"Your father answers for you, my boy," said the Vicar. "So we will
e'en let you know what we are about. I was told this morn by a sure
hand that the Parliament men, who now hold Bristol Castle, are coming
to deal with the village churches even as they have dealt with the
minster and with St. Mary's, Redcliffe."

"A murrain on them!" muttered Kenton.

"I wot that in their ignorance they do it," gently quoted the Vicar.
"But we would fain save from their hands the holy Chalice and paten
which came down to our Church from the ancient times--and which
bearing on them, as they do, the figure of the Crucifixion of our
blessed Lord, would assuredly provoke the zeal of the destroyers.
Therefore have we placed them in this casket, and your father devised
hiding them within this cave, which he thought was unknown to any
save himself--"

"Yea," said John, "my poor brother Will and I were wont to play there
when we herded the cattle on the hill. It was climbing yon ash tree
that stands out above that he got the fall that was the death of him
at last. I've never gone nigh the place with mine own good will
since that day--nor knew the children had done so--but methought
'twas a lonesome place and on mine own land, where we might safest
store the holy things till better times come round."

"And so I hope they will," said Mr. Holworth.

"I hear good news of the King's cause in the north."

Then they began to consult where to place the precious casket. They