“I’ll tell thee more about that anon,” observed Adam, recollecting the poor coloured woman whose wretched fate he had discovered; “I think thou art right, mother.”
The child had ceased sobbing while the dame was speaking, and now lay quietly in her arms enjoying the warmth of the fire.
“She will soon be asleep and forget her cares,” observed the dame, watching the child’s eyelids, which were gradually closing. “Now, Adam, go and get off thy wet clothes, and then cut me out a piece of crumb from one of the loaves I baked yestere’en, and bring the saucepan all ready for Jacob when he comes with the milk.”
“I’ll get the bread and saucepan before I take off my wet things,” answered Adam, smiling. “The little maid must be the first looked to just now.”
Jacob quickly returned, and the child seemed to enjoy the sweet bread-and-milk with which the dame liberally fed her.
A bed was then made up for her near the fire, and smiling her thanks for the kind treatment she received, her head was scarcely on the pillow before she was fast asleep.