Under the Storm | Page 4

word."
"And," said his father, "though he be slower in speech than some, your
reverence may trust him."
Steadfast gave his brown red hand, and with head bare said, "I promise,
after the minister and before God, never to give up that which lies
within the cave to any man, save a lawfully ordained minister of the
Church."

CHAPTER II
.
THE STRAGGLERS.

"Trust me, I am exceedingly weary." SHAKESPEARE.
John Kenton, though a Churchwarden, was, as has been said, a very
small farmer, and the homestead was no more than a substantial cottage,
built of the greystone of the country, with the upper story projecting a
little, and reached by an outside stair of stone. The farm yard, with the
cowsheds, barn, and hay stack were close in front, with only a narrow
strip of garden between, for there was not much heed paid to flowers,
and few kitchen vegetables were grown in those days, only a few
potherbs round the door, and a sweet-brier bush by the window.
The cows had made their way home of their own accord, and Patience
was milking one of them already, while little Rusha held the baby,
which was swaddled up as tightly as a mummy, with only his arms free.

He stretched them out with a cry of gladness as he saw his father, and
Kenton took the little creature tenderly in his arms and held him up,
while Steadfast hurried off to fetch the milking stool and begin upon
the other cow.
"Is Jeph come home?" asked the father, and Rusha answered "No,
daddy, though he went ever so long ago, and said he would bring me a
cake."
Upon this Master Kenton handed little Benoni back to Rusha, not
without some sounds of fretfulness from the baby, but the pigs had to
be shut up and fed, and the other evening work of the farmyard done;
and it was not till all this was over, and Patience had disposed of the
milk in the cool cellars, that the father could take him again.
Meantime Steadfast had brought up a bucket of water from the spring,
and after washing his own hands and face, set out the table with a very
clean, though coarse cloth, five brown bowls, three horn spoons and
two wooden ones, one drinking horn, a couple of red earthen cups and
two small hooped ones of wood, a brown pitcher of small ale, a big
barley loaf, and a red crock, lined with yellow glazing, into which
Patience presently proceeded to pour from a cauldron, where it had
been simmering over the fire, a mess of broth thickened with meal.
This does not sound like good living, but the Kentons were fairly
well-to-do smock-frock farmers, and though in some houses there
might be greater plenty, there was not much more comfort beneath the
ranks of the gentry in the country.
As for seats, the father's big wooden chair stood by the fire, and there
was a long settle, but only stools were used at the table, two being the
same that had served the milkers. Just as Rusha, at her father's sign, had
uttered a short Grace, there stood in the doorway a tall, stout,
well-made lad of seventeen, with a high-crowned wide- brimmed felt
hat, a dark jerkin with sleeves, that, like his breeches and gaiters, were
of leather, and a belt across his shoulder with a knife stuck in it.
"Ha! Jeph," said Kenton, "always in time for meat, whatever else you
miss."
"I could not help it, father," said Jephthah, "the red coats were at their
exercise!"
"And thou couldst not get away from the gape-seed, eh! Come, sit
down, boy, and have at thy supper."

"I wish I was one of them," said Jeph as he sat down.
"And thou'dst soon wish thyself back again!" returned his father.
"How much did you get for the fowls and eggs?" demanded Patience.
Jephthah replied by producing a leathern bag, while Rusha cried out for
her cake, and from another pocket came, wrapped in his handkerchief,
two or three saffron buns which were greeted with such joy that his
father had not the heart to say much about wasting pence, though it
appeared that the baker woman had given them as part of her bargain
for a couple of dozen of eggs, which Patience declared ought to have
brought two pence instead of only three halfpence.
Jephthah, however, had far too much news to tell to heed her
disappointment as she counted the money. He declared that the price of
eggs and butter would go up gallantly, for more soldiers were daily
expected to defend Bristol, and he had further to tell of one of the
captains preaching in the Minster, and the market people