ad to see thee! And how glad Mother would be to know thou wert
here.'

The girl who entered was both taller and older than Dorcas. She was a
well-loved playfellow evidently, for Tryphena and Tryphosa toddled
towards her across the room at once, to be caught up in her arms and
kissed.

'Of course, it is I, Dorcas,' she answered promptly. 'Who else should
it be? Prudence and I determined that we would come over and try to
help thee as soon as we could. We brought a basket of provisions too,
in case you were short. Prudence is helping Peter to set out breakfast
in the kitchen now, so we must hasten.'

Life often becomes easy when you are two, however difficult it may
have been when you were only one! With Hester to help, the dressing
was finished at lightning speed. Yet, when the children came down to
the kitchen, Prudence and Peter already had the fire blazing away
merrily; the warm milk was foaming in the bowls. The hungry children
thought, as they drank it up, that never before had breakfast tasted
so good.

'Hester, what made thee think of coming?' Dorcas asked a little later,
when, Baby's imperious needs being satisfied, she was able to begin
her own breakfast, while he drummed an accompaniment on the back of
her hand with a wooden spoon. 'How did the news reach thee? Or have
they taken thy Father and Mother away too? Have all the Friends gone
to gaol this time?'

Hester nodded. Her bright face clouded for a moment or two. Then she
resolutely brushed the cloud away.

'Yea, in truth, Dorcas,' she answered. 'I fear much that only we
children are left. Anyhow, thy parents and mine are taken, and the
others as well most like. My Father had warning from a trusty source
that he and other Friends had best not meet in Thomas Curtis' house
last night. But he is never one to be turned aside from his purpose,
thou knows. So he took me between his knees and said, "Hester, dear
maid, thy mother and I must go. 'Tis none of our choosing. If we are
taken, fear not for us, nor for thyself and Prue. Only seek to nourish
and care for the tender babes in the other houses, whence Friends are
likely to be taken also." Therefore I hastened hither to help thee,
Dorcas, bringing Prudence with me, partly because I love thee, and
thou art mine own dear friend, but also because it was my Father's
command. If I can be of service to thee, perhaps he will pat my head
when he returns out of gaol and say, as he doth sometimes, "I knew I
coul