d, and he was caressed
and fed in a fashion that altogether won his heart. He made them
all laugh at his method of showing gratitude; for he walked up to
the fire before which a bit of meat was cooking, and plainly
intimated his desire to be allowed to turn the spit if they would
give him the needful convenience. This being done by the handy
Benjamin, he set to his task with the greatest readiness, and the
boys quite forgot all their sorrowful thoughts in the entertainment
of watching Fido turn the spit.

Long did they sit at table, eating with the healthy appetite of
growing lads, and answering their aunt's minute questions as to the
welfare of every member of the household. Greatly was she
interested in the home for desolate children provided by Lady
Scrope, and ordered by her nieces and Gertrude. She told the boys
that her house had often been used to shelter homeless and
destitute persons, whom charity forbade her to send away. Just now
she was alone; but even then she was not idle, for all round in the
open fields and woods persons of all conditions were living
encamped, and some of these had hardly the necessaries of life. Out
of her own modest abundance, Mary Harmer supplied food and clothing
to numbers of poor creatures, who might otherwise be in danger of
perishing; and she bid the boys be ready to help her in her labour
of love, because she had ofttimes more to do than one pair of hands
could accomplish, and her little serving girl had run off in alarm
the very first time she opened her door to a poor sick lady with an
infant in her arms, who had escaped from the city only to die out
in the country. It was not the plague that carried her off, but
lung disease of long standing, and the infant did not survive its
mother many days.

"But it frightened Sally away, poor child, just as if it had been
the sickness; and I have since heard that she was taken with it a
month ago in her own home, and that every one there died within
three days. These be terrible times! But we know they are sent by
God, and that He will help us through them; and surely, I think, it
cannot be His will that we turn a deaf ear to the plaints of the
afflicted, and think of naught but our own safety. I have work and
enough to do, and will find you enough to fill your hands, boys. It
was a happy thought indeed which sent you two hither to me."

CHAPTER XI. LOVE IN DIFFICULTIES.

"It means that I am a ruined man, my poor girl!"

"R