THE CHILDREN IN THE Woop. 69

judge, and was found guilty : so that he was condemned to be
hanged for the crime. As soon as he found what his death
must be, he sent for the keeper of the prison, and owned to him.
all the crimes he had been guilty of in his whole life.

Thus he made known the story of the two children ; and,
at the same time, told what part of the wood he had left them.
to starve in, ‘The news of this matter soon reached the uncle's
ears, who was already broken-hearted for the many ills that
had happened to himself, and could not bear the load of public
shame that he knew must now fall upon him, so he lay down
upon his bed, and died that very day. As soon as the tidings
of the death of the two children were made public, proper
persons were sent to search the wood for them ; and after a great
deal of trouble, the pretty babes were at last found stretched.
in each other's arms; with William's arm round the neck of
Jane, his face turned close to hers, and his frock pulled over
her body. ‘They were quite covered with leaves, which in all
that time had never withered ; and on a bush near this cold
grave there sat a robin redbreast, watching and chirping ; 80
that many gentle hearts still think it was this kind bird that
did bring the leaves and cover the little babes over with them.