Tea was soon dispatched; and the children were ready to accompany Mr. and Mrs. Ashton.
The evening was particularly fine; and Helen admired all that she saw, quite as much as her cousins had wished or expected.
There were gay parties in plenty, riding or walking along the cliff, and the waves sparkled as brightly as ever in the sun-beams; but Edward and Lewis had walked this way so often before, that this evening they wished to change their route.
Their mother and Helen good-naturedly gave up their desire to remain longer on the beach; and Mr. Ashton inquired which way his boys wished them go.
“Oh, papa!” said Edward, “Lewis and I want very much to see Nicholas Tattersal’s tomb; mamma said we should find it near the entrance to the old church: she told us the history of Tattersal’s bravely assisting the unfortunate King Charles II. to escape from his rebellious subjects, and that has made us wish to see the spot where he was buried.”
On their way to the church-yard, Helen begged Lewis to tell her all he knew about Charles’s escape, and the generous behaviour of his conductor; so that by the time they reached the spot, she was as much interested as her cousins in the object of their search.
It was found to be a slab of black marble, on which was carved the following inscription, and under it some uncouth rhymes, which Edward with difficulty deciphered:—
“P M S
“Captain Nicholas Tattersal, throvgh whose prvdence, valovr, and loyalty, Charles II., King of England, after he had escaped the swords of his merciless rebels, and his forces received a fatal overthrow at Worcester, September 3rd, 1651, was faithfully preserved and conveyed to France, departed this life 26th of July, 1674.
“Within this marble monument doth lye