The parson looked puzzled, Goodwife Kendall looked surprised.
"Dear maid," she said, "it is no easy thing to tend on wounded men. One must be strong of nerve and firm of hand to deal with the injured."
"Have I asked for smelling-salts or shown weakness in any way when bad news came?" asked Sally. "Try me, but try me! I think I could go through fire or through flood to help our men. Pray let me go!"
But never a word said Maid Sally about its being her kinsman that lay among the wounded.
And Parson Kendall said:
"I like well thy high spirit, maiden, and as a woman goeth in our company,"—he turned toward his wife,—"what think you, good Matilda, of letting the wench come with us?"
"I think," said Goodwife Kendall, "that since she so much desireth it, we might let her go."
CHAPTER XXIII.
MAID SALLY AND HER FAIRY PRINCE
While she was making ready, Sally kept saying: