A Little Maid of Ticonderoga

BY

ALICE TURNER CURTIS

AUTHOR OF

 "A LITTLE MAID OF PROVINCE TOWN" "A LITTLE MAID OF MASSACHUSETTS COLONY" "A LITTLE MAID OF NARRAGANSETT BAY" "A LITTLE MAID OF BUNKER HILL" "A LITTLE MAID OF OLD CONNECTICUT" "A LITTLE MAID OF OLD PHILADELPHIA" "A LITTLE MAID OF OLD MAINE" "A LITTLE MAID OF OLD NEW YORK" "A LITTLE MAID OF VIRGINIA"

ILLUSTRATED BY WUANITA SMITH

THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY PHILADELPHIA

1929

COPYRIGHT 1917 BY THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY

A Little Maid of Ticonderoga

[Illustration: "MY NAME IS ETHAN ALLEN"]

Introduction

This is the story of a little girl whose home was among the GreenMountains of Vermont, then known as "The Wilderness, " at the beginningof the American Revolution; and at the time when Ethan Allen and hisbrave soldiers were on guard to defend their rights. Ethan Allen wasthe friend of Faith, the heroine of the story, whose earnest wish tobe of help is fulfilled. She journeys from her Wilderness home acrossLake Champlain to Ticonderoga, and spends a winter with her aunt andcousin near Fort Ticonderoga. Here she learns a secret about the fortthat is of importance later to Ethan Allen's "Green Mountain Boys. "

There are two very interesting bears in this story. Like the earliervolumes of this series, "A Little Maid of Province Town, " "A LittleMaid of Massachusetts Colony, " "A Little Maid of Narragansett Bay, "and "A Little Maid of Bunker Hill"--the present volume introduces theheroes of American history and tells of famous deeds and places ofwhich all American children should know. 

Contents

 I. ESTHER AND BRUIN 9 II. FAITH MAKES A PROMISE 22 III. MORE MISCHIEF 33 IV. A NEW PLAN 42 V. KASHAQUA 51 VI. THE JOURNEY 59 VII. NEW FRIENDS 70 VIII. THE SHOEMAKER'S DAUGHTER 81 IX. LOUISE 90 X. THE MAJOR'S DAUGHTERS 100 XI. A DAY OF ADVENTURE 110 XII. SECRETS 119 XIII. LOUISE MAKES A PRESENT 129 XIV. A BIRTHDAY 140 XV. NEW ADVENTURES 150 XVI. LOUISE DISAPPEARS 161 XVII. FAITH AGAIN VISITS THE FORT 172 XVIII. HOME AGAIN 184 XIX. FAITH WRITES A LETTER 194 XX. THE CAPTURE OF THE FORT 208

A Little Maid of Ticonderoga

CHAPTER I

ESTHER AND BRUIN

Faith Carew was ten years old when Esther Eldridge came to visit her. Faith lived in a big comfortable log cabin on one of the slopinghillsides of the Green Mountains. Below the cabin was her father'smill; and to Faith it always seemed as if the mill-stream had a gaylittle song of its own. She always listened for it when she awoke eachmorning. 

"I wonder if Esther will hear what the brook sings?" thought Faith asshe drew on her moccasin slippers and dressed as quickly as she could, for her mother had already called her twice, and Faith had justreached the top of the stairs when the third call of, "Faith! Faith! Ishall not keep your porridge hot another instant, " sounded from thekitchen. 

"I'm coming, mother dear, " the little girl called back, and hurrieddown the stairs, wondering to herself why grown people who couldalways do exactly as they pleased should think it best to rise beforethe sun was really up. 

"Your father was off to the mill an hour ago, " said Mrs. Carew, setting a bowl of steaming porridge on the end of the table beside anarrow window, "so you will have to eat your porridge alone. "

Faith sat down at the table, looking out through the open windowtoward the mill. 

"I do hope Esther Eldridge and her father will come to-day, " she said. "Do you think they will, mother dear?"

"Yes, child; they will probably arrive before sunset. Your fatherexpected them yesterday. It will be a fine thing for you to have alittle girl for a companion. But she is a village child, and may notbe happy in the Wilderness, " responded Mrs. Carew. 

"Why, of course she will like being here! Just think, she has neverseen wheat ground into flour! And she can see that in our mill; andshe has always walked on real roads, and here she will not even see aroad; and I know many pleasant paths where we can walk, and I cantell her the names of different trees and flowers. I'm sure she willthink the Wilderness a fine place, " said Faith, nodding her head sothat her yellow curls seemed to dance about her face. 

"I hope they make the journey from Brandon safely. Your father hasbeen told that the Indians have been troublesome to the settlers nearLake Dunmore; and besides that, there are many bears coming out intothe clearings these fine autumn days. But Mr. Eldridge is a good shot, and I am seeking trouble in naming Indians or bears. Finish yourbreakfast, Faithie, and run to the garden and bring me in the ripestof the pumpkins; for I must make some cakes for our company. "

The Carews lived in a log house on a slope of cleared ground runningdown to the mill-stream. There were no roads, only rough trails, andthey had no near neighbors. Faith's father had a large grant of land, a "New Hampshire Grant, " it was called, which ran toward the easternshore of Lake Champlain. Faith had no playmates, and when Mr. Eldridge, of the town of Brandon, had sent word that he was coming tosee Mr. Carew on business and would bring his small daughter withhim, Faith had been overjoyed and had made many plans of what shewould do to entertain her visitor. 

Faith finished her breakfast, and helped her mother clear the tableand wash the dishes, and then went up the slope to where a number offine pumpkins and squashes, growing among the corn, were ripening inthe early September sunshine. She looked about carefully, and selecteda yellow pumpkin. "This is about as large as my head, " she said aloud, "and I guess it is about the same color, " and she ran back to thehouse carrying the pumpkin, which Mrs. Carew set to bake in the brickoven beside the fireplace. 

"When it is baked may I fix the shell for a work-basket for Esther?"asked Faith. 

"Yes, indeed, " answered Mrs. Carew smilingly. "Your Aunt Prissy wasgreatly pleased with the one you gave her when she visited here lastautumn. "

"I wish I could go to Ticonderoga and visit Aunt Prissy, " said Faith. 

"Why, so you shall some day. But 'tis a troublesome journey, since onemust be set across the strait, " replied her mother. "But look, child!Can it be that Mr. Eldridge has arrived at this early hour?"

"Yes, indeed. I see his little girl! Look, mother! Father has liftedher down from the horse; and Mr. Eldridge is walking, too! Oh, mother!See the fine hat she has on!" and Faith ran to the open door to get abetter look at the little girl who was walking so slowly up the pathto the log house. 

In a moment the little girl looked up toward the open door and Faithwaved her hand. 

"She didn't wave back, mother dear, " exclaimed Faith, and then thetravelers were close at hand, and Mrs. Carew was greeting the tall, grave-faced man and welcoming Esther. 

"My little girl was so tired that we stopped for the night at yourneighbor Stanley's house, five miles east, " said Mr. Eldridge; "andthat is why we are in good season this morning. "

While Mr. Eldridge was speaking Esther held fast to her father'shand, her large black eyes fixed on Mrs. Carew. Faith looked at heradmiringly, wishing that her own eyes were black, and that her feetwere small like Esther's, and that she had a hat with a wide scarletribbon. 

"Esther, this is Faith, " she heard her mother say, "and she will tryand make you so happy here that you will wish to stay all winter. "

The two little girls smiled shyly, and Esther let go her clasp on herfather's hand and followed Mrs. Carew into the pleasant kitchen. Faithwatched her eagerly; she wondered why Esther looked about the big roomwith such a curious expression. "Almost as if she did not like it, "thought Faith. 

The little gray kitten came bouncing out from behind the big wood-boxand Esther gave a startled exclamation. 

"It's just 'Bounce, '" said Faith, picking up the kitten and smoothingits pretty head. "I named it 'Bounce' because it never seems to walk. It just bounces along. "

Esther smiled again, but she did not speak. Faith noticed that she wasvery thin, and that her hands looked almost like little brown shadows. 

"Are you tired?" she asked, suddenly remembering that she had heardher father say that "Mr. Eldridge's little maid was not well, and hethought the change would do her good. "

Esther nodded. "Yes, I'm always tired, " she answered, sitting down inthe low wooden rocker beside the light stand. 

"For pity's sake, child, we must see to it that you are soon as strongand well as Faith, " said Mrs. Carew, untying the broad scarlet ribbonand taking off Esther's hat. She smoothed back the dark hair with atender hand, remembering that Esther's own mother was not well, andresolving to do her best for this delicate child. 

"I think the pumpkin is cooked by this time, Faithie. I'll set it inthe window to cool and then you can take out the pulp and I'll makethe cakes, " said Mrs. Carew. 

Bounce jumped up in Esther's lap, and Faith sat down on the braidedrug beside her. 

"I'm going to make the pumpkin shell into a work-basket for you, " saidFaith. "Did you ever see a pumpkin-shell work-basket?"

Esther shook her head. She did not seem much interested. But she askedeagerly: "Are the pumpkin cakes sweet?"

"Yes, indeed. You shall have one as soon as they are baked; may shenot, mother dear?"

"Why, yes; only if Esther is not well it may not be wise for her toeat between meals, " responded Mrs. Carew. 

"Oh! But I eat cakes whenever I want them, " declared Esther, "and Ilove sweets. I had a fine cake when I left home and I ate it allbefore we got to Lake Dunmore. "

Mrs. Carew thought to herself that she did not wonder Esther wasalways tired and not strong. Esther did not say that the "fine cake"had been sent as a gift to Faith. But her face flushed a little, andshe added, "I meant to bring the cake as a present; but I was hungry. "

"Of course you were, " agreed Faith quickly. "Is not the pumpkin coolenough to cut, mother dear?" asked Faith. 

