mphrey, as he walked by the side
of the pony.

"I wish you were, Humphrey: for my part, I feel as if I were a slave set
at liberty. I do justice to old Jacob's kindness and good-will, and
acknowledge how much we are indebted to him; but still, to be housed up
here in the forest, never seeing or speaking to any one, shut out from
the world, does not suit Edward Beverley. Our father was a soldier, and
a right good one; and if I were old enough I think even now I should
escape and join the royal party, broken as it may be, and by all
accounts is, at this moment. Deer-stalking is all very well, but I fly
at higher game."

"I feel the same as you do," replied Humphrey; "but recollect, Edward,
that the old man's very infirm, and what would become of our sisters if
we were to leave them?"

"I know that well, Humphrey; I have no idea of leaving them, you may be
sure; but I wish they were with our relations in safety, and then we
should be free to act."

"Yes, we should, Edward; but recollect that we are not yet men, and boys
of fifteen and thirteen cannot do much, although they may wish to do
much."

"It's true that I am only fifteen," replied Edward, "but I am strong
enough, and so are you. I think if I had a fair cut at a man's head, I
would make him stagger under it, were he as big as a buffalo. As young
as I have been to the wars, that I know well; and I recollect my father
promising me that I should go with him as soon as I was fifteen."

"What puzzles me," replied Humphrey, "is the fear that old Jacob has of
our being seen at Lymington."

"Why, what fear is there?"

"I cannot tell more than you; in my opinion, the rear is only in his own
imagination. They surely would not hurt us (if we walked about without
arms like other people), because our father had fought for the king?
That they have beheaded some people is true; but then they were plotting
in the king's favour, or in other ways opposed to Parliament. This I
have gathered from Jacob: but I cannot see what we have to fear, if we
remain quiet. But now comes the question, Edward; for Jacob has, I
believe, said more to me on this one subject than he has to you.
Suppose you were to leave the forest, what would be the first step which
you would take?"

"I should of course state who I was, and take possession of my father's
property at Arnwood, which is mine by descent."

"Exactly; so Jacob thinks, and he says that would be your ruin, for the
property