stirrups on a sorry nag, being hauled off to town like a common
thief!"

"Oh!" broke from the children, and Patience ventured to ask, "But
what for, father?"

"They best know who did it," said the Churchwarden. "Something they
said of a scandalous minister, as though his had not ever been a
godly life and preaching. These be strange times, children, and for
the life of me, I know not what it all means. How now, Jeph, what
art idling there for? There's the waggon to be loaded for to-morrow
with the faggots I promised Mistress Lightfoot."

Jeph moved away, murmuring something about fetching up the cows, to
which his father replied, "That was Steadfast's work, and it was not
time yet."

In fact Jeph was very curious to know what was going on in the
village. If there was any kind of uproar, why should not he have his
part in it? It was just like father to hinder him, and he had a
great mind to neglect the faggots and go off to the village. He was
rather surprised, and a good deal vexed to see his father walking
along on the way to the pasture with Steadfast.

It was for the sake of saying "Aye, boy, best not go near the sorry
sight! They would not let good Master Holworth speak with me; but I
saw he meant to warn me to keep aloof lest Tim Green or the like
should remember as how I'm Churchwarden."

"Did they ask after those things?" inquired Steadfast in a lowered