"Yes, " replied her mother, setting the yellow pumpkin on the table. 

"Come and see me do it, Esther, " said Faith, and Esther, with a littlesigh, left the comfortable chair and came and leaned against thetable. 

With a sharp knife Faith cut a circle about the stem of the pumpkinand took it off, a little round, with the stem in the center. "Thatwill be the work-box cover, " she explained, laying it carefully on awooden plate. Then she removed the seeds and the pulp, putting thepulp in a big yellow bowl, and scraping the inside of the pumpkinshell. "There! Now when it dries a bit 'twill be a fine work-box, andit is for you, Esther, " she said; but Esther was watching Mrs. Carew, who was beating up eggs with the pumpkin pulp. 

"Do you put spices in the cakes?" she questioned eagerly. "How longbefore they will be baked?"

Faith stood holding the yellow pumpkin shell, and looking at hervisitor wonderingly. 

"All she cares about is something to eat, " thought Faith, a littlescornfully, setting the fine pumpkin shell on the table. 

Esther's face brightened as she listened to Mrs. Carew's descriptionof pumpkin cakes, and of pumpkin pies sweetened with maple syrup. 

"I think I must teach you to cook, Esther. I am sure you would soonlearn, " said Mrs. Carew. 

"I guess I wouldn't be strong enough, " responded Esther in a listlesstone, going back to the rocking-chair, without even a glance atFaith's present. 

"Come, Esther, let's go down to the mill. I'll show you the big wheel, and how father raises the water-gate, " suggested Faith, who wasbeginning to think that a visitor was not such a delightful thing, after all. 

Esther left her chair with a regretful sigh, and followed Faithout-of-doors. 

"Listen!" said Faith. "That rippling, singing noise is the brook. "

Esther laughed. "You're funny, " she said. "Why should I listen to anoisy old mill-stream?"

"I thought perhaps you'd like to hear it. I do. Sometimes, just as Igo to sleep, I hear it singing about the stars, and about little foxeswho come down to drink, and about birds.... " Faith stopped suddenly, for Esther was laughing; and as Faith turned to look at her sherealized that Esther cared nothing about the music of the stream. 

"I do believe you are silly, " Esther responded. "Do you think yourmother will bake the cakes and pies while we are away?"

"Yes, " replied Faith dully. Only that morning she had said to herselfhow nice it would be to have a girl friend to talk with, but if Estherthought she was "silly"--why, of course, she must not talk. "I'll lether talk, " resolved Faith. 

For a few moments the two little girls walked on in silence, thenEsther said suddenly: "Does your mother ever let you boil down maplemolasses for candy?"

"Sometimes, " replied Faith. 

Esther slipped her little brown hand under Faith's arm. "Ask her tolet us make candy this afternoon. Do. Tell her it will keep me frombeing lonesome. For my father will be going to Ticonderoga as soon asdinner is over; he will be gone for days. Will you ask her, Faith?"

"Yes, I'll ask her, " Faith answered. 

"I know I'm going to have a fine visit, " declared Esther, with moreinterest than she had shown since her arrival. "Does your mother everbake little pies, in saucers, for you?"

"No, " said Faith, still resolved to say no more than was necessary. 

"Oh! Doesn't she? That's too bad. I wish I had asked her to. Then wecould play keep-house in the afternoon, and have the pies to eat. Willyour mother make pies again to-morrow?"

"I don't know, " said Faith. 

Esther did not care much about the mill. She hardly glanced at the bigwater-wheel, and was eager to get back to the house. Several timesshe reminded Faith of her promise about the maple candy. Faith hadexpected that she and Esther would be the best of friends, but thetime before dinner seemed very long to both the children. 

Soon after dinner Mr. Eldridge went on his way. He left his horse inMr. Carew's care, as he was to walk to the shore of Lake Champlain andtrust to good fortune to find a canoe or boat in which he could crossthe narrow strait to Ticonderoga. He would not return for a week, andhe seemed greatly pleased that his little daughter was so contented tobe left with her new friends. 

"She is an only child, like your own little maid, " he said to Mrs. Carew, "and I am glad they are to be friends. "

They all walked down the slope with him, and watched him striding offalong the rough path. 

"He's going to fetch me some rock-candy, " said Esther as they turnedback to the house. 

Mrs. Carew stopped at the mill, and the two little girls went back tothe house. 

"We'll make the maple candy now, shan't we?" said Esther, as theyreached the kitchen door. "See, the kettle is all clean, and I knowwhere the molasses jug is, " and before Faith could remind her that shehad not yet asked permission, Esther was dragging the heavy jug fromthe pantry. 

"Oh, look out, Esther. You'll spill it, " cautioned Faith, running tohelp her. 

"No, I won't. Here, help me turn it into the kettle and get it overthe fire before your mother comes back, " urged Esther, and the twogirls lifted the jug and turned the maple syrup into the kettle. "There, that will make a lot of candy, " said Esther. "You stir up thefire and put on more wood. "

Faith obeyed. She hardly knew what else she could do, although she wassure that her mother would not want them to use all the syrup forcandy. As she piled on the wood, she heard a scrambling noise at thedoor, and a sudden scream from Esther: "Faith! Faith! A bear! A bear!"and looking over her shoulder she saw a big brown bear coming inthrough the kitchen door. 

CHAPTER II

FAITH MAKES A PROMISE

For a second Faith was too frightened to move. Then pulling one of thenewly kindled sticks from the fire she hurled it at the big creatureand ran for the stairs, up which Esther was already hurrying. 

The flaming brand halted the bear for a second only, but the littlegirls had reached the upper floor before he was well into the kitchen, and, sniffing the molasses, he turned toward the empty jug and thefull kettle. 

"What shall we do? What shall we do?" sobbed Esther. "He will come uphere and eat us. I know he will. "

"We must get out of the window and run to the mill, " whispered Faith. "We mustn't wait a minute, for mother dear may be on her way to thehouse. Come, " and she pushed Esther before her toward the window. "Here, just take hold and swing yourself down, " she said. 

"I can't, oh, I can't, " sobbed Esther. 

"You must. I'll go first, then;" and in a moment Faith was swingingfrom the windowsill, had dropped to the ground, and was speeding downthe path to the mill, while Esther, frightened and helpless, leanedout screaming at the top of her voice. 

Mrs. Carew was just leaving the mill when she saw Faith racing towardher. "A bear! A bear in our kitchen, " she called. 

"Hugh!" called Mrs. Carew, and Mr. Carew came running from the mill tohear the story. 

"It's lucky I keep a musket at the mill, " he said. "Here, you takeFaith into the mill and fasten the door on the inside. I'll attend tothe bear, " and he was off, racing toward the house, while Mrs. Carewhurried Faith into the mill and shut the heavy door. 

"I do hope Esther will stay in the chamber until your father getsthere, " said Mrs. Carew anxiously. "I do not believe the bear willventure up the stairs. "

"He was after the syrup, " said Faith, "and if he tried the stairsEsther could drop out of the window. "

It was not long before they heard the loud report of the musket. 

"Mayn't we open the door now, mother dear?" asked Faith. 

"Not yet, Faithie. We'll wait a little, " and Faith realized that hermother's arm trembled as she drew the girl to her side. 

There was silence for what seemed a very long time to Mrs. Carew andFaith, and then they heard Mr. Carew calling; "All right, open thedoor. Here is Esther safe and sound. "

Esther, sobbing and trembling, clung to Mrs. Carew, and Faith heldtight to her father's hand while he told the story. The bear, with hisnose in the kettle of syrup, had not even heard Mr. Carew's approach, and had been an easy mark. 

"You'll find your kitchen in a sad state, Lucy, " said Mr. Carew, as hefinished. "I have dragged the bear outside, and he will furnish ussome fine steaks, and a good skin for a rug; but your kettle of syrupis all over the floor. "

"Kettle of syrup?" questioned Mrs. Carew. "Why, there was no kettle ofsyrup. " Neither of the little girls offered any explanation. Mr. Carewlooked about the clearing to see if any other bear was in theneighborhood, but it was evident that the creature had come alone. 

"'Tis not often they are so bold, " said Mr. Carew, as they neared thecabin, "although last year an old bear and two cubs came down by themill, but they were off before I could get a shot at them. "

Mrs. Carew looked about her kitchen with a little feeling of dismay. The kettle had been overturned, and what syrup the bear had not eatenwas smeared over the hearth and floor. The little rocking-chair wastipped over and broken, and everything was in disorder. 

Esther looked into the kitchen, but Mrs. Carew cautioned her notto enter. "You and Faith go to the front door and go into thesitting-room, " she said. "There is nothing that either of you can doto help;" so Faith led the way and pushed open the heavy door whichled directly into a big comfortable room. The lower floor of the cabinwas divided into two rooms, the sitting-room and kitchen, and overthese were two comfortable chambers. The stairs led up from thekitchen. 

Faith thought the sitting-room a very fine place. There was a bigfireplace on one side of the room, and the walls were ceiled, orpaneled, with pine boards. On one side of the fireplace was a broadwooden settle, covered with a number of fur robes, and several bigcushions. Between the two front windows stood a table of dark wood, and on the table were two tall brass candlesticks. A small narrowgilt-framed mirror hung over the table. 

There were several strongly-made comfortable wooden chairs withcushions. The floor was of pine, like the ceiled walls, and was now agolden brown in color. There were several bearskin rugs on the floor, for Mr. Carew, like all the men of the "Wilderness, " was a hunter; andwhen not busy in his mill or garden was off in the woods after deer, or wild partridge, or larger game, as these fine skins proved. 

"What a funny room, " exclaimed Esther, with a little giggle. "Oursitting-room has beautiful paper on the walls, and we have pictures, and a fine carpet on the floor. What are you going to tell your motherabout that maple syrup?" she concluded sharply. 

"I don't know, " responded Faith. 

"Well, don't tell her anything, " suggested Esther. 

