AVING entered the town, I escorted Mistress Lucy Woollcombe and Bridget to their home in Looe-street, and, there leaving them, proceeded at once to the Castle, to give an account of what had happened to me to my Commander. He listened intently to all I had to say, being much interested in my narrative of my interview with the King, before he rode away from Widey Court; and he told me that during the King's stay there he had somewhat narrowly escaped the shots of our forts, some of which fell very near to him, for he had ventured to the top of the rising ground on which they had a battery, but which our works overlooked.

After this departure of the King from Plymouth, the close siege was raised and a blockade substituted under the infamous Richard Grenville. I think the King must be sore pressed for officers to leave so important a work to so mean a man. There are few but have some ill-knowledge of this man; even his own party cannot find anything good to say of him. There are evil stories concerning his treatment of his wife, because she did not bring him a sufficient fortune; his love, as I understand, being for the lucre rather than the lady. There is but one thing I hear in his favour, and that is, that he keeps the soldiers under him in better order towards the country people than did Prince Maurice, whose troops were a rough lot, and little restrained by those over them.

His purpose was to stop our supplies, and this necessitated a great many skirmishes. In one of these, wherein my dear friend Dick Tonkin and myself and our men had part, we took a notable prisoner, a lad of sixteen, a near kinsman of Sir Richard and of his name. This young Grenville was persuaded into a plot to betray the town into his cousin's hands. But, owing to the vigilance of my friend, and in some little measure, I may add without vanity, my own, this scheme was discovered, the quick wit of Tom being not wanting in the discovery. Our second in command over all the garrison, Colonel Serle, was basely attacked by this young upstart, and offered £3,000 to betray his trust. But he, nobly exposing the whole business, and our proof being forthcoming as to the tampering with the men and subordinate officers, a courtmartial was held, and he was condemned to death.

On the 24th of September his execution took place accordingly upon Plymouth Hoe. Truly a sad and lamentable end to so young a life, and do what I would, I could not so steel myself but that my heart bled for those who loved him. But treachery is a base sin, and must at all hazards be put a stop to. Ard where there are, as amongst us, many young, untried, and needy men, the temptation to take a

heavy bribe cannot fail to be so sore as that some may be too likely to fall into it.

The death of this young man inspired a greater hatred even than had previously existed between Sir Richard Grenville and our Governor, Lord Robartes. Sir Richard vowed that whoever of our men fell into his hands should be put to death without mercy, by the sword or the halter.

Which, when Tom heard, he gathered the men around him on the Castle wall, and made a speech to them informing them of the fate that awaited them if they fell into the hands of Skellum Grenville.

"For my part, boys," said he, after haranguing them amidst cheers for himself and their officers, and groans for Grenville, "this puts an end to quarter; henceforth I fight till I die or conquer. I will fall into God's hands, not Grenville's."

On the 4th of October, our men being weary of inaction, our officers in highest authority thought it well to give them some work, and a party was sent to take Saltash. Here we had a short but vigorous encounter, and were victorious, and thus encouraged, took Millbrook the next day, and the fort at Insworth.

But Grenville was not thus to be beaten. He came like a roused lion upon us at Millbrook, where forty men of our troops fell and thirty-three were taken prisoners-a "gloomy fate," as Tom phrased it. Thence he went on to our garrison at Saltash, where we had left 500 men. Here a fierce fight ensued; 200 were killed in the assault, the other 300 refused quarter, and were taken prisoners. This brutal General threatens to hang them, and our fears are great for our comrades. This disaster to our forces occurred on the 11th of October.

This month was also disastrous to us by the death of our well-beloved Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Marten; he was buried in the graveyard of St. Andrew's Church, with due military honours, and, what was better, with the regretful love of every man of us. Though he had not the glory attached to a death on the battle-field, yet he died as surely through the effects of his devotion to his country's cause in this memorable siege. Exposure and anxiety were the beginning of the illness, from which he never rallied.

The evening of the day on which he was buried, Dick Tonkin and I were discoursing together the mysteries of life and death. There are moments, when death is so familiar to the soldier, that he treats him almost as a friend; there are others when its very frequency and commonness seem to render it only the more dread and awful.

ture'?"

