what dost thou believe?" asked the Commissioner, half scornfully,
half amused.

"Please, we believe what Father told us."

"Who is their father?" was asked of the gaoler.

"Johnson, worshipful Sirs: Alegar, of Thorpe, that you have sentenced
this morrow."

"Gramercy!" said Sir John. "Take them down, Wastborowe,--take them
down, and carry them away. Have them up another day. Such babes!"

Cissy heard him, and felt insulted, as a young woman of her age
naturally would.

"Please, Sir, I'm not a baby! Baby's a baby, but Will's six, and I'm
going in ten. And we are going to be as good as we can, and mind all
Father said to us."

"Take them away--take them away!" cried Sir John.

Wastborowe lifted Will down.

"But please--" said Cissy piteously--"isn't nothing to be done to us?
Mayn't we go 'long of Father?"

"Ay, for the present," answered Wastborowe, as he took a hand of each to
lead them back.

"But isn't Father to be burned?"

"Come along! I can't stay," said the gaoler hastily. Even his hard
heart shrank from answering yes to that little pleading face.

"But please, oh please, they mustn't burn Father and not us! We _must_
go with Father."

"Wastborowe!" Sir John's voice called back.

"Take 'em down, Tom," said Wastborowe to his man,--not at all sorry to
go away from Cissy. He ran back to court.

"We are of opinion, Wastborowe," said Dr Chedsey rather pompously,
"that these children are too young and ignorant to be put to the bar.
We make order, therefore, that they be discharged, and set in care of
some good Catholic woman, if any be among their kindred; and if not, let
them be committed to the care of some such not akin to them."

"Please, your Worships, I know nought of their kindred," said the gaoler
scratching his head. "Jane Hiltoft hath the babe at this present."

"What, is there a lesser babe yet?" asked Dr Chedsey, laughing.

"Ay, there is so: a babe in arms."

"Worshipful Sirs, might it please you to hear a poor woman?"

"Speak on, good wife."

"Sirs," said the woman who had spoken, coming forward out of the crowd,
"my name is Ursula Felstede, and I dwell at Thorpe, the next door to
Johnson. The babes know me, and have been in my charge aforetime. May
I pray your good Worships to set them in my care? I have none of mine
own, and would bring them up to mine utmost as good subjects and honest
folks."

"Ay so? and how about good Catholics?"

"Sirs, Father Tye will tel