"I guess that I shall have to tell her, " said Faith. 

"You mean about me? That I teased you to make candy? Well, if you dothat I'll get my father to take me home with him instead of stayinguntil he comes next month, " declared Esther. 

"I shan't tell anything about you, " answered Faith. 

Esther looked at her a little doubtfully. 

"Of course I shan't, " repeated Faith. "You are my company. No matterwhat you did I wouldn't talk about it. Why, even the Indians treatvisitors politely, and give them the best they have, and that's what Ishall do, " and Faith stood very straight and looked at Esther veryseriously. 

"Truly? Truly? What is the 'best' you have? And when will you give itto me?" demanded Esther, coming close to her and clasping her arm. "Isit beads? Oh! I do hope it is beads! And you can't back out after whatyou have said, " and Esther jumped up and down in delight at thethought of a possible string of fine beads. 

For a moment it seemed as if Faith would burst into tears. She hadmeant to tell Esther that she would do her best to be kind and politeto her because Esther was a guest, and now Esther was demanding thatFaith should do exactly as she had promised and give her "the best shehad. " And it happened that Faith's dearest possession was a string offine beads. Aunt Priscilla Scott, who lived in Ticonderoga, hadbrought them as a gift on her last visit. They were beautiful bluebeads, --like the sky on a June day, --and Faith wore them only onSundays. They were in a pretty little wooden box in the sitting-roomcloset. 

Suddenly Esther let go of Faith's arm. "I knew you didn't mean it, "she said scornfully. 

Faith made no reply. She walked across the room and pushed a brassknob set in one of the panels. The panel opened, and there was acloset. The little wooden box that held the beads was on the middleshelf. Faith took it up, closed the door, and turned toward Esther. 

"Here! This is the best thing I have in all the world, the prettiestand the dearest. And it is beads. Take them, " and she thrust the boxinto Esther's eager hands and ran out of the room. She forgot the deadbear, the wasted syrup, the danger and fright of so short a time ago;all she could think of was to get away from Esther Eldridge. 

She ran across the clearing and along a narrow path that circledbehind the mill into the woods. She ran on and on until she could nolonger hear the sound of the brook, and the path began to grow rockyand difficult. Then, tired and almost breathless, Faith sat down on abig rock and looked about her. For a few moments she could think ofnothing but her lost beads, and of the disagreeable visitor. Thengradually she realized that she had never before been so far alongthis rough path. All about her rose huge, towering pines. Lookingahead the path seemed to end in a dense thicket. She heard the rustleof some little forest animal as it moved through the vines behindher, and the call of birds near at hand. Faith began to recall thehappenings of the morning: the excitement of Esther's arrival, thesudden appearance of the bear in the kitchen doorway, her terror lesther mother should come before she could be warned; and then, again, Esther and the loss of her beads. She began to cry. She felt verytired and unhappy. She felt Esther was to blame for everything, evenfor the appearance of the bear. Never before had a bear dared come tothe house. Faith leaned back against a friendly tree with a tiredlittle sigh. She would rest, and then go home, she thought, and closedher eyes. 

When she awoke, she thought she must still be dreaming; for, standinga little way down the path, was a tall man leaning on a musket. Hewore a flannel blouse, and his homespun trousers were tucked into highleathern gaiters. 

The man smiled and nodded. "Do not be frightened, little maid, " hesaid in a friendly voice. "I did not want to leave you here in thewoods until I was sure that you could make your way home. Are youMiller Carew's little girl?"

"Yes, sir, " answered Faith, wondering who this tall, dark-eyed man, who knew her father, could be, and then adding, "My name is Faith. "

The tall man smiled again, and took off his leather cap. 

"My name is Ethan Allen, " he responded; "it may be that you have heardyour father speak of me. "

"Yes, sir! You are a Green Mountain Boy; and you help the settlers tokeep their 'Grants, '" Faith replied quickly; for she had often heardher father and mother speak of the trouble the settlers were having toprove their titles to land taken under the "New Hampshire Grants, " andshe remembered hearing her father say that Ethan Allen would help anyman defend his rights. She wished that she could tell him all aboutEsther Eldridge and the blue beads, but she remembered her promise. "Iguess there are times when people don't have any rights, " she decided, and was quite unconscious that she had spoken aloud until she heardher companion say very clearly:

"There can never be such a time as that. People would be slaves indeednot to uphold their just and rightful claims. But why is a small maidlike yourself troubling about 'rights'?"

"I have company at my house----" began Faith. 

"I see, I see!" interrupted Colonel Allen. "Of course you have to letthe guest do whatever she pleases, " and he smiled and nodded, as if heunderstood all about it. "And now we had best start toward yourfather's mill, for it is well toward sunset. "

"Sunset? Have I slept all the afternoon!" exclaimed Faith, jumping up. 

As they walked down the path Ethan Allen asked Faith many questionsabout the people who came along the trail from the settlements ontheir way to Lake Champlain. 

When they reached the clearing where the mill stood Faith's father andmother came running to meet them. They welcomed Mr. Allen, and saidthat they had been sadly worried about Faith. "But where is Esther?"asked Mrs. Carew. "Is she not with you, Faith?"

"I left her in the sitting-room, hours ago!" answered the little girl. 

CHAPTER III

MORE MISCHIEF

"'Hours ago, '" repeated Mrs. Carew. "Why, dear child, it is only anhour since Esther came up from the mill with the dishes. "

Faith looked so bewildered that her mother exclaimed: "Why, child!Have you forgotten that you and Esther had your dinner at the mill?"

"But I did not have any dinner, " declared Faith. "It was not dinnertime when I ran off and left Esther in the sitting-room. I----" andthen Faith stopped suddenly. She resolved that she would not tell hermother that she had given Esther the blue beads, --not until Esther wasfound. 

"Well, I declare. Esther came into the kitchen just as I was preparingdinner, and asked if you girls could not have a picnic dinner at themill, and I was well pleased to let you. I put some cold meat andbread, a good half of pumpkin pie and some of the pumpkin cakes in abasket, and gave her a pitcher of milk, and off she went. An hour agoshe came in to ask for a lunch and I gave her a good piece of molassescake. Your father was busy skinning the bear, and we gave but littlethought to you children. But when I called your name, and foundneither of you at the mill, I became alarmed. But where can Esther benow?" concluded Mrs. Carew, looking anxiously about the clearing. 

"Go back to the house with Faith and give the child something to eat. Colonel Allen and I will search the mill again, " said Mr. Carew. 

"I'm tired, " said Faith, as they reached the house, "and I don't likeEsther. "

"Hush, Faithie. She is your guest. And if she has wandered into anyharm or danger I do not know what we can say to Mr. Eldridge, "responded her mother; "but I do not understand about the food, " sheadded, half to herself, wondering if Esther could really have eaten itall. 

Faith looked about the kitchen. "It looks just the same. Just as ifthe bear had not come in, " she said. 

Mrs. Carew brought her a bowl of milk and a plate of corn bread, andanother plate with two of the pumpkin cakes. 

"I'll run back to the mill while you eat your supper, Faithie, and seeif Esther has been found. When I come back you must tell me what youwere turning syrup into the kettle for. "

Faith was hungry, but as she ate her bread and milk she felt veryunhappy. She remembered her promise to Esther not to tell Mrs. Carewabout the syrup. 

"I don't know what I shall do, " she said aloud. "I guess I'll go andrest on the settle until mother dear comes, " so she opened the doorand entered the sitting-room. As she lay back among the cushions ofthe settle she heard a faint noise from the further side of the room. "I guess it's 'Bounce, '" she thought. 

Then the noise came again: "Gr-r-r! Gr-rrr!" Faith sat up quickly. Shewondered if another bear had made its way into the house. The bigblack bearskin rug in front of the table was moving; it was standingup, and coming toward the settle. 

"It's you, Esther Eldridge! You can't frighten me, " said Faith, andEsther dropped the rug from her shoulders and came running toward thesettle. Her black eyes were dancing, and she was laughing. 

"Oh! I've had the greatest fun! I ate all your dinner, and I hid underthat bearskin and your mother and father hunted everywhere for me. Where have you been?" concluded Esther, looking down at Faith. Thelittle girls did not notice that, just as Esther began speaking, Mrs. Carew had opened the sitting-room door. 

"I've been way off in the woods, and my mother has asked me to tellher about the maple syrup, " replied Faith accusingly. 

"Well, Esther!"

Both the girls gave an exclamation of surprise at the sound of Mrs. Carew's voice. "You may go to the mill and tell Mr. Carew that you aresafe, and then come directly back, " she said a little sternly, andstood by the door until Esther was on her way. Then she crossed overto the settle and sat down beside Faith. 

"I will not ask you about the syrup, Faithie dear, " she said, smoothing Faith's ruffled hair. "And you had best go up-stairs to bed. I will have a talk with Esther, and then she will go to bed. It hasbeen a difficult day, has it not, child? But to-morrow I trusteverything will go pleasantly, without bears or trouble of any sort. "

"But Esther will be here, " said Faith. 

"Never mind; I think Esther has made mischief enough to-day to lastall her visit, " responded Mrs. Carew; and Faith, very tired, andgreatly comforted, went up to her pleasant chamber which Esther was toshare. She wondered to herself just what her mother would say toEsther. But she did not stay long awake, and when Esther cameup-stairs shortly after, very quietly, and feeling rather ashamed ofherself after listening to Mrs. Carew, Faith was fast asleep. 

But Esther did not go to sleep. She wondered to herself what herfather would say if Mrs. Carew told him of her mischief, and began towish that she had not deceived Mrs. Carew about the dinner. She couldfeel her face flush in the darkness when she remembered what Mrs. Carew had said to her about truthfulness. Esther's head ached, and shefelt as if she was going to be ill. Down-stairs she could hear themurmur of voices. Ethan Allen would sleep on the settle, and be off atan early hour the next morning. It seemed a long time before thevoices ceased, and she heard Mr. And Mrs. Carew come up the stairs. Esther began to wish that she had not eaten the fine pumpkin pie andall the cakes. It was nearly morning before she fell asleep, and shewas awake when Faith first opened her eyes. 

