amin burst into tears at
the sound of her words, and at the thought of the little dead
children; but she leaned out and said kindly:

"Nay, nay, weep not, Ben, boy; let us think that they are taken in
mercy from the evil to come. But linger not here, dear brothers.
Who knows that contagion may not dwell in the very air? Go forth
with what speed you may.

"Ah, there is the bell! The cart is on its way! And here comes good
Andrew back. Now he will do all that we need. Fare you well,
brothers. Rebecca is sleeping tonight, and I would not wake her. I
will give her your farewell love tomorrow."

She waved them away, and they withdrew; but a species of
fascination kept them hanging round the spot. Moreover, they feared
to meet the death cart in that narrow thoroughfare, and the porch
of the church of Allhallowes the Less was in close proximity. The
iron gate was open, and they were quickly able to hide themselves
in the porch, from whence by peeping out they could see all that
passed.

Nearer and nearer came the sound of the rumbling wheels and the
bell, and now the cry, "Bring forth your dead! bring forth your
dead!" was clearly to be heard through the still air. Round the
corner came the strange conveyance, drawn by two weary-looking
horses; and at some signal from the inmates it drew up at the door
of the house in front of which the boys had been standing a minute
before.

The watchman brought out three little shrouded forms. They were
laid upon the top of the awful pile, and the cart with its heavy
load rumbled away, the bell no longer ringing, because there was no
room for more upon that journey.

The boys stood with hands closely locked together, for although
they had heard of these things before, they had never seen the
sight. Their bedroom at home looked out upon the river, and the
dead cart only went about at night. They trembled at the thought
which came to them, that had they been numbered amongst the dead
during this terrible visitation they too had been carried in that
fashion to their last resting place.

"Come, Ben, let us be going," said Joseph, recovering himself
first; "we need not linger in the city if we like it not. There may
be strange things to see in all truth; but if we have no stomach
for them, why let us make our way northward with all speed. We can
leave all this behind us by daybreak an we will."

Taking hands, and feeling their courage return as they walked on,
the brothers passed al