"A cowardly villain!" cried Walter, delighted to let out some of his
indignation. "I knew he was not speaking a word of truth."

The children cheered up in a moment; but Lady Woodley was not sorry
to make this agitating scene an excuse for retiring with all her
children. Lucy and Eleanor were quite comforted, and convinced that
Edmund must be safe; but poor little Charlie had been so dreadfully
frightened by the horrors of Diggory's description, that after Rose
had put him to bed he kept on starting up in his sleep, half waking,
and sobbing about brother Edmund's brains.

Rose was obliged to go to him and soothe him. She longed to assure
the poor little fellow that dear Edmund was perfectly safe, well, and
near at hand; but the secret was too important to be trusted to one
so young, so she could only coax and comfort him, and tell him they
all thought it was not true, and Edmund would come back again.

"Sister," said Charlie, "may I say my prayers again for him?"

"Yes, do, dear Charlie," said Rose; "and say a prayer for King
Charles too, that he may be safe from the wicked man."

So little Charlie knelt by Rose, with his hands joined, and his
little bare legs folded together, and said his prayer: and did not
his sister's heart go with him? Then she kissed him, covered him up
warmly, and repeated to him in her soft voice the ninety-first Psalm:
"Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the Most High shall abide under
the shadow of the Almighty."