py homes; for it was through them that the
Good News was brought to their native land, and that the people learned
to live peaceably in a united country.

After he left the slave-market the thought of these fair-faced boys
followed Gregory wherever he went. He thought of many plans, and at
last he resolved, old as he was, to undertake the long journey to the
savage country of England and to teach the true religion to its
inhabitants. But when the Roman people found that he was going to
leave them, they begged Gregory so hard to stay that he made up his
mind that he could not go away into a heathen country while he was so
badly needed by his own people at home.

Still he had no rest when he thought that the English were living and
dying as heathens. About four years after the meeting with the boys,
he was made Pope, and then he saw that his opportunity was come.

A band of forty monks, with an Abbot of the name of Augustine at their
head, was chosen by Pope Gregory for the conversion of England.

In those days the journey from Rome to England was a long and perilous
one. Slowly the monks made their way through Italy and Switzerland,
staying sometimes at the monasteries on their way. At last they were
in Gaul, and were able to gain some information about the fierce and
warlike people whom they had been sent to convert.

In an abbey near Paris they were kindly received by the monks, who were
glad to meet the brave missionaries who had been sent to bring
Christianity to the heathen inhabitants of England.

'Perhaps your task will be easier than you expect,' said a monk who had
been listening very attentively while the travellers told their tale.

All turned to look at the speaker.

'Do you not remember,' he said, 'that Ethelbert, King of Kent, married
Bertha, the daughter of our good King? Bertha is a Christian, and
surely her husband will not harden his heart towards those who are of
the religion of his good wife.'

The monks were greatly cheered at this news. Messengers were sent to
Ethelbert to prepare him for the coming of Augustine, and a few days
later the leader and his party landed on the island of Thanet in Kent.

When Ethelbert heard that the missionaries had actually set foot in his
dominions, he felt uneasy.

'The Christians are very good folk,' he said; 'my wife is one, and I've
given her a little church of her own to do as she likes in; still, I'm
not very sure about them; I think some of th