66

cer

"The preacher's warrant? I questioned; tainly I have. It gives them very full authority." Dick was silent; he only smiled. "You don't mean that; you think the Protestant people should do more of the missioning work, like the Catholics do, and travel into foreign lands to preach. Is that it, Dick ?"

"I don't think it is a text only for preachers, Ben; it is a text for every Christian, for you and for me, and for our men; it is the great truth, of which And let every one that heareth say, Come,' is but the echo. We can't get rid of our individual responsibility to preach the Gospel to every creature' by giving the work to another, an ordained minister. It is your duty; it is mine."

6

I liked to listen to Dick when he talked thus, and I was silent, thinking, too, that he must be in the right. "Our preaching is not to be in words only, but in deeds," he went on; "it is difficult to know exactly how, but I have an assurance that we may be preaching the Gospel to every creature, even when we are fighting the wrong, as well as when we are doing the tenderer works that seem so much more in consonance with it. If I did not think this, of course I would not remain in the army. But there is a solemn responsibility on Englishmen to-day, as I conceive, to preach through the most terrible of actions. I pray God that this preaching, because of our work now, may be accomplished more happily in future times, more peacefully."

"I wonder what the end will be, Dick?" I said, rather idly, perhaps. But I was thinking of the unhappy King, whom, because I had seen and spoken to, I could never again regard as a vague creature of the imagination merely. His history, his feelings, his looks even, were now of so much more interest to me. His family affairs had been pretty largely talked of amongst us all that summer, but I had taken small heed comparatively. A little daughter had been born to the Royal pair at Exeter in June of this year; and on this western "progress" of the King's, as his friends called it, she had been baptized in the name of Henrietta Anne by the Bishop in Exeter Cathedral, in presence of her father. The Queen, her mother, had some time previously left that city, and made sure her own escape to France, because Lord Fairfax besieged Exeter. But I wonder much what sort of a mother she could be, to entrust so young a child to the care of strangers. It is believed by many that she loves herself better than either the King or her children, and that since she cannot reign as Queen in England, she will rather plot and design her own affairs abroad than comfort her husband at home, which, as I think, is a good wife's first business.

The siege of Exeter was raised by the King. During their want of provisions they have a story of deliverance, matching unto our pilchards, for a flight of fine, fat larks came to their relief, of which one clergyman, named Fuller, testifies: "I was not only an eye, but a mouth witness." At this city the

King had his eldest son Charles with him, aud they sojourned at Bedford House. But now Lord Fairfax has again besieged it, and they will soon have need, perchance, of more larks. Now, to my remark, “Í wonder what the end will be?" Dick made answer"That is of small moment, Ben, compared to this: Am I helping on the right end to the utmost of my power?"

That is just like Dick.

I have been made somewhat uneasy by a rumour that has got abroad that Lucy Woollcombe conveyed assistance to the King during his stay at Widey Court. So far I have not been questioned, and it is certain that, come what may, I could not incriminate her. But I have many fears lest others should, and I cannot deny, should I be asked, that I saw something pass between them; that is, from her hands to his, there was conveyed a small parcel.

Our newly-appointed commanding officer is Colonel Kerr.

To-day we have seen a strange sight on the Hoe, which, because there is little of importance doing in a military point of view, and because of its nature, attracted a vast concourse of spectators, both of soldiers and civilians. Those of my dear family at Brier Grange who may ever read these words of mine, will, perhaps, remember the imprisonment of one feminine malignant which took place some months back. There was another accused about the same time of tampering with the enemy, but it was decided rather sternly by the town authorities that she should be allowed to sleep for a while, that her shame and doom might be the heavier."

This foolish woman, one Betty Smith by name, instead of keeping herself aloof from all things that could offend, used both her tongue and her means freely against our good and holy cause, doing what one woman may against the success of our forces, and to further the aims of the malignants. So that I can but own she richly deserved the punishment, and might even be thankful that her life was spared. But when I remember Lettice's words concerning mercy to female malignants, and think that my Lucy may even be so termed by some people, I could feel little inclination to laugh at or scoff at the poor wretch. It was decreed that she, being a scold a brawler, a disturber, and disquieter of her peaceful neighbours, both concerning private and public matters, to the great detriment of the otherwise present prosperous affairs of the town of Plymouth in its relation to the malignants, and to the great offence of Almighty God. in order to the reformation of this her abuse of that talent wherewith God hath entrusted her, viz., speech, it is ordered and enacted that she shall be committed to the ducking stool appointed for the punishment of such offenders, and thereupon be punished for her deserts."

