e rode back and called Andrew.

"Bring us the oats without delay, my friend," said Stephen; "our poor
beasts want food as much as we do."

The old man went into his hut and reappeared with a good-sized basketful
of oats. The young men, taking off their bridles, allowed the poor
beasts to commence their meal, fastening them up with some ropes, of
which there were several coils in the boat-house.

"You have come far, I suspect," observed the old fisherman, as he
watched the horses devour their provender.

"You must give them some water, though," said Stephen, "or they will not
get through enough food to sustain them."

The old man got a bucket, and went to a well a little distance from the
cottage, among a group of trees, the only ones to be seen in the
neighbourhood.

"A merciful man is merciful to his beast," he observed, as he brought
the water, which the horses greedily drank. "Travellers have need to
look after their steeds for their own sakes. Are you riding northward?
It may be if you are, you are going to join the Duke of Monmouth's army.
We have heard say that he has gone in that direction."

"No, we have no intention of joining his army," answered Stephen
evasively, thankful to find that the news of the Duke's defeat had not
as yet reached thus far. They now, closing the door of the boat-house,
accompanied the old man to the cottage. They fancied that he was alone,
but on entering they discovered an old woman seated by the fire, engaged
in preparing the evening meal. She looked up from her task, and asked
her husband who the strangers were.

"Travellers, goodwife; they want some food, and you must just put on
whatever you have got to give them. Fry some more bacon and some of the
salt fish we have in store. They will pay for it, goodwife," he
whispered in her ear. "It is some time since your eyes have been
gladdened by the sight of silver."

The old lady looked satisfied, and was soon frying a further supply of
bacon and fish. The smell made Stephen and Andrew feel so sick with
hunger, that they begged leave to fall-to without waiting for the return
of Mark, the son of the old couple. It took them some time, however, to
appease their appetites. The old man and his wife looked on with
astonishment at the amount of food they stowed away.

"One would suppose that you two had not eaten anything since yesterday,"
observed the old man.

"You are not far wrong, friend," answered Stephen. "We h