and as some of the sheep would have to be killed and
salted for the winter, the skins would serve for warmth. Patience
arranged the bundles of straw with a neat bit of plaiting round them,
at one corner of the room for herself and Rusha, at the opposite one for
Stead. For the present they must sleep in their clothes.

Life was always so rough, and, to present notions, comfortless, that
all this was not nearly so terrible to the farmer's daughter of two
centuries ago as it would be to a girl of the present day. Indeed,
save for the grief for the good father, the sense of which now and then
rushed on them like a horrible, too true dream, Steadfast and Patience
would almost have enjoyed the setting up for themselves and all their
contrivances. Some losses, however, besides that of the churn were
very great in their eyes. Patience's spinning wheel especially, and the
tools, scythe, hook, and spade, all of which had been so much damaged,
that Smith Blane had shaken his head over them as past mending.

Perhaps, however, Stead might borrow and get these made for him. As to
the wheel, that must, like the churn, wait till the siege was over.

"But will not those dreadful men burn the town down and not leave one
stone on another, if Jeph and the rest of them don't keep them out?"
asked Patience.

"No," said Stead. "That is not the way in these days--at least not
always. So poor father said last time we went into Bristol, when he had
been talking to the butter-merchant's man. He said the townsfolk would
know the reason why, if the soldiers were for holding out long enough to
get them into trouble."

"Then perhaps there will not be much fighting and they will not hurt
Jeph," said Patience, to whom Jeph was the whole war.

"There's no firing to-day. Maybe they are making it up," said Steadfast.

"I never heeded," said Patience, "we have been so busy! But Stead, how
shall we get the things? We have no money. Shall we sell a sheep or a
pig?"

Stead looked very knowing, and she exclaimed "Have you any, Stead? I
thought Jeph took it all away."

Then Stead told her how his father had entrusted him with the bulk of
the savings, in case of need, and had made it over to the use of the
younger ones.

"It was well you did not know, Patty," he added. "You told no lie, and
Jeph might have taken it all."

"O! he would not have been so cruel," cried Patience. "He would not want
Rusha and Ben to have nothing."

Stead did not feel s