Betty Smith was a strong and powerful woman, rather good-looking, and not one to yield an inch of herself that she could maintain against her foes. She was brought by two men on to the Hoe on this autumn afternoon, crying and shouting and struggling to a dreadful degree, and followed by a rabble of children and fishermen, and soldiers and sailors, as well as the artificers and labourers, and many of the genteeler sort. And few seemed to have any pity, because her offence was thought worthy of

a still heavier punishment, and she was reminded sharply enough, fully a dozen times, that she might think herself happy to get off so cheaply.

These words moved her to retort in a very hideous and foul-mouthed way, indeed, so that the men who had her in charge were fain to check her at last by promising her an extra dip, for every oath and evil expression that fell from her lips, after they had so warned her, and this had some little effect towards stopping her tongue.

Arrived at the water side, the framework on wheels was properly adjusted, so that once she was fastened in the chair upon the beam, the men with their ropes cause the uplifted end to rise or fall, and thus obtain a perfect see-saw. The purchase of this machine is such that the culprit can be launched forth some sixteen to eighteen feet into the water, while the men who administer justice stand themselves on the dry beach. It was a great piece of work to make her take her seat in the chair, but this once being done, she began to cry aloud for mercy.

The men gave her a dip that seemed to take her breath away. She came up panting, and so dark in the face that the women cried out for mercy on her, and even some gentlemen high in authority told the officers of justice to wait a little before the second plunge.

Then some man in the crowd began to sing in a crazy voice these words, and to get ha'pence for his doggrel, and there was much hearty laughter as he sang:

"If noisy dames should once begin

To drive the house with horrid din,
Away, you cry, you'll grace the stool,
We'll teach you how your tongue to rule.
The fair offender fills the seat
In sullen pomp, profoundly great,
Down in the deep the stool descends,
But here at first we miss our ends;
She mounts again, and rages more
Than ever vixen did before,
So, throwing water on the fire,
Will only make it burn the higher!
If so, my friend, pray let her take
A second turn into the lake,
And, rather than you patience lose,
Thrice and again repeat the dose :

No brawling wives, no furious wenches,
No fire so hot but water quenches."

The little lads and lasses ran about repeating these lines as they could pick them up, and enjoying the fun. There was a shout of triumph every time Betty was dipped, and the process was repeated so often that I had serious fears at last it would happen to her as it did to the wretched creature dipped in the Thames at Ratcliff Highway, who, when they at last released her, was found to have been dipped once too often, and was quite dead, as I have heard my dear father relate. This I mentioned to Dick Tonkin and Harry, who stood with me at some distance, and even Harry's merry face grew sober then.

They shouldn't do it so much as that," he said. "Shall I go and tell Williams and Smale to stop ?" Just as he ran off to suggest this to the two men, for we did not hinder his remonstrance, the ducking stool was swung round on to dry land, and the woman released from it. She was a pitiable object, *From Miscellaneous Poems, by Benjamin West, pub. 1870.

and yet none seemed willing to help her; dripping wet, her face pallid, her limbs trembling, she appeared quite unable to stand alone for a few seconds, and even then to walk alone would be evidently too much for her. Many, no doubt, feared to be suspected of complicity with her treachery if they showed themselves kind, but I never liked Harry Tonkin better than when he went up boldly to the frightened woman, and gave her his arm, exclaiming

"I'll help her, if nobody else will. Everybody knows I'm for the Parliament; they won't suspect me of sympathy with her doings, because I pity her for her duckings."

There was a general cheer for Harry, and at that moment I saw on the other side of the humiliated woman a little graceful form, who linked her arm unhesitatingly in that of Betty Smith, and the three went off together.

"God bless the dear!-God bless 'em both; pretty dears both, they be !" said one old woman, "to take pity on a poor creature in distress!"

And my heart echoed the old woman's words. My Lucy! (To be continued.)

a

OUTWITTING A CANNIBAL.

