"Do you think I would have pigs in here? No, I am not come to that!"

It ended in Stead's going to consult Master Blane, who advised that the
younger pigs should be either sold, or killed and salted, and nothing
left but the sow, who was a cunning old animal, and could pretty well
take care of herself, besides that she was so tough and lean that one
must be very hungry indeed to be greatly tempted by her bristles.

But how sell the pigs or buy the salt in such days as these? There was,
indeed, no firing.

There was a belief that treaties were going on, but leisure only left
the besiegers more free to go wandering about in search of plunder; and
Stead found all trouble saved him as to disposing of his pigs. They were
quite gone next time he looked for them, and the poor old sow had been
lamed by a shot; but did not seem seriously hurt, and when with some
difficulty she had been persuaded to be driven into the glen, she seemed
likely to be willing to stay there in the corner of the cattle shed.

The children were glad enough to be in their glen, with all its bareness
and discomfort, when they heard that a troop of horse had visited
Elmwood, and made a requisition there for hay and straw. They had used
no violence, but the farmers were compelled to take it into the camp
in their own waggons, getting nothing in payment but orders on the
treasury, which might as well be waste paper. And, indeed, they were
told by the soldiers that they might be thankful to get off with their
carts and horses.

CHAPTER VIII. STEAD IN POSSESSION.

"At night returning, every labour sped,
He sits him down, the monarch of a shed."
GOLDSMITH.

Another day made it certain that the garrison of Bristol had surrendered
to the besiegers. A few shots were heard, but they were only fired in
rejoicing by the Royalists, and while Steadfast was studying his barley
field, already silvered over by its long beards, and wondering how soon
it would be ripe, and how he should get it cut and stacked, his name
was shouted out, and he saw Tom Oates and all the rest of the boys
scampering down the lane.

"Come along, Stead Kenton, come on and see, the Parliament soldiers come
out and go by."

Poor Steadfast had not much heart for watching soldiers, but it struck
him that he might see or hear something of Jephthah, so he came with the
other boys to the bank, where from behind a hedge they could