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the end intended, but seem'd perplexed how she should do it privately, & keep it from discovery as death was the consequence thereof. Her kinswoman begged her to leave that to her, and all should be safe enough; for we will feign the child sick for a day or two, in the meantime we will make some inquiry in the city for the dead body of some poor male child which we will buy of its parents, and have it privately brought to our house to be buried; in the meantime we will dispatch your son to sea, and make him believe the other child to be his, and that he died during his absence; so having it buried, the matter can never be brought to light.
The mother liked the contrivance, & going home with a promise of a great reward, and her friendship for life, she swore her servants to secrecy, & then, said she, we must act in this manner. When your master comes home at night, I shall put on very dejected looks, and when he asks the cause, I shall tell him