NE of the wealthiest settlers in New Caledonia, writes "Frisco" correspondent, is a gentleman from Australia-we will call him Mr. Brown for short-who went there some ten or twelve years ago, with but a small capital, and has become enormously rich by raising cattle for the markets of Noumea. Mr. Brown was on his way through the bush, when he lost his way entirely, wandering about till near nightfall, and then came upon a large native village.

Here he was hospitably entertained, well fed, and most deferentially treated by the great chief, Atai, whose village it was. Atai was all courtesy to his white guest, and, when night was fully come, conducted him himself in state to the hut set apart for his night's repose. Fortunately, Mr. Brown was acquainted with the customs of the country, and among them knew the common method of putting an end to travellers preparatory to feasting upon them. It is as follows:-The traveller is kindly received; nothing occurs to shake his confidence in his host; he is allotted a cabin to himself to sleep in. The native huts have usually but one opening, which serves as a door and window both. When the traveller is supposed to be well settled in his cabin, this one entrance is set on fire. Being thatched, and made altogether of light wood, it burns very readily, and the traveller is cooked as well as killed. Mr. Brown therefore knew the cabin to which the venerable Atai so courteously led him might probably become for him both a tomb and a cooking stove, unless his wits could courtesy with courtesy till they were both within. Brown, save him. He entered the cabin with the chief, meeting in the prime of life, an athlete; Atai, old and infirm; the Englishman knew he was more than a match for the savage. He closed the door within the hut, planted his back firmly against it, and, sitting thus with his hand on his revolver, and his other weapons ostentatiously displayed, continued his conversation with the chief. The situation remained unchanged throughout the night. A terrible night it was, no doubt, for the Englishman, and almost as bad for the old chief, who again and again requested permission to withdraw, Mr. Brown as frequently declaring he could not part with him; he should not feel safe except in his company.

At dawn, Mr. Brown felt assured that Atai would not allow his people openly to attack an individual so well known in the the hut, he gladly accepted the escort of a native guide, and settlements as himself, and both issuing forth together from was safely conducted to the French settlements, where his adventure was the theme of considerable interest.

A roll of smoke-and, e'er the cloud once more had drifted
wide,
With axe in hand, the dauntless band had fallen side by side.
Dismayed? nay, never breathe that word! but forth at once
there go
Ten other men, as bold as they, unstayed by fire or foe:
Five beams remain, and five alone, but straight before them
shine,
With glittering mouths, the planted guns along the English
line.

And now the ten have reached the bridge, and bright the axes
gleam,
And, one by one, four timbers more are floating down the
And lo! with eight grim corses more the shattered arch is
O heavens! again that fiery knell has sounded, all too soon,

stream;

strewn.

CHAPTER V.-A Disclosure.

AN you oblige me by putting this bill in the window, Miss?" asked a pleasant-looking young woman, who often came into the shop for a loaf or a few buns.

"I daresay we can," said Kate, taking the bill and reading it. It was the announcement of a teameeting at a Sunday-school in the neighbourhood, and Kate forthwith determined to speak to this young woman when she came in again, and ask her if there was a Bible-class there for elder girls and young

conspicuous corner. "I did not know there was a Sunday-school so near," she went on; "I shall ask that young person when she comes in again if they have got a nice Bible-class there. Perhaps she goes to it herself, and would take me with her for the first time."

"You seem to forget Mrs. Maple's rule about making friends of the customers," said Marion quickly. "So do you, I should think," retorted Kate. "I am not a new hand: I have been here some months, and know the ways of London better than a country girl," replied Marion.

66

Well, I don't believe Mrs. Maple would mind me speaking to this young woman about a Bible-class; you don't know anything about it, and I must ask someone. She would not mind it so much as our talking to those young men as we do."

"Well, ask her and see!" said Marion, scornfully. "I've a great mind to," said Kate.

"Do; go now! Kate, you are the greatest simpleton that ever came to London, I think. I do believe you would go and ask this, as though you vere afraid your tongue was not your own. Talk to her if you like, only don't grumble any more about me talking to my friends, as you do sometimes."

If Kate had only known it, Mrs. Maple would readily have granted a breaking of her rule in favour of this customer, for she knew her to be a good, industrious young woman, who would influence her