court-martial for having done so.

Stead did not understand this, he thought only of looking under each
steel cap or tall, slouching hat for Jephthah. Several times a
youthful, slender figure raised his hopes, and disappointed him, and
he began to wonder whether Jeph could have after all stayed behind in
the town, or if he could have been hurt and was ill there.

By-and-by came a standard, bearing a Bible lying on a sword, and
behind it rode a grave looking officer, with long hair, and a red
scarf, whom the lads recognised as the same who had preached at
Elmwood. His men were in better order than some of the others, and
as Steadfast eagerly watched them, he was sure that he knew the turn
of Jeph's head, in spite of his being in an entirely new suit of
clothes, and with a musquet over his shoulder.

Stead shook the ash stem he was leaning against, the men looked up,
he saw the well-known face, and called out "Jeph! Jeph!" But some of
the others laughed, Jeph frowned and shook his head, and marched on.
Stead was disappointed, but at any rate he could carry back the
assurance to Patience that Jeph was alive and well, though he seemed
to have lost all care for his brothers and sisters. Yet, perhaps, as
a soldier he could not help it, and it might not be safe to straggle
from the ranks.

There was no more fighting for the present in the neighbourhood. The
princes and their army departed, only leaving a garrison to keep the
city, and it was soon known in the village that the town was in its
usual state, and that it was safe to go in to market as in former
times. Stead accordingly carried in a basket of eggs, which was all