with arms
round his neck.

"Poor child! poor child!" sighed Master Headley. "Would that I brought
him the same tidings as to thee!"

"Is it so?" asked Stephen, reading confirmation as he looked from the
one to the other. Though he was unable to rise under the weight of the
boy, life and light were coming to his eye, while Ambrose clasped his
hand tightly, choked by the swelling of his heart in almost an agony of
joy and thankfulness.

"Yea, my good lad," said the alderman. "Thy good kinsman took my little
wench to bear to the King the token he gave thee."

"And Giles?" Stephen asked, "and the rest?"

"Giles is safe. For the rest--may God have mercy on their souls."

These words passed while Stephen rocked Jasper backwards and forwards,
his face hidden on his neck.

"Come home," added Master Headley. "My little Dennet and Giles cannot
yet rejoice till thou art with them. Giles would have come himself, but
he is sorely shaken, and could scarce stand."

Jasper caught the words, and loosing his friend's neck, looked up. "Oh!
are we going home? Come, Stephen. Where's brother Simon? I want my
good sister! I want nurse! Oh! take me home!" For as he tried to sit
up, he fell back sick and dizzy on the bed.

"Alack! alack!" mourned Master Headley; and the jester, muttering that
it was not the little wench's fault, turned to the window, and burst
into tears. Stephen understood it all, and though he felt a passionate
longing for freedom, he considered in one moment whether there were any
one of his fellow prisoners to whom Jasper could be left, or who would
be of the least comfort to him, but could find no one, and resolved to
cling to him as once to old Spring.

"Sir," he said, as he rose to his master, "I fear me he is very sick.
Will they--will your worship give me licence to bide with him till this
ends?"

"Thou art a good-hearted lad," said the alderman with a hand on his
shoulder. "There is no further danger of life to the prentice lads.
The King hath sent to forbid all further dealing with them, and hath
bidden my little maid to set it about that if their mothers beg them
grace from good Queen Katherine, they shall have it. But this poor
child! He can scarce be left. His brother will take it well of thee if
thou wilt stay with him till some tendance can be had. We can see to
that. Thanks be to Saint George and our good King, this good City is
our own again!"

The alderman turned away, and