iness and impatience is not
surprising. Edward had been brought up as the heir of Arnwood; and a
boy at a very early age imbibes notions of his position, if it promises
to be a high one. He was not two miles from that property which by
right was his own. His own mansion had been reduced to ashes--he
himself was hidden in the forest, and he could not but feel his
position. He sighed for the time when the king's cause should be again
triumphant, and his arrival at that age when he could in person support
and uphold the cause. He longed to be in command as his father had
been--to lead his men on to victory--to recover his property, and to
revenge himself on those who had acted so cruelly towards him. This was
human nature; and much as Jacob Armitage would expostulate with him, and
try to divert his feelings into other channels; long as he would preach
to him about forgiveness of injuries, and patience until better times
should come, Edward could not help brooding over these thoughts, and if
ever there was a breast animated with intense hatred against the
Puritans it was that of Edward Beverley. Although this was to be
lamented, it could not create surprise or wonder in the old forester.
All he could do was, as much as possible to reason with him, to soothe
his irritated feelings, and by constant employment try to make him
forget for a time the feelings of ill-will which he had conceived.

One thing was, however, sufficiently plain to Edward, which was, that
whatever might be his wrongs, he had not the power at present to redress
them; and this feeling, perhaps, more than any other, held him in some
sort of check; and as the time when he might have an opportunity
appeared far distant, even to his own sanguine imagination, so by
degrees did he contrive to dismiss from his thoughts what it was no use
to think about at present.

CHAPTER FIVE.

As we have before said, time passed rapidly; with the exception of one
or two excursions after venison, they remained in the cottage, and Jacob
never went to Lymington. The frost had broken up, the snow had long
disappeared, and the trees began to bud. The sun became powerful, and
in the month of May the forest began again to look green.

"And now, Edward," said Jacob Armitage, one day at breakfast, "we will
try for venison again to sell at Lymington, for I must purchase
Humphrey's cart and harness; so let us get our guns, and go out this
fine morning. The stags are mos