before, been the first mover in all this confusion.
Cows must be milked, even were the master of the family dying; and Tamar
wished to have this task over before any message should come from the
Tower; and scarcely had she returned to the cottage, when the lad who
administered the wind to Shanty's forge, came running with such haste,
that, to use his own words,--"he had no more breath left for speaking
than a broken bellows."

"For the love of prince Charles," he said, "can you give us any
provender, Mrs. Margaret? It is cold work watching all night, with
neither food nor drink, save one bottle of whiskey among ten of us, and
scarce a dry crust."

"But what have you done?" asked Tamar.

"We have nabbed them," replied the boy. "There were four of them,
besides an old woman who was taken in the cave, and they are in the
Tower till we can get the magistrates here, and proper hands to see them
off. They came like rats from under ground. My master had made out where
to expect them, in one of the cellars, behind the great hogshead which
used to be filled at the birth of the heir, and emptied at his coming of
age. So we were ready in the cellar, and nabbed three of them there, and
the other, who was hindmost, and the woman, were taken as they ran out
the other way; and there they are in the strong-hold, that is, the four
men, but the woman is up above; and it is pitiful to hear how she howls
and cries, and calls for the Laird; but he fell asleep as soon as he
knew all was safe, and we have not the heart to disturb him."

"Well," said Mrs. Margaret, "I am most thankful that all is over without
bloodshed, and my nephew asleep. No wonder, as he has not slept since
twelve in the morning of yesterday."

"Excepting in his chair," said Tamar.

"But the provender, mistress," said the young man.

"Here," replied Tamar; "lift this pail on your head, and take this loaf,
and I will follow with what else I can find."

"Nay, Tamar," said Mrs. Margaret, "You would not go where there is such
a number of men and no woman, but that old witch Rebecca."

"I am not afraid of going where my father is," replied Tamar; "but I
must see that woman. I should know her immediately. I am convinced that
she is the very person who brought me to Shanty's shed. She hinted at
some connexion with me. Oh, horrible! may it not be possible that I may
have near relations among these miserable men who are shut up in the
strong-hold of the Tower?"

As Tam