This was no case of plague, but fear of the infection had become so strong by this time that the sick were often rather harshly treated, and sometimes almost entirely neglected, by those about them.

Mary Harmer had heard that this poor creature had been left alone by her son's wife, who had taken away her children and refused to go near her.

Mary knew that her presence there for a while, and her assurances as to the nature of the malady, would be most likely to bring the woman to reason, so she decided to go and remain for one whole night, and she left her own cottage in the charge of the boys, bidding them take care of everything, and expect her back again on the following afternoon.
They were quite happy all that evening, seeing to the poultry, and running races with Fido in the leafy lane.

They liked the importance of the charge of the house, although they missed the gentle presence of their aunt.

They shut up the house at dark, and prepared their simple supper, and whilst they were eating it, Benjamin said: "What shall we do tomorrow when we have finished our work ?" "I know what I should like to do," said Joseph promptly.
"What, brother ?" asked Benjamin eagerly.
"Marry, what I want to do is to go and see that farm house hard by Clerkenwell which they have turned into a pest house, and where they say they have dozens of plague-stricken people brought in daily.