five small trinkets specified, though not without some murmurs from
his wife. It was no doubt safer to leave the rest of the money in
his hands than to carry it with them, and he undertook that it
should be forthcoming, if needed for any fit purpose, such as the
purchase of an office, an apprentice's fee, or an outfit as a
squire. It was a vague promise that cost him nothing just then, and
thus could be readily made, and John's great desire was to get them
away so that he could aver that they had gone by their own free
will, without any hardship, for he had seen enough at his father's
obsequies to show him that the love and sympathy of all the scanty
dwellers in the Forest was with them.

Nurse Joan had fought their battles, but with the sore heart of one
who was parting with her darlings never to see them again. She bade
them doff their suits of mourning that she might make up their
fardels, as they would travel in their Lincoln-green suits. To take
these she repaired to the little rough shed-like chamber where the
two brothers lay for the last time on their pallet bed, awake, and
watching for her, with Spring at their feet. The poor old woman
stood over them, as over the motherless nurslings whom she had
tended, and she should probably never see more, but she was a woman
of shrewd sense, and perceived that "with the new madam in the hall"
it was better that they should be gone before worse ensued.

She advised leaving their valuables sealed up in the hands of my
Lord Abbot, but they were averse to this--for they said their uncle
Randall, who had not seen them since they were little children,
would not know them without some pledge.

She shook her head. "The less you deal with Hal Randall the