k heartier and stronger than
he had ever done before. The slimness of attenuation was merged in
that of wiry strength and muscle. His dark eyes no longer looked
out from hollow caverns, and the colour which gradually stole into
his brown cheek bespoke increase of health and well being.

Martin and Susan looked on well pleased by the change. They liked
the lad, and found his Popery of such a mild kind that they felt no
misgiving as to its influence upon the girls. Cuthbert was as
willing to go to a privately conducted Puritan service as to mass,
and liked the appointed service of the Establishment rather better
than either. Martin did not hinder his attending the parish church,
though he but rarely put in an appearance himself. He was not one
of the bitter opponents of the Establishment, but he was a bitter
opponent of persecution for conscience' sake, and he was naturally
embittered by the new rigour with which the old laws of conformity
were enforced. However, he was true to his principles in that he
let Cuthbert go his own way freely, and did not forbid Cherry to
accompany him sometimes to church, where she found much
entertainment and pleasure in watching the fashionable people come
and go; and perhaps her father divined that she would give more
attention to the mode of the ladies' headgears and hair dressing
and the cut of their farthingales than to any matters of doctrine
that might be aired in the pulpit.

As for Cuthbert, he drank in voraciously all that he heard and all
that he saw in this strange place, which seemed to him like the
Babylon of old that the Puritan pastors raved over in their
pulpits. He was to be allowed his full liberty for some weeks, to
see the sights of the city and learn his way about it. Perhaps
after Christmastide his uncle would employ him in his shop or
warehouse, but Martin wished to take the measure of the lad before
he put him to any task.

So Cuthbert roamed the London streets wondering and amazed. He saw
many a street fight waged between the Templars and 'prentices, and
got a broken head himself from being swept along the tide of mimic
battle. He saw the rude and rabble mob indulging in their favourite
pastime of upsetting coaches (hell carts as they chose to dub
them), and roaring with laughter as the frightened occupants strove
to free themselves from the clumsy vehicles. Cuthbert got several
hard knocks as a reward for striving to assist these unlucky wights
when they chanc