CHAPTER II.
"The soup is hot," said Gerard.
"But how are we to get it to our mouths ?" inquired the senior, despondingly.
"Father, the young man has brought us straws." And Margaret smiled slily.
"Ay, ay!" said the old man; "but my poor bones are stiff, and indeed the fire is too hot for a body to kneel over with these short straws.

St.
John the Baptist, but the young man is adroit!" For, while he stated his difficulty, Gerard removed it.

He untied in a moment the knot on his breast, took his hat off, put a stone into each corner of it, then, wrapping his hand in the tail of his jerkin, whipped the flask off the fire, wedged it in between the stones, and put the hat under the old man's nose with a merry smile.

The other tremulously inserted the pipe of rye-straw and sucked.

Lo and behold, his wan, drawn face was seen to light up more and more, till it quite glowed; and as soon as he had drawn a long breath: "Hippocrates and Galen!" he cried, "'tis a soupe au vin--the restorative of restoratives.