undle of sticks I carry up be not for her
burning. Ha! ha!"

I told him he was a fool; but the idea was firm stuck in his head, and
more I could not get out of him. No doubt but the presence of two sweet
women in his house had sorely exercised the minister, but that was not
enough to make him shut the door just now in my face and vouchsafe me
not a word after my journey.

I wandered on towards the river, wondering what I was to do, when I came
upon a sight which explained everything in a twinkling. Down on the
bank sat, side by side, Peter Stoupe and the boy Prosper, fishing
amicably in the stream. It needed no conjurer to say now who had come
betwixt me and my master's family. Peter, no doubt, had brought down a
pretty story of me from London; and if, as I feared, my riot with the
Company had made matters only worse for my master in the White Lion, it
would be easy for my mistress to believe any evil that was told of me.
And as for Master Udal, Peter Stoupe was just the lad to pay dutiful
heed to his exhortations, and so find admittance where I, a fool and
reprobate, was not allowed.

I came on them so suddenly that I had not time to retire before they saw
me. Peter seemed taken aback at the sight of me, but the boy Prosper,
being a gallant lad, and greatly emboldened by the presence of his
protector, rose up with a red face, and shouting, "There goes the
villain! Have at you!" flung a stone my way, and would have followed it
up had not Peter taken his arm and forcibly held him back.

That was quite enough for me. Had I been guilty of the villainy they
suspected, I could not have turned tail more miserably. Had Peter been
there alone, I might perhaps have solaced myself by pitching him out
into the river. As it was, I could find nothing to say or do except to
sneak away and leave them--one smiling, the other storming at my
retreat.

That was not the worst. As I passed once more near the minister's house
on my way to reach the London road, I came upon my mistress and
Jeannette, walking slowly beneath the willows. At sight of them, my
heart thumped hard within me, and I resolved at least to say a word for
myself. But as I doffed my cap and crossed the way to meet them, I saw
that my mistress looked hurt and distant, and, turning her head from me,
drew the maid's arm in hers, and walked forward without heeding me. It
stunned me, so that I could not even put one foot before the other, but
stood there in