Soon Captain Talcott began his speech: “We have come here to question Mistress Katherine Tyler, of Barbados, who is accused by witnesses of the practice of witchcraft. Mistress Tyler, come forward.” Kit got up and stood facing the magistrate across the table.

“Listen to the charge against you.” A clerk read ridiculous statements which, to Kit’s horror, ended with the words “for which by the law of God and the law of the Colony you deserve to die”. Then the clerk continued: “Mistress Tyler, you are accused by Goodman Cruff with the following. Firstly, you were a friend and companion of the Widow Hannah Tupper of Blackbird Pond, an alleged witch who has disappeared in a suspicious manner. Secondly, you are guilty of devilish actions, which have caused illness and death in this town.”

The clerk sat down. Captain Talcott looked at the girl before him. “Mistress Tyler,” he said, “you have heard the complaints against you. Is it true that you were a friend and companion of the Widow Tupper and that you have entered her house and visited her?”

“Yes, sir,” Kit managed to say.

“Is it true that you and the Widow Tupper practiced enchantments to cause mischief to other people?”

“No, sir! I don’t know what you mean by enchantments.”

At this moment Matthew Wood jumped suddenly to his feet. “I protest!” he shouted.

“Matthew Wood, were these visits to the Widow Tupper taken with your approval?” asked Captain Talcott.

“No, I had no knowledge of them,” Matthew admitted. “And I forbade her to go. But the girl has been disobedient and thoughtless at times. That’s because of her upbringing. But I swear before all that the girl is no witch.”

Now Goodwife Cruff rose to her feet. “Sir, I’ve something to say,” she announced. “I’ve got here what was found in the widow’s house that night.” With these words she took an object from her pocket. It was not the book, as Kit had expected. It was the little copybook.

“Look at that!” Goodwife Cruff demanded. “What do you say about that? My Prudence’s name is written over and over. It’s a spell!”

The magistrate took the copybook. “Does this book belong to you, Mistress Tyler? Did you write this name?”

“Yes, sir,” Kit managed to say again. She could hardly stand. “I wrote the name.”

Matthew Wood covered his eyes with his hand. He looked old and ill.

“Why did you write a child’s name like that? This is a serious matter. You must explain to us why you chose this child’s name.”

Kit was silent. All men and women in the hall jumped to their feet, screaming, “She won’t answer! She’s guilty! She’s a witch! Hang her! Put her to the water test!”

Meanwhile, Gershom Bulkeley quietly took the copybook and studied it carefully. Then he whispered something to the magistrate. Captain Talcott announced, “Silence now! This case will be taken to court in Hartford!”

“Wait a minute, Captain!” called a voice. “There’s a man here who says he has an important witness for the case.”

Kit turned slowly to face a newcomer. At the door of the room stood Nat Eaton. Beside him, holding his hand stood Prudence Cruff. Nat! Kit immediately felt joy and relief.

“Where is the witness?” the magistrate asked. Nat put his hands on the child’s shoulders and gently pushed her forward. “Come here, child,” the magistrate said. Prudence walked straight to the magistrate’s table. There was something strange about her. She was not afraid!

“We will ask you some questions, Prudence,” said the magistrate quietly. “Do you know this young woman?”

“Yes sir,” whispered Prudence. “She is my teacher. She taught me to read.”

“Where did she teach you?”

“At Hannah’s house in the meadow.”

Goodwife Cruff screamed loudly from across the room.

“Do you mean Mistress Tyler took you to Hannah Tupper’s house?”

“The first time she took me there. After that I went by myself.”

It is all over, thought Kit. Gershom Bulkeley still held the little copybook. He passed the book to Captain Talcott. “Have you ever seen this book before?” the magistrate asked the child.

“Yes, sir. Kit gave it to me. I wrote my name in it.”

“That’s a lie!” cried Goodwife Cruff. “The child is bewitched!”

Captain Talcott turned to Kit. “Is it true that the child wrote her own name in this book?”

“It’s true,” Kit answered quietly. “I wrote it for her once and then she copied it.”

The magistrate turned to the child again. “Could you write your name now, do you think?”

“I think so, sir.”

He dipped the quill pen in the ink and gave it to the child. Prudence set the pen on the copybook and started writing. For a moment the room was silent. The magistrate looked at the writing and gave the copybook to Gershom Bulkeley. “Very nice writing, I should say,” Dr. Bulkeley commented, “for a child with no learning.”