our Harry’s name must have been Herod to withstand! ‘Stand up, Kate,’ said he, ‘stand up, sisters, and hark in your ear. Not a hair of the silly lads shall be touched, but they must bide lock and key long enough to teach them and their masters to keep better ward.’ And then when the queens came back with the good tidings, such a storm of blessings was never heard, laughings and cryings, and the like, for verily some of the women seemed as distraught for joy as ever they had been for grief and fear. Moreover, Mistress Todd being instructed of her husband, led up Mistress Hope to Queen Mary, and told her the tale of how her husband’s little brother, a mere babe, lay sick in prison—a mere babe, a suckling as it were—and was like to die there, unless the sooner delivered, and how our Steve was fool enough to tarry with the poor child, pardoned though he be. Then the good lady wept again, and ‘Good woman,’ saith she to Mistress Hope, ‘the King will set thy brother free anon. His wrath is not with babes, nor with lads like this other of whom thou speakest.’ “So off was she to the King again, and though he and his master pished and pshawed, and said if one and another were to be set free privily in this sort, there would be none to come and beg for mercy as a warming to all malapert youngsters to keep within bounds, ‘Nay, verily,’ quoth I, seeing the moment for shooting a fool’s bolt among them, ‘methinks Master Death will have been a pick-lock before you are ready for them, and then who will stand to cry mercy?’” The narrative was broken off short by a cry of jubilee in the court. Workmen, boys, and all were thronging together, Kit Smallbones’ head towering in the midst. Vehement welcomes seemed in progress. “Stephen! Stephen!” shouted Dennet, and flew out of the hall and down the steps. “The lad himself!” exclaimed the jester, leaping down after her. “Stephen, the good boy!” said Master Headley, descending more slowly, but not less joyfully. Yes, Stephen himself it was, who had quietly walked into the court. Master Hope and Master Todd had brought the order for Jasper’s release, had paid the captain’s exorbitant fees for both, and, while the sick boy was carried home in a litter, Stephen had entered the Dragon court through the gates, as if he were coming home from an errand; though the moment he was recognised by the little four-year old Smallbones, there had been a general rush and shout of ecstatic welcome, led by Giles Headley, who fairly threw himself on Stephen’s neck, as they met like comrades after a desperate battle. Not one was there who did not claim a grasp of the boy’s hand, and who did not pour out welcomes and greetings, while in the midst, the released captive looked, to say the truth, very spiritless, faded, dusty, nay dirty. The court seemed spinning round with him, and the loud welcomes roared in his ears. He was glad that Dennet took one hand, and Giles the other, declaring that he must be led to the grandmother instantly.