"And thou couldst not get away from the gape-seed, eh! Come, sit
down, boy, and have at thy supper."

"I wish I was one of them," said Jeph as he sat down.

"And thou'dst soon wish thyself back again!" returned his father.

"How much did you get for the fowls and eggs?" demanded Patience.

Jephthah replied by producing a leathern bag, while Rusha cried out
for her cake, and from another pocket came, wrapped in his
handkerchief, two or three saffron buns which were greeted with such
joy that his father had not the heart to say much about wasting
pence, though it appeared that the baker woman had given them as part
of her bargain for a couple of dozen of eggs, which Patience declared
ought to have brought two pence instead of only three halfpence.

Jephthah, however, had far too much news to tell to heed her
disappointment as she counted the money. He declared that the price
of eggs and butter would go up gallantly, for more soldiers were
daily expected to defend Bristol, and he had further to tell of one
of the captains preaching in the Minster, and the market people
flocking in to hear him. Jeph had been outside, for there was no
room within, but he had scrambled upon an old tombstone with a couple
of other lads, and through the broken window had seen the gentleman
holding forth in his hat and feather, buff coat and crimson scarf,
and heard him call on all around to be strong and hew down all their
enemies, even dragging the false and treacherous woman and her idols
out to the horse gate and there smiting them even to the death.