k, Edmund, and
promise that they should not starve?"

"The parish will take care of that, Mary; you need not be afraid."

"It sounds so hard-hearted," said Dora and Sophy to each other.

But Edmund did not prevent, nor wish to prevent, their going to see
Judith, nor taking with them much more solid food than she was in the
habit of eating. Thick sandwiches and lumps of cold pudding were
likewise conveyed to the Barton children at school, so that probably
they fared much better than was their usual habit.

Judith said she was sorry that Dan should go for to do such a thing, but
she was less indignant than Dora expected, and she cried, though more
quietly than her sister, when he was sentenced to three months'
imprisonment. It was to be said for Molly Hewlett, that enough of her
old training remained about her to keep her a sober woman, but Captain
Carbonel saw Nanny Barton reeling out of the "Blue Lion" on the day of
the conviction, much the worse for the treatings she had enjoyed by way
of consolation.

If George Hewlett had any strong feelings about his brother's disaster,
he did not communicate them; he went about his work just as usual, and
whistled as much as ever. But he took Johnnie, who was only eleven
years old, into his workshop, and gave him eighteenpence a week for
doing what he could; and he turned out handy, diligent, and trustworthy,
so as to be fully worth the money, and thus to stay on when his father
came out of prison.

Dan was much the same man as when he went into gaol, save that his
hatred to Captain Carbonel had increased.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

LINCH-PINS.

"And leave them laughing, Ho! Ho Ho!"--_Robin Goodfellow_.

Notice was sent from the Bishop of the diocese that he was about to hold
a Confirmation at Poppleby in six weeks' time. This was matter of
rejoicing to Mr Harford, who had mourned over the very few
communicants. Before he came the Celebrations had been only three times
a year, and were attended by most of the aged paupers. To the joy of
the Carbonels, the feast was monthly after his coming; but the first
time the aged people were there, and all lingered, George Hewlett, the
clerk, said, when the curate looked to him for information--

"The alms, sir. They be waiting for the money in the plate."

"Why, that is to be reserved for sick and distressed."

"Mr Selby, he always give it out to them, and so did Mr Jones afore
him, sir. They be all expecting of it."