er, throwing their light
far and wide. He knocked at the cottage-door; Smoker, a large dog,
cross-bred between the fox and bloodhound, growled till Jacob spoke to
him, and then Edward opened the door.

"My sisters are in bed and fast asleep, Jacob," said Edward, "and
Humphrey has been nodding this half-hour; had he not better go to bed
before we go back?"

"Come out, Master Edward,"--replied Jacob, "and look." Edward beheld
the flames and fierce light between the trees, and was silent.

"I told you that it would be so, and you would all have been burnt in
your beds, for they did not enter the house to see who was in it, but
fired it as soon as they had surrounded it."

"And my aunt!" exclaimed Edward, clasping his hands.

"Is safe, Master Edward, and by this time at Lymington."

"We will go to her to-morrow."

"I fear not; you must not risk so much, Master Edward. These Levellers
spare nobody, and you had better let it be supposed that you are all
burnt in the house."

"But my aunt knows the contrary, Jacob."

"Very true; I quite forgot that." And so Jacob had. He expected that
the old woman would have been burnt, and then nobody would have known of
the existence of the children; he forgot when he planned to save her,
that she knew where the children were.

"Well, Master Edward, I will go to Lymington to-morrow and see the old
lady; but you must remain here, and take charge of your sisters till I
come back, and then we will consider what is to be done. The flames are
not so bright as they were."

"No. It is my house that these Roundheads have burned down," said
Edward, shaking his fist.

"It was your house, Master Edward, and it was your property; but how
long it will be so remains to be seen. I fear it will be forfeited."

"Woe to the people who dare take possession of it," cried Edward; "I
shall, if I live, be a man one of these days."

"Yes, Master Edward, and then you will reflect more than you do now, and
not be rash. Let us go into the cottage, for it's no use remaining out
in the cold; the frost is sharp to-night."

Edward slowly followed Jacob into the cottage. His little heart was
full. He was a proud boy and a good boy, but the destruction of the
mansion had raised up evil thoughts in his heart--hatred to the
Covenanters, who had killed his father and now burnt the property--
revenge upon them (how, he knew not); but his hand was ready to strike,
young as he was. He lay down on t