"It's time to get up. It always is the minute I wake up, " said Faithsleepily. 

Esther answered with a sudden moan: "I can't get up. I'm sick, " shewhispered. 

Faith sat up in bed and looked at Esther a little doubtfully. ButEsther's flushed face and the dark shadows under her eyes proved thatshe spoke the truth. 

"I'll tell mother. Don't cry, Esther. Mother will make you well beforeyou know it, " said Faith, quickly slipping out of bed and running intothe little passage at the head of the stairs. 

In a few moments Mrs. Carew was standing beside the bed. She said toherself that she did not wonder that Esther was ill. But while Faithdressed and got ready for breakfast Mrs. Carew smoothed out thetumbled bed, freshened the pillows and comforted their little visitor. 

"Run down and eat your porridge, Faithie, and then come back and sitwith Esther, " said Mrs. Carew. 

When Faith returned Mrs. Carew went down and brewed some bitter herbsand brought the tea for Esther to drink. The little girl swallowed theunpleasant drink, and shortly after was sound asleep. She had notawakened at dinner time, and Mrs. Carew was sure that she would sleepoff her illness. 

"The child must be taught not to crave sweet foods, " she said, as shetold Faith to run down to the mill and amuse herself as she pleased. "Only don't go out of sight of the mill, Faithie, " she cautioned, andFaith promised and ran happily off down the path. She was eager to askher father about Mr. Ethan Allen. 

Mr. Carew was busy grinding wheat. There were few mills in theWilderness, and nearly every day until midwinter settlers were comingand going from the mill, bringing bags of wheat or corn on horsebackover the rough trail and carrying back flour or meal. When Mr. Carewhad tied up the bag of meal and his customer had ridden away, he cameto where Faith was sitting close by the open door and sat down besideher. 

"Why do you call Mr. Allen a 'Green Mountain Boy'?" asked the littlegirl, after she had answered his questions about Esther; "he is a bigman. "

Mr. Carew smiled down at Faith's eager face, and then pointed to thegreen wooded hills beyond the clearing. "It's because he, and othermen of these parts, are like those green hills, --strong, andsufficient to themselves, " he answered. "Every settler in theWilderness knows that Ethan Allen will help them protect their homes;and no man knows this part of the country better than Colonel Allen. "

"Why do you call him 'Colonel'?" asked Faith. 

"Because the Bennington people have given him that title, and put himin command of the men of the town that they may be of service todefend it in case King George's men come over from New York, " repliedher father; "but I do not know but the bears are as dangerous as the'Yorkers. ' Do you think Esther will be quite well to-morrow?"concluded Mr. Carew. 

Faith was quite sure that Esther would soon be as well as ever. Shedid not want to talk about Esther. She wanted to hear more about herfriend Colonel Allen. "I heard him tell mother that he slept in a caveone night on his way here, " she said. 

"Oh, yes; he can sleep anywhere. But you must talk of him no moreto-day, Faithie, " answered Mr. Carew; "and here is 'Bounce' lookingfor you, " he added, as the little gray kitten jumped into Faith's lap. 

CHAPTER IV

A NEW PLAN

Esther was much better the next morning, but she was not well enoughto come down-stairs for several days, and when her father appeared heagreed with Mrs. Carew that the little girl was not fit to undertakethe journey on horseback along the rough trail to Brandon. 

Mrs. Carew was able to assure him, however, that he need not beanxious about his little daughter, and he decided to go directly home, leaving Esther to regain health and strength in Mrs. Carew's charge. 

"I will come for you the first Monday in October, three weeks fromto-day, " he told Esther, "and you must mind Mrs. Carew in everythingshe bids you. "

Esther promised tearfully. She did not want to stay, but she resolvedto herself, as she watched her father ride away, that she would doeverything possible to please Mrs. Carew and make friends with Faith. She could hardly bear to think of the first day of her visit. 

As she lay on the settle comfortably bolstered up with the softpillows, and a little fire crackling on the hearth, Esther lookedabout the sitting-room and began to think it a very pleasant place. Faith brought all her treasures to entertain her little visitor. Chiefof these was a fine book called "Pilgrim's Progress, " with manypictures. There was a doll, --one that Faith's Aunt Priscilla hadbrought her from New York. This doll was a very wonderful creature. She wore a blue flounced satin dress, and the dress had real buttons, buttons of gilt; and the doll wore a beautiful bonnet. 

Faith watched Esther a little anxiously as she allowed her to takeLady Amy, as the doll was named. But Esther was as careful as Faithherself, and declared that she did not believe any little girl thatside of Bennington had such a beautiful doll. 

"I think your Aunt Priscilla is the best aunt that ever was. She gaveyou this lovely doll, and your blue beads----" Esther stoppedsuddenly. She had lost the beads, and she did not want to tell Faith. She had resolved to hunt for them as soon as possible, and give themback. She was sure she could find them when she could run about again. 

Faith did not look at Esther. She wished Esther had not reminded herof the beads. But Esther had been so grateful for everything that Mrs. Carew and Faith did for her that they had almost forgotten hermischief, and were beginning to like their little visitor. 

"Yes, my Aunt Prissy is lovely, " said Faith. "She is a young aunt. Herhair is yellow and her eyes are blue; she can run as fast as I can, "and Faith smiled, remembering the good times she always had when AuntPrissy came for a visit to the log cabin. "When I go to visit her Ishall see the fort where the English soldiers are, " she added. 

"Colonel Ethan Allen could take the fort away from them if he wantedto; my father said so, " boasted Esther; and Faith was quite ready toagree to this, for it seemed to her that the tall, dark-eyed colonelcould accomplish almost anything. 

"How would you and Faithie like to have your supper here by the fire?"asked Mrs Carew, coming in from the kitchen. "Faith can bring in thelight stand and use her own set of dishes. And I will make you a finedish of cream toast. "

Both the little girls were delighted at the plan. And Faith ran tothe kitchen and, with her mother's help, brought in the stand andput it down in front of the settle. She spread a white cloth overit, and then turned to the closet, from which she had taken theblue beads, and brought out her treasured tea-set. There was around-bodied, squatty teapot with a high handle, a small pitcher, a round sugar-bowl, two cups and saucers, and two plates. The disheswere of delicate cream-tinted china covered with crimson roses anddelicate buds and faint green leaves. 

One by one Faith brought these treasures to the little table, smilingwith delight at Esther's exclamations of admiration. 

"My grandmother who lives in Connecticut sent me these for my lastbirthday present, " said Faith. "My Grandmother Carew, whom I havenever seen. And they came from across the big salt ocean, fromEngland. "

"To think that a little girl in a log cabin should have such lovelythings!" exclaimed Esther. "I have a silver mug with my name on it, "she added. 

Mrs. Carew brought them in the fine dish of cream toast, and filledthe china teapot with milk so they could play that it was a realtea-party. There were baked apples to eat with the toast, and althoughEsther longed for cake she did not speak of it, and, bolstered up withcushions, and Faith sitting in a high-backed chair facing her, shebegan really to enjoy herself. 

"My father made this little table, " said Faith, helping Esther to asecond cup of "tea, " "and he made these chairs and the settle. He cameup here with Mr. Stanley years ago, and cut down trees and built thishouse and the barn and the mill; then he went way back where mygrandmother lives and brought my mother here. Some day I am to go toConnecticut and go to school. "

"Why don't you come to Brandon and go to school?" suggested Esther. "Oh, do! Faith, ask your mother to let you go home with me and go toschool this winter. That would be splendid!" And Esther sat up soquickly that she nearly tipped over her cup and saucer. 

"I guess I couldn't, " replied Faith. "My mother would be lonesome. "

But Esther thought it would be a fine idea; and while Faith carriedthe dishes to the kitchen, washed them with the greatest care, and replaced them on the closet shelf, Esther talked of all theattractions of living in a village and going to school with otherlittle girls. 

"I feel as well as ever, " declared Esther as the two little girls wentto bed that night; "but I do wish your mother thought sweet thingswould be good for me. At home I have all I want. "

"Mother says that is the reason you are not well, " answered Faith. "Hear the brook, Esther! Doesn't it sound as if it was saying, 'Hurryto bed! Hurry to bed!' And in the morning it is 'Time to get up! Timeto get up!'"

"You are the queerest girl I ever knew. The idea that a brook couldsay anything, " replied Esther; but her tone was friendly. "I supposeit's because you live way off here in the woods. Now if you lived in avillage----"

"I don't want to live in a village if it will stop my hearing what thebrook says. And I can tell you what the robins say to the youngrobins; and what little foxes tell their mothers; and I know how thebeavers build their homes under water, " declared Faith, with a littlelaugh at Esther's puzzled expression. 

"Tell me about the beavers, " said Esther, as they snuggled down in thebig feather-bed. 

"Every house a beaver builds has two doors, " began Faith, "and it hasan up-stairs and down-stairs. One of the doors to the beaver's houseopens on the land side, so that they can get out and get theirdinners; and the other opens under the water--way down deep, belowwhere ice freezes. "

"How do you know?" questioned Esther, a little doubtfully. 

"Father told me. And I have seen their houses over in the mill meadow, where the brook is as wide as this whole clearing. "

Before Faith had finished her story of how beavers could cut downtrees with their sharp teeth, and of the dams they built acrossstreams, Esther was fast asleep. 

Faith lay awake thinking over all that Esther had said about school;about seeing little girls and boys of her own age, and of games andparties. Then with a little sigh of content she whispered to herself:"I guess I'd be lonesome without father and mother and the brook. "

Mrs. Carew had heard Esther's suggestion about Faith going to Brandonto go to school, and after the little girls had gone to bed she spokeof it to Faith's father, as they sat together before the fire. 

