Page:Cuthbert Bede - The White Wife.djvu/39

20 "What is it that is on thy mind?" said the wife.

"I am thinking that I catch a great many fish every day," said the husband; "and that if it were not for our twelve sons, we should have abundance for ourselves.

"Yes," said she; "but I have a likely plan in my head, if thou wilt follow it."

"What manner of plan is it?" said he.

"It is to put the twelve lads to sleep in the old kiln," said she; "and when they have gone to sleep, then we will set fire to it; and so we shall get rid of them all."

"We will do that!" said he. But they did not think that their youngest lad was curled up by the fire, and paying attention to all they said.

Then, at night, the twelve sons of the Fisherman were put to sleep in the old kiln, and their parents went to the house. But the youngest lad was not for sleeping; and he woke the others, and told them what he had heard when he was curled up by the peat fire. So they all got up, and drew away some distance from the kiln; and, presently, they saw the kiln all in a blaze; so they