"Monnerth, mistresses; I sayed Monnerth, didn't I?" "Oh! yes, yes." They were too glad to give assent, without noticing her ungrammatic provincialism. "Monmouth taken by the Cavaliers, you say?" "Yes, my ladies. They's be back into it, an' ha' shut up the Parliamentaries in prison--all as didn't get away." "Where have you heard this, Win? You haven't been to Monmouth yourself, have you?" "No, Mistress Sabrina. Only partways. Jack an' me started for the market; but fores crossin' the ferry at Goodrich us heerd as how the Sheriff wor down at Monnerth, an' had helped them o' Ragland to capter the town. Takin' the hint, us turned back an' hurried home, fast as ever we could; an' I han't lost a minnit in comin' to tell ye." "'Twas thoughtful of you, Winifred," said Sabrina. "And we give you thanks. Now go round to the cook and have something to eat. But stay! I'm forgetting. You haven't told us what time it happened--I mean the taking of Monmouth. You heard that, didn't you?" "Yes, mistress. Night afore last, or early yester morn. Whens day broke the King's flag be seen over the Castle, an' there wor great rejoicins in the town. So tolt we the ferryman o' Goodrich." "What should we do?" inquired Vaga, after the cadgeress had parted company with them, retiring to the kitchen. "What can we do? Nothing, till father comes home. As they must have had the intelligence at Gloucester, yesterday evening at latest, we may look for him soon. I suppose we must give up all thought of hawking to-day? Some one had better go to Van Dorn's lodge, and tell him not to come." "Too late! There he is now." The falconer was seen approaching by a side path, with an attendant who carried the hawks on a _cadge_, a couple of dogs following. At the same instant saddled horses, in the charge of grooms, were being brought round from the rear of the house. All this had been ordered beforehand, the ladies having sate down to breakfast costumed and equipped for the sport of falconry. "Shall we send them back?" queried Sabrina, irresolutely. "Why should we?" Vaga was passionately fond of hawking; and, now that she knew the worst of that foreboding late felt, was something of herself again. The taking of Monmouth was but one of the many incidents of the war; no misfortune had happened to any in whom they had special concern. "I suppose we'll have to leave Hollymead now," she added, "once more to take up our abode in cities. In which case it may be long before we have another day with hawks. If we don't go, Van Dorn will be so disappointed." "If we do, then," rejoined Sabrina, half assentingly, "it mustn't be far--not outside the park." "Agreed to that. No need for our going out of it. Inside we'll find plenty of things to fly your Mer at. As for my Pers, if better don't turn up, we can whistle them off at a cushat."