"Perhaps we ought to send Faithie where she could go to school and bewith other children, " said Mr. Carew, "but I hardly know how we couldspare her. "

There was a little silence, for the father and mother knew that theirpleasant home on the slope of the hillside would be a very differentplace without their little maid. 

"But of course we would not think of Brandon, " continued Faith'sfather. "If we must let her go, why, her Aunt Priscilla will give hera warm welcome and take good care of the child; and the school atTiconderoga is doubtless a good one. "

"Esther seems sorry for her mischief, but I should not wish Faith tobe with her so far from home. Perhaps we had best send some word toPriscilla by the next traveler who goes that way, and ask her if Faithmay go to her for the winter months, " said Mrs. Carew. 

So, while Faith described the beaver's home to the sleepy Esther, itwas settled that as soon as it could be arranged she should go to staywith her Aunt Priscilla in the village of Ticonderoga, across LakeChamplain, and go to school. 

"If 'twere not that some stray Indians might happen along and make abonfire of our house and mill we might plan for a month's visitourselves, " said Mr. Carew. 

"We must not think of it, " responded his wife. For the log cabin homewas very dear to her, and at that time the Indians, often incited bythe British in command of the forts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, burned the homes of settlers who held their land through grants givenby the New Hampshire government. 

"More settlers are coming into this region every year. We shall soonhave neighbors near at hand, and can have a school and church, " saidMr. Carew hopefully. "Colonel Allen is not journeying through thewilderness for pleasure. He has some plan in mind to make this regionmore secure for all of us. Well, tell Faithie, if she has aught to sayof going to Brandon, that she is soon to visit Aunt Priscilla. I doubtnot 'twill be best for the child. "

CHAPTER V

KASHAQUA

Esther did not find the blue beads; and when her father came for hershe had not said a word to Faith about them. 

Mr. Eldridge found his little daughter fully recovered from herillness, and in better health than when she came to the Wilderness. When she said good-bye Faith was really sorry to have her go, but shewondered a little that Esther made no mention of the beads, for Estherhad been a model visitor since her illness. She had told Mrs. Carewthe full story of the attempt to make maple candy, which the bear hadinterrupted, and she had claimed the pumpkin-shell work-box withevident delight. All these things had made Faith confident that Estherwould return the beads before starting for home, and she was sadlydisappointed to have Esther depart without a word about them. 

Esther had asked Mrs. Carew if Faith might not go to Brandon, and soMrs. Carew had told the little girls of the plan for Faith to go toher Aunt Priscilla in Ticonderoga for the winter and attend schoolthere. 

"Oh! But that's New York. Why, the 'Yorkers' want to take all theWilderness. I shouldn't want to go to school with 'Yorkers, '" Estherhad responded, a little scornfully. 

For she had often heard her father and his friends talk of theattempts made by the English officials of New York to drive thesettlers on the New Hampshire Grants from their homes. 

"'Tis not the people of New York who would do us harm, " Mrs. Carew hadanswered. "And Faith will make friends, I hope, with many of herschoolmates. "

It was a beautiful October morning when Esther, seated in front of herfather on the big gray horse, with the pumpkin-shell work-box wrappedin a safe bundle swinging from the front of the saddle, started forBrandon. Their way for most of the journey led over a rough trail. They would pass near the homes of many settlers, then over the lowerslopes of Mooselamoo Mountain, and skirt Lake Dunmore, and would thenfind themselves on a smoother road for the remainder of their journey. 

Faith walked beside the travelers to the edge of the wood and then thetwo little girls said good-bye. 

"I'll come again in the spring, " Esther called back. 

Faith stood watching them until the branches of the trees hid themfrom sight. The maples seemed to be waving banners of scarlet leaves, and the slopes of the Green Mountains were beautiful in the glory ofautumn foliage. The sun shone brightly, the sky was as blue as summer, and as Faith turned to run swiftly along the path to the mill shealmost wished that she too was starting for a day's journey throughthe woods. The path ran along beside the mill-stream. 

It seemed to Faith that the brook was traveling beside her like a gaycompanion, singing as it went. The little girl had had so fewcompanions, none except an occasional visitor, that she had madefriends with the birds and small woodland animals, and foundcompanionship in the rippling music of the stream. There was a finefamily of yellow-hammers just below the mill that Faith often visited, and she was sure that they knew her quite well. She had watched thembuild their nest in the early spring; had seen them bring food to theyoung birds, and had sat close by the nest while the young birds madetheir first efforts to fly. She knew where a fine silver-coated foxmade its home on the rocky hillside beyond the garden-slope, and hadtold her father that "Silver-nose, " as she had named the fox, knewthat she was his friend, and would lie quite still at the entrance toits hole, while she would sit on a big rock not far distant. 

But Faith was not thinking of these woodland friends as she ran alongtoward the mill; she was thinking of what she had heard her father sayto Mr. Eldridge that morning. "Tell Colonel Allen the men of theWilderness will be ready whenever he gives the word, " Mr. Carew hadsaid; and Mr. Eldridge had answered that it would not be long. Faithwondered what her father had meant, and if Colonel Allen would againvisit the mill. She hoped he would, for he had seemed to know allabout the woodland creatures, and had told Faith a wonderful storyabout the different months of the year. She thought of it now as shefelt the warmth of the October sunshine. 

"October is stirring the fire now, " she called to her father, who waswatching her from the door of the mill. 

"What do you mean by that, child?" asked her father, smiling down atFaith's tanned face and bright eyes. 

"'Tis what Colonel Allen told me about the months. All twelve, everyone of the year, sit about the fire. And now and then one of themstirs the fire, and that makes all the world warmer. July and August, when it is their turn, make it blaze; but the other months do not careso much about it. But once in a while each month takes its turn, "answered Faith. "That's what Colonel Allen told me. "

"'Tis a good story, " said Mr. Carew. "Did your mother tell you that Ihave sent word to your Aunt Priscilla about your going to her house assoon as some trustworthy traveler going to Ticonderoga passes thisway?"

"Yes, father. But I am learning a good deal at home. Mother says Iread as well as she did when she was my age. And I can figure infractions, and write neatly. I do not care much about school, "answered Faith; for to be away from her mother and father all winterbegan to seem too great an undertaking. 

"Yes, indeed; your mother tells me you learn quickly. But 'tis bestfor you to become acquainted with children of your own age. And youhave never seen your cousins. Three boy cousins. Think of that. Why, your Aunt Prissy says that Donald is nearly as tall as you are; and heis but eight years old. And Hugh is six, and Philip four. Then thereare neighbor children close at hand. You will play games, and haveparties, and enjoy every day; besides going to school, " responded herfather encouragingly. 

Then he told her of his own pleasant school days in the far-offConnecticut village where Grandmother Carew lived; and when Mrs. Carewcalled them to dinner Faith had begun to think that it would really bea fine thing to live with Aunt Priscilla and become acquainted withher little cousins, and all the pleasant, well-behaved children thather father described, with whom she would go to school and play games. 

"It is nearly time for Kashaqua's yearly visit, " said Mrs. Carew. "Ihave knit a scarf for her of crimson yarn. She generally comes beforecold weather. Don't let her see your blue beads, Faith. "

Faith did not make any answer. Kashaqua was an Indian woman who hadappeared at the cabin every fall and spring ever since the Carews hadsettled there. When Faith was a tiny baby she had come, bringing afine beaver skin as a gift for the little girl. She always came alone, and the family looked upon her as a friend, and always made a littlefeast for her, and sent her on her way laden with gifts. Not all theIndians of the Wilderness were friendly to settlers; and the Carewswere glad to feel that Kashaqua was well disposed toward them. Sheoften brought gifts of baskets, or of bright feathers or finemoccasins for Faith. 

"I hope she will come before I go to Aunt Prissy's, " said Faith. "Ilike Kashaqua. "

"Kashaqua likes little girl. "

Even Mr. Carew jumped at these words and the sudden appearance of theIndian woman standing just inside the kitchen door. She seemed pleasedby their warm welcome, and sat down before the fire, while Faithhastened to bring her a good share of their simple dinner. Faith satdown on the floor beside her, greatly to Kashaqua's satisfaction, andtold her about Esther Eldridge's visit, about the bear coming into thekitchen, and of how she had jumped from the window and run to the millto tell her father. Kashaqua grunted her approval now and then. 

"And what do you think, Kashaqua! I am to go to my Aunt PriscillaScott, to Ticonderoga, and stay all winter, " she concluded. 

"Ticonderoga? When?" questioned Kashaqua, dipping a piece of cornbread in the dish of maple syrup. 

"I am to go just as soon as some one goes over the trail who will takeme, " answered Faith. 

"I take you. I go to Ticonderoga to-morrow. I take you, " saidKashaqua. 

CHAPTER VI

THE JOURNEY

"Mother dear, mother dear! Did you hear what Kashaqua says: that shewill take me to Aunt Prissy's to-morrow?" said Faith. 

The Indian woman had turned quickly, and her sharp little eyes werefixed on Mrs. Carew's face. 

"You 'fraid let little girl go with Kashaqua?" she said, a littleaccusing note in her voice. 

"No, indeed. Kashaqua would take good care of Faith. I know that. Butto-morrow----" Mrs. Carew spoke bravely, but both Faith's father andmother were sadly troubled. To offend the Indian woman would mean tomake enemies of the tribe to which she belonged; and then neithertheir lives nor their property would be safe; and she would neverforgive them if they doubted her by refusing to let Faith make thejourney to Ticonderoga in her care. 

It was Faith who came to the rescue by declaring: "Oh, I'd rather gowith Kashaqua than anybody. Mother dear, you said Aunt Prissy wouldsee about my shoes and dresses. I don't have to wait to get ready, "and Faith ran to her mother eager for her consent, thinking it wouldbe a fine thing to go on a day's journey through the woods with theIndian woman, and quite forgetting for the moment that it meant a longabsence from home. 

Nothing could have pleased Kashaqua more than Faith's pleading. Thehalf-angry expression faded from her face, and she nodded and smiled, grunting her satisfaction, and taking from one of her baskets a pairof fine doeskin moccasins, which she gave to Faith. "Present, " shesaid briefly. 

"They are the prettiest pair I ever had!" said Faith, lookingadmiringly at their fringed tops, and the pattern of a vine that ranfrom the toes to insteps, stitched in with thread-like crimson andblue thongs. 

"It is a fine chance for Faith to go to her Aunt Priscilla, " said Mr. Carew. "Do you know where Philip Scott lives, across Champlain?"

"Me know. Not great ways from Fort, " responded Kashaqua. "Me takelittle girl safe to Scott's wigwam. "

"That's right, Kashaqua, " said Mr. Carew. 

"Then me come back to mill and get meal an' get pie, " said Kashaqua. 

"Of course. I will make you the finest pie you ever tasted, " said Mrs. Carew, with a little sigh of relief. For she had wondered how long itwould be before they could get news that Kashaqua had kept herpromise, and that Faith had reached her aunt's house in safety. 

In the surprise and excitement of this new decision neither Faith norher parents had much time to think about their separation. AlthoughAunt Priscilla was to see that Faith was well provided with suitabledresses, shoes, hat, and all that a little girl would need to wear toschool and to church, there was, nevertheless, a good deal to do toprepare and put in order such things as she would take with her. Beside that Mrs. Carew meant to give the squaw a well-filled luncheonbasket; so the remainder of the day went very quickly. Faith helpedher mother, and talked gaily with Kashaqua of the good time they wouldhave on the journey; while Kashaqua smoked and nodded, evidently quitesatisfied and happy. 

When night came the Indian woman made her preparations to sleepbefore the kitchen fire, and the Carews went up-stairs to bed. Themother and father lay long awake that night. While they assured eachother that Faith would be perfectly safe, and that the Indian womanwould defend the little girl from all danger, they could not but feelan uncertainty. "We can trust the strength and love that has protectedus always to go with our little maid, " said Mr. Carew; "perhapsKashaqua is the safest person we could find. "

"We must hope so; but I shall not draw a good breath until she is hereagain, and tells me Faithie is safe with Priscilla, " responded Mrs. Carew. 

The little household was awake at an early hour the next morning. Faith was to wear the new moccasins. She wore her usual dress of brownhomespun linen. Faith had never had a hat, or a pair of leather shoes, and only the simplest of linen and wool dresses. She had never beforebeen away from home, except for a day's visit at the house of someneighboring settler. She knew that when she got to Aunt Prissy's shewould have a hat, probably like the one Esther Eldridge had worn, ribbons to tie back her yellow curls, shining leather shoes, and manythings that she had never before seen. She had thought a good dealabout these things when planning for the journey, but now that thetime was so near when she must say good-bye to her mother and fathershe forgot all about the good times in store, and wished with all herheart that she were not going. 

"Don't let Kashaqua see you cry, child, " her father whispered, seeingFaith's sad face; so she resolutely kept back her tears. 

Breakfast was soon over. Kashaqua had stowed Faith's bundle ofclothing in one of her baskets and swung it over her shoulder. Thebasket of luncheon also was secured by stout thongs and hung acrossher back, and they were ready to start. 

"Be a good child, Faithie, dear, " whispered Mrs. Carew. 

"I'll fetch you home when it is April's turn to stir the fire, " saidher father smilingly, and Faith managed to smile back, and to saygood-bye bravely, as she trudged down the path holding tight toKashaqua's brown hand. 

"I be back to-morrow night, " Kashaqua called back, knowing that wouldbe a word of comfort to the white woman who was letting her onlychild go from home. 

Neither Faith nor Kashaqua spoke for some little time. At last Faithstopped suddenly and stood still, evidently listening. "I can't hearthe brook, " she said. 

Kashaqua nodded, and the two walked on through the autumn woods. Butnow Kashaqua began to talk. She told Faith stories of the wild animalsof the woods; of the traps she set along the streams to catch themartens and otters; and of a bear cub that the children of her villagehad tamed. But it had disappeared during the summer. 

"The papooses catch birds and feed them, " she continued, "tame birdsso they know their name, and come right to wigwam. " Faith listenedeagerly, and began to think that an Indian village must be a verypleasant place to live. 

"Where is your village, Kashaqua?" she asked. 

"You not know my village? Way back 'cross Mooselamoo, " answeredKashaqua. 

"Perhaps I can go there some time, " suggested Faith. But Kashaquashook her head. 

For several hours they walked steadily on through the autumn woods. They climbed several rocky ridges, crossed brooks, and carefully madetheir way over a swampy stretch of ground. Faith was very tired whenKashaqua finally swung the baskets and bundles from her shoulders anddeclared that it was time to eat. 

The trail had led them up a hill, and as Faith, with a little tiredsigh, seated herself on a moss-covered rock, she looked about with alittle exclamation of wonder. Close beside the trail was a roughshelter made of the boughs of spruce and fir trees, and near at handwas piled a quantity of wood ready for a fire. There was a clearing, and the rough shelter was shaded by two fine oak trees. 

"Does somebody live here?" asked Faith. 

"Traveler's wigwam, " explained Kashaqua, who was unpacking the lunchbasket with many grunts of satisfaction. "White men going down thetrail to big road to Shoreham sleep here, " she added, holding up afine round molasses cake in one hand and a roasted chicken in theother. 

Faith was hungry as well as tired, and the two friends ate with goodappetite. Kashaqua repacked the basket with what remained of the food, and with a pleasant nod to Faith declared she would "sleep a little, "and curled herself up near the shelter. 

Faith looked about the rough camp, and peered down the trail. Shedecided she too would sleep a little, and stretched herself out closebeside Kashaqua, thinking that it was a wonderful thing to be so farfrom home, --nearly in sight of Lake Champlain, Kashaqua had told her, with an Indian woman for her guide and protector; and then her eyesclosed and she was sound asleep. 

It seemed to Faith that she had not slept a minute before she awakenedsuddenly, and found that Kashaqua had disappeared. But she heard aqueer scrambling sound behind her and sat up and looked around. For amoment she was too frightened to speak, for a brown bear was clawingthe remainder of their luncheon from the basket, grunting andsniffing, as if well pleased with what he found. 

As Faith looked at him she was sure that this creature had draggedKashaqua off into the woods, and that he might turn and seize her assoon as he had finished with the basket. 

"Kashaqua! Kashaqua!" she called hopelessly. "What shall I do? Whatshall I do?"

There was a rustle of leaves close behind her and the Indian womandarted into the clearing. Without a word to Faith she ran straight towhere the bear was crouched over the basket. Faith could hardlybelieve what she saw, for Kashaqua had seized the basket and pushed itout of the bear's reach, and was now belaboring him with a stout pieceof wood that she had seized from the pile by the shelter. As she hitthe bear she called out strange words in the Indian tongue, whosemeaning Faith could not imagine, but which the bear seemed tounderstand. The creature accepted the blows with a queer littlewhimper which made Faith laugh in spite of her fear. And when Kashaquahad quite finished with him he crept along beside her, looking up asif pleading for forgiveness. 

"Oh, Kashaqua! Is it the bear that your papooses tamed?" exclaimedFaith, remembering the story told her on the way. 

Kashaqua nodded, at the same time muttering words of reproach to thebear. 

"He like bad Indian, steal from friends, " she explained to Faith. "Hisname Nooski, " she added. 

Nooski was quite ready to make friends with Faith, but she was notyet sure of his good-nature. It seemed to the little girl that thebear understood every word Kashaqua uttered; and when they went ontheir way down the trail Nooski followed, or kept close beside them. 

It was still early in the afternoon when they reached level ground andFaith had her first glimpse of the blue waters of Lake Champlain andsaw the heights of Ticonderoga on the opposite shore. For a moment sheforgot Nooski and Kashaqua, and stood looking at the sparkling watersand listening to the same sound of "Chiming Waters" that had made theearly French settlers call the place "Carillon. " She wondered if sheshould ever see the inside of the fort of which she had heard so much, and then heard Kashaqua calling her name. 

"Canoe all ready, Faith. " The Indian woman had drawn the birch-barkcanoe from its hiding-place in the underbrush, and the light craft nowrested on the waters of the lake. The baskets and bundles were in thecanoe, and Kashaqua, paddle in hand, stood waiting for her littlecompanion. 

"Where's Nooski?" asked Faith, looking about for the young bear. 

Kashaqua pointed toward the distant range of mountains which they hadleft behind them. "He gone home, " she said. 

Kashaqua told her how to step into the canoe, and how to sit, andcautioned her not to move. Faith felt as if the day had been awonderful dream. As Kashaqua with swift strokes of her paddle sent thecanoe over the water Faith sat silent, with eyes fixed on the loomingbattlements of the fort, on the high mountain behind it, and thoughtto herself that no other little girl had ever taken such a journey. 

Kashaqua landed some distance below the fort; the canoe was againsafely hidden, and after a short walk across a field they reached abroad, well-traveled road. "'Most to Philip Scott's house, " gruntedKashaqua. "You be glad?" and she looked down at the little girl with afriendly smile. 

CHAPTER VII

NEW FRIENDS

"An Indian woman and a little girl with yellow hair are coming acrossthe road, mother, " declared Donald Scott, rushing into thesitting-room, where his mother was busy with her sewing. 

Mrs. Scott hastened to the front door. "Oh, Aunt Prissy, " calledFaith, running as fast as her tired feet could carry her, and hardlyseeing the brown-haired little cousin standing by his mother's side. 

Aunt Prissy welcomed her little niece, whom she had not expected tosee for weeks to come, and then turned to thank Kashaqua. But theIndian woman had disappeared. The bundle containing Faith's clothinglay on the door-step, but there was no trace of her companion. Longafterward they discovered that Kashaqua had started directly back overthe trail, and had reached the Carews' cabin, with her message ofFaith's safe arrival at her aunt's house, early the next morning. 

"Come in, dear child. You are indeed welcome. Your father's letterreached me but yesterday, " said Aunt Prissy, putting her arm aboutFaith and leading her into the house. "I know you are tired, and youshall lie down on the settle for a little, and then have your supperand go straight to bed. "

Faith was quite ready to agree. As she curled up on the broad sofa herthree little cousins came into the room. They came on tiptoe, veryquietly, Donald leading the two younger boys. Their mother had toldthem that Cousin Faith was tired after her long journey, and that theymust just kiss her and run away. 

Faith smiled up at the friendly little faces as they bent over towelcome her. "I know I shan't be lonesome with such dear cousins, " shesaid, and the boys ran away to their play, quite sure that it was afine thing to have a girl cousin come from the Wilderness to visitthem. 

Faith slept late the next morning, and awoke to hear the sound of rainagainst the windows. It was a lonesome sound to a little girl so farfrom her mother and father, and Faith was already thinking to herselfthat this big house, with its shining yellow floors, its white windowcurtains, and its nearness to a well-traveled road, was a very drearyplace compared to her cabin home, when her chamber door opened and incame her Aunt Prissy, smiling and happy as if a rainy day was justwhat she had been hoping for. 

"We shall have a fine time to-day, Faithie dear, " she declared, as shefilled the big blue wash-basin with warm water. "There is nothing likea rainy day for a real good time. Your Uncle Philip and the boys arewaiting to eat breakfast with you, and I have a great deal to talkover with you; so make haste and come down, " and Aunt Prissy, with agay little nod, was gone, leaving Faith greatly cheered and wonderingwhat the "good time" would be. 

Uncle Philip Scott was waiting at the foot of the stairs. "So here isour little maid from the Wilderness! Well, it is a fine thing to havea girl in the house, " he declared, leading Faith into the dining-roomand giving her a seat at the table beside his own. "Did you have anyadventures coming over the trail?" he asked, after Faith had greetedher little cousins. 

Faith told them of "Nooski's" appearance, greatly to the delight ofher boy cousins, who asked if the Indian woman had told Faith the bestway to catch bear cubs and tame them. 

"Come out to the shop, boys, " said Mr. Scott as they finishedbreakfast, "and help me repair the cart, and fix 'Ginger's' harness. Perhaps Cousin Faith will come, too, later on in the morning. "

"We'll see. Faithie and I have a good deal to do, " responded Mrs. Scott. 

The boys ran off with their father, chattering gaily, but at the doorDonald turned and called back: "You'll come out to the shop, won'tyou, Cousin Faith?"

"If Aunt Prissy says I may, " answered Faith. 

"Yes; she will come, " added Aunt Prissy, with her ready smile. 

It seemed to Faith that Aunt Prissy was always smiling. "I don'tbelieve she could be cross, " thought the little girl. 

She helped her aunt clear the table and wash the dishes, just as shehad helped her mother at home; and as they went back and forth in thepleasant kitchen, with the dancing flames from the fireplacebrightening the walls and making the tins shine like silver, Faithquite forgot that the rain was pouring down and that she was far fromhome. 

"I am going to begin a dress for you this very day. It is somematerial I have in the house; a fine blue thibet, and I shall putruffles on the skirt. That will be your Sunday dress, " said AuntPriscilla, "and your father wrote me you were to have the best shoesthat the shoemaker can make for you. We'll see about the shoesto-morrow. Did you bring your blue beads, Faithie? But of course youdid. They will be nice to wear with your blue frock. And I mean you tohave a warm hood of quilted silk for Sunday wear. "

Faith drew a long breath as her aunt finished. She wondered what AuntPrissy would say if she told her about giving the blue beads to EstherEldridge. But in the exciting prospect of so many new and beautifulthings she almost forgot the lost beads. She had brought "Lady Amy, "carefully packed in the stout bundle, and Aunt Prissy declared thatthe doll should have a dress and hood of the fine blue thibet. 

"When shall I go to school, Aunt Prissy?" asked Faith. 

"I think the school begins next week, and you shall be all ready. Imean to make you a good dress of gray and scarlet homespun for schoolwear, " replied her aunt. "The schoolhouse is but a half-mile walk fromhere; a fine new cabin, and you and Donald may go together. I declare, the rain has stopped. 'Rain before seven, clear before eleven' is atrue saying. "

Faith ran to the window and looked out. "Yes, indeed. The sky is blueagain, " she said. 

"You'd best run out to the shop a while now, Faithie. I'll call youwhen 'tis time, " said her aunt. 

Faith opened the kitchen door to step out, but closed it quickly, andlooked around at her aunt with a startled face. "There's a little bearright on the door-step, " she whispered. 

"A bear! Oh, I forgot. You have not seen 'Scotchie, ' our dog, " saidAunt Prissy. "No wonder you thought he was a bear. But he is a finefellow, and a good friend. I often wish your dear father had just sucha dog, " and she opened the door and called "Scotchie! Scotchie!"

The big black Newfoundland dog came slowly into the room. 

"Put your hand on his head, Faith, " said Aunt Prissy, "and I'll tellhim who you are, and that he is to take care of you. He went to schoolwith Donald all last spring, and we knew he would take care of him. Here, 'Scotchie, ' go to the shop with Faith, " she concluded. 

Faith started for the square building on the further side of the yard, and the big dog marched along beside her. Donald and little Philipcame running to meet her. 

"I'm going to make you a bow and some arrows, Cousin Faith, " saidDonald, pushing open the shop door. "I have a fine piece of ash, justright for a bow, and some deerskin thongs to string it with. I madebows for Hugh and Philip. "

The workshop seemed a very wonderful place to Faith, and she looked atthe forge, with its glowing coals, over which her Uncle Philip washolding a bar of iron, at the long work-bench with its tools, and atthe small bench, evidently made for the use of her little cousins. 

The boys were eager to show her all their treasures. They had a boxfull of bright feathers, with which to tip their arrows. 

"We'll show you how to make an arrow, Cousin Faith, " said Donald. "First of all, you must be sure the piece of wood is straight, and hasno knots, " and Donald selected a narrow strip of wood and held it on alevel with his eyes, squinting at its length, just as he had seen hisfather do. "This is a good straight piece. Here, you use my knife, andwhittle it down until it's about as big as your finger. And then I'llshow you how to finish it. "

But before Faith had whittled the wood to the required size, theyheard the sound of a gaily whistled tune, and Donald ran toward thedoor and called out: "Hallo, Nathan, " and a tall, pleasant-faced boyof about fifteen years appeared in the doorway. He took off hiscoonskin cap as he entered. 

"Good-morning, Mr. Scott, " he said, and then turned smilingly to speakto the boys. 

"Faith, this is Nathan Beaman, " said Donald, and the tall boy bowedagain, and Faith smiled and nodded. 

"I've been up to the fort to sell a basket of eggs, " explained Nathan, turning again to Mr. Scott. 

"You are a great friend of the English soldiers, are you not, Nathan?"responded Mr. Scott. 

"No, sir!" the boy answered quickly. "I go to the fort when my errandstake me. But I know well enough what those English soldiers are therefor; all the Shoreham folk know that. I wish the Green Mountain Boysheld Ticonderoga, " he concluded. 

Mr. Scott rested a friendly hand on the boy's shoulder. 

"Best not say that aloud, my boy; but I am glad the redcoats have notmade you forget that American settlers have a right to defend theirhomes. "

"I hear there's a reward offered for the capture of Ethan Allen, " saidthe boy. 

Mr. Scott laughed. "Yes, but he's in small danger. Colonel Allen maycapture the fort instead of being taken a prisoner, " he answered. 

Nathan now turned toward the children, and Donald showed him the bowhe was making for his cousin. "I'll string it for you, " offeredNathan; and Donald was delighted to have the older boy finish hiswork, for he was quite sure that anything Nathan Beaman did was alittle better than the work of any other boy. 

"Who wants to capture Colonel Allen?" Faith asked. 

"The 'Yorkers. ' The English, " responded the boy carelessly; "but itcan't be done, " he added. "Why, every man who holds a New HampshireGrant would defend him. And Colonel Allen isn't afraid of the wholeEnglish army. "

"I know him. He was at my father's house just a few weeks ago, " saidFaith. 

"Don't tell anybody, " said Nathan. "Some of the people at the fort mayquestion you, but you mustn't let them know that you have ever seenColonel Allen. "

Donald had been busy sorting out feathers for the new arrows, and nowshowed Nathan a number of bright yellow tips, which the elder boydeclared would be just what were needed. 

Nathan asked Faith many questions about her father's mill, and aboutEthan Allen's visit. And Faith told him of the big bear that hadentered their kitchen and eaten the syrup. When Mrs. Scott called themto dinner she felt that she was well acquainted with the good-naturedboy, whom Mrs. Scott welcomed warmly. 

"I believe Nathan knows as much about Fort Ticonderoga as the men whobuilt it, " she said laughingly, "for the soldiers have let him playabout there since he was a little boy. "

"And Nathan made his own boat, too. The boat he comes over fromShoreham in, " said Donald. For Nathan Beaman lived on the further sideof the strip of water which separated Ticonderoga from the NewHampshire Grants. 

That afternoon Faith and her aunt worked on the fine new blue dress. The next day Mrs. Scott took her little niece to the shoemaker, whomeasured her feet and promised to have the shoes ready at the end of aweek. 

As they started for the shoemaker's Mrs. Scott said:

"The man who will make your shoes is a great friend of the Englishsoldiers. Your uncle thinks that he gathers up information about theAmerican settlers and tells the English officers. Do not let himquestion you as to what your father thinks of American or Englishrule. For I must leave you there a little while to do an errand at thenext house. "

Faith began to think that it was rather a serious thing to live nearan English fort. 

CHAPTER VIII

THE SHOEMAKER'S DAUGHTER

The shoemaker was the smallest man Faith had ever seen. She thought toherself that she was glad he was not an American. When he stood up tospeak to Mrs. Scott Faith remembered a picture in one of her mother'sbooks of an orang-outang. For the shoemaker's hair was coarse andblack, and seemed to stand up all over his small head, and his facewas nearly covered by a stubbly black beard. His arms were long, andhe did not stand erect. His eyes were small and did not seem to seethe person to whom he was speaking. 

But he greeted his customers pleasantly, and as Faith sat on a littlestool near his bench waiting for her aunt's return, he told her thathe had a little daughter about her own age, but that she was not verywell. 

"Perhaps your aunt will let you come and see her some day?" he said. 

"I'll ask her, " replied Faith, and before they had time for anyfurther conversation the door opened and a tall man in a scarlet coat, deerskin trousers and high boots entered the shop. 

"Any news?" he asked sharply. 

"No, captain. Nothing at all, " replied the shoemaker. 

"You're not worth your salt, Andy, " declared the officer. "I'll wagerthis small maid here would have quicker ears for news. "

Faith wished that she could run away, but did not dare to move. 

"Well, another summer we'll put the old fort in order and have agarrison that will be worth while. Now, what about my riding boots?"he added, and after a little talk the officer departed. 

It was not long before Mrs. Scott called for her little niece and thetwo started for home. 

Faith told her aunt what the shoemaker had said about his little girl, and noticed that Aunt Prissy's face was rather grave and troubled. 

"Do I have to go, Aunt Prissy?" she asked. 

"We'll see, my dear. But now we must hurry home, and sew on the newdresses, " replied Aunt Prissy, and for a few moments they walked on insilence. 

Faith could hear the musical sound of the falls, and was reminded ofthe dancing mill-stream, of the silver fox and of her own dear"Bounce. " Every hour since her arrival at Aunt Prissy's had been sofilled with new and strange happenings that the little girl had nothad time to be lonely. 

"What is the name of the shoemaker's little girl, Aunt Prissy?" sheasked, as they came in sight of home, with Donald and Philip, closelyfollowed by "Scotchie, " coming to meet them. 

"Her name is Louise Trent, and she is lame. She is older than you, several years older, " answered Aunt Prissy, "and I fear she is amischievous child. But the poor girl has not had a mother to care forher for several years. She and her father live alone. "

"Does she look like her father?" questioned Faith, resolving that ifsuch were the case she would not want Louise for a playmate. 

"Oh, no. Louise would be pretty if she were a neat and well-behavedchild. She has soft black hair, black eyes, and is slenderly built. Too slender, I fear, for health, " replied Mrs. Scott, who oftenthought of the shoemaker's motherless little girl, whose fatherseemed to resent any effort to befriend her. 

"Why, that sounds just the way Esther Eldridge looks. Only Estherisn't lame, " responded Faith; and, in answer to her aunt's questions, Faith described Esther's visit to the cabin, omitting, however, thefact that she had given Esther the blue beads. 

Faith did not think to speak of the red-coated soldier until thefamily were gathered about the supper-table that night. Then shesuddenly remembered what he had said, and repeated it to her uncle, who was asking her about her visit to Mr. Trent's shop. 

"So that's their plan. More soldiers to come another summer! 'Twas acareless thing for an officer to repeat. But they are so sure thatnone of us dare lift a hand to protect ourselves that they care notwho knows their plans. I'll see to it that Ethan Allen and the men atBennington get word of this, " said Mr. Scott, and then asked Faith torepeat again exactly what the officer had said. 

In a few days both of Faith's new dresses were finished; and, greatlyto her delight, Aunt Prissy had made her a pretty cap of blue velvet, with a partridge's wing on one side. She was trying on the cap beforethe mirror in the sitting-room one afternoon when she heard a queernoise on the porch and then in the front entry. Aunt Prissy wasup-stairs, and the boys were playing outdoors. 

"I wonder what it is?" thought Faith, running toward the door. As sheopened it she nearly exclaimed in surprise, for there, leaning on acrutch, was the queerest little figure she had ever imagined. A littlegirl whose black hair straggled over her forehead, and whose big darkeyes had a half-frightened expression, stood staring in at thepleasant room. An old ragged shawl was pinned about her shoulders, andbeneath it Faith could see the frayed worn skirt of gray homespun. Buton her feet were a pair of fine leather shoes, well fitting and highlypolished. 

"I brought your shoes, " said this untidy visitor, swinging herself astep forward nearer to Faith, and holding out a bundle. "Fatherdoesn't know I've come, " she added, with a little smile ofsatisfaction. "But I wanted to see you. "

"Won't you sit down?" said Faith politely, pulling forward a bigcushioned chair. 

Louise Trent sat down as if hardly knowing if she dared trust thechair or not. 

"Your aunt didn't let you come to see me, did she? I knew shewouldn't, " continued Louise. "What you got?" she questioned, lookingat the pretty cap with admiring eyes. 

"It's new. And I never had one before, " answered Faith. 

"Well, I've never had one, and I never shall have. You wouldn't let metry that one on, would you?" said Louise, looking at Faith with such alonging expression in her dark eyes that Faith did not hesitate for amoment. 

"Of course I will, " she answered quickly, and taking off the capplaced it carefully on Louise's untidy black hair. 

"If your hair was brushed back it would look nice on you, " declaredFaith. "You wait, and I'll get my brush and fix your hair, " and beforeLouise could reply Faith was running up the stairs. She was back in amoment with brush and comb, and Louise submitted to having her hairput in order, and tied back with one of the new hair ribbons that AuntPrissy had given Faith. While Faith was thus occupied Louise lookedabout the sitting-room, and asked questions. 

"There, " said Faith. "Now it looks nice on you. But what makes youwear that old shawl?"

Louise's face clouded, and she raised her crutch as if to strikeFaith. "Don't you make fun of me. I have to wear it. I don't havenothing like other girls, " she exclaimed, and dropping the crutch, sheturned her face against the arm of the chair and began to sobbitterly. 

For a moment Faith looked at her in amazement, and then she knelt downbeside the big chair and began patting the shoulder under the raggedshawl. 

"Don't cry, Louise. Don't cry. Listen, I'll ask my aunt to make you acap just like mine. I know she will. "

"No. She wouldn't want me to have a cap like yours, " declared Louise. 

"Isn't your father good to you?" questioned Faith. And this questionmade Louise sit up straight and wipe her eyes on the corner of the oldshawl. 

"Good to me! Of course he is. Didn't he make me these fine shoes?" sheanswered, pointing to her feet. "But how could he make me a prettycap or a dress? And he doesn't want to ask anybody. But you needn'tthink he ain't good to me!" she concluded, reaching after the crutch. 

"Don't go yet, Louise. See, that's my doll over on the sofa. Her nameis 'Lady Amy, '" and Faith ran to the sofa and brought back her beloveddoll and set it down in Louise's lap. 

"I never touched a doll before, " said Louise, almost in a whisper. "You're real good to let me hold her. Are you going to live here?"

"I'm going to school, " replied Faith. "I've never been to school. "

"Neither have I, " said Louise. "I s'pose you know your letters, don'tyou?"

"Oh, yes. Of course I do. I can read and write, and do fractions, "answered Faith. 

"I can't read, " declared Louise. 

Just then Mrs. Scott entered the room. If she was surprised to see theshoemaker's daughter seated in her easy chair, wearing Faith's new capand holding "Lady Amy, " she did not let the little girls know it, butgreeted Louise cordially, took Faith's new shoes from their wrappingand said they were indeed a fine pair of shoes. Then she turned toLouise, with the pleasant little smile that Faith so admired, andsaid: "You are the first little girl who has come to see my littleniece, so I think it would be pleasant if you two girls had a taste ofmy fruit cake that I make just for company, " and she started towardthe dining-room and soon returned with a tray. 

"Just bring the little table from the corner, Faithie, and set it infront of Louise and 'Lady Amy, '" she said, and Faith hastened to obey. 

Aunt Prissy set the tray on the table. "I'll come back in a littlewhile, " she said, and left the girls to themselves. 

The tray was very well filled. There was a plate of the rich darkcake, and beside it two dainty china plates and two fringed napkins. There was a plate of thin slices of bread and butter, a plate ofcookies, and two glasses filled with creamy milk. 

"Isn't this lovely?" exclaimed Faith, drawing a chair near the table. "It's just like a party, isn't it? I'm just as glad as I can be thatyou brought my shoes home, Louise. We'll be real friends now, shan'twe?"

CHAPTER IX

LOUISE

"I must go home, " said Louise, with a little sigh at having to end themost pleasant visit she ever remembered. The two little girls hadfinished the lunch, and had played happily with "Lady Amy. " Mrs. Scotthad left them quite by themselves, and not even the small cousins hadcome near the sitting-room. 

As Louise spoke she took off the blue velvet cap, which she had wornall the afternoon, and began to untie the hair ribbon. 

"Oh, Louise! Don't take off that hair ribbon. I gave it to you. It's apresent, " exclaimed Faith. 

Louise shook her head. "Father won't let me keep it, " she answered. "He wouldn't like it if he knew that I had eaten anything in thishouse. He is always telling me that if people offer to give meanything I must never, never take it. "

Before Faith could speak Aunt Prissy came into the room. 

"Tell your father I will come in and pay him for Faith's shoesto-morrow, Louise, " she said pleasantly, "and you must come and seeFaith again. "

"Yes'm. Thank you, " responded Louise shyly, and nodding to Faith witha look of smiling understanding, the crippled child made her wayquickly from the room. 

"Aunt Prissy, I like Louise Trent. I don't believe she is amischievous girