfect cloud of smoke, which hid everything, and when it began to clear away on the wind, there seemed to be a hand-to-hand struggle going on upon the bridge, smaller

y a feint," cried Mast

ttering, and thundering of hoofs as came up to the harvest men above, and Master Brown led the cheer as they charg

fellows on the bridge in the rear. No. Ha! they are hunting the

ud of horsehoofs, and from the London Road, between the bridge and the Royalist horsemen, there emerged a compact body of troopers, in steel caps and cors

ide, charged the already broken troops before they had time to rally, and there was nothing to be seen but an u

preventing any of the supplies from reaching the garrison, or any of the intended reinforcements, except some of the eag

rection of Bristol, leaving, however, a strong guard at the bridge, over which piled waggons and beasts of burthen continued to pass, captured no doubt and prevented from relieving the city. It began to draw towards evening, and Master Brown was beginning to observe that he must go and report to my lady, p

at, and heavy boots, stood panting among them. "I t

rough the midst and throwing herself on him, while his father conten

y Jack?" excla

rry?" was another c

uld not be heard in the clamour,

his horse had been struck by a stray shot, and killed under him. He had avoided the pursuers by scrambling through a hedge, and then had thought it be

on the field of Naseby, though there had been no opportunity of letting his family know. "Ill news travels fast enoug

nton," Steadfast managed

ng Roundhead. The only Elmwood

there?" de

e than once on outpost duty, prating away as if he had a beard on his chin. I'd a good

the fight?" reit

rse, like a knife through a mouldy cheese, and left 'em lying to the right and left. If the

cked by the not unwelcome

ly over the valley where the shadows of evening were spreading. "M

outish youth, hitherto silent; "mayn'

poor Harry may be lying a bleed

ke 'em for Irish-and thinking that, they did make bloody work with the poor ladies at Naseby. But the dame there will be safe enough," he

," Steadfast hastily asked Tom Oates to let Patience know that he w

k as a matter of course, and there was no resting in the thought of his lying wounded and helpless on the field-nay, the assurance that Hodge shouted out that the rebel dogs took care of their own

e time they came out on the open space below, and began

when they heard the sobbing panting, and saw the struggling of a poor horse not quite dead, and his rider a litt

lantern was flashed on her and a gruff voice called out, "Villains, ungodly churls

a poor widow woman, come down to see whether my p

t?" demanded the sold

hard on him-he couldn't help it-

oop that forded higher up, and came on Fisher's corps. This way, dame. If your son be down, you'll find him here; that is, unless he be carried into the mill or one of the houses. Most of the wounded lie there for the night, but the poor lads that are killed must be buried to-morrow. Take care, dame," as poor Nanny cried out

no room for a dog in here. They li

k for her son. What's his name? Is there a

gladness, "Mother! mother!" ended in a

ou in. A woman here will be all

ady sprung into the midst of the mass of suffering

ost anxiously at each of the still fo

ne Jephthah Kenton? On your own side, sir,

eh?" said the soldier. "Jephthah K

roop went off to quarters," replied the other man. "

er, and he was pushed out of the way by a party carrying in another wounded man, whose moans and cries were fearful to listen to. He thought i

howed out the dark forms of man and horse, and what was worse the white faces turned up, and those dark pools in which once or twice he had slippe

-not like the panting moan of a wounded man, but the worn out crying of a tired child. He thought s

yone t

in, "Who is it? I won't hurt you," for something

?" piped out a w

eadfast. "Come out, I'll

" was the answer

f about the same size as Rusha. He tried to take her hand, but she backed against the tree, and he r

dale's troopers," said the child, somewhat proudly,

Steadfast; "I want to help yo

h the September dews. His touch seemed to give her confidence, a

ascal Roundheads shot

said Steadfast. "And you

ait by the bush till he came or sent for me, but he has not co

matters than he had, and when he further told her that Hodge was at Elmwood, and would no doubt rejoin his regiment at Bristol the next day, she seemed satisfied, and with the prospect of supper before her, trotted along, holding Steadfast's hand and munching a crust which he had found in his pouch, the remains of the interrupted meal, but though at first it seem