"No, nothing; but the troopers are all out again, and, I hear, are
gone to the forest."
"Well, Benjamin, good-by, I shall be off from this part of the
country--it's no use my staying here. Where's Agatha and cook?"
"They came to Lymington early this morning."
"Wish them good-by for me, Benjamin."
"Where are you going, then?"
"I can't exactly say, but I think London way. I only staid here to
watch over the children; and now that they are gone, I shall leave
Arnwood forever."
Jacob, who was anxious, on account of the intelligence he had received
of the troopers being in the forest, to return to the cottage, shook
hands with Benjamin, and hastened away. "Well," thought Jacob, as he
wended his way, "I'm sorry for the poor old lady, but still, perhaps,
it's all for the best. Who knows what they might do with these
children! Destroy the nest as well as the rats, indeed! they must find
the nest first." And the old forester continued his journey in deep
thought.
We may here observe that, blood-thirsty as many of the Levelers were,
we do not think that Jacob Armitage had grounds for the fears which he
expressed and felt; that is to say, we believe that he might have made
known the existence of the children to the Villiers family, and that
they would never have been harmed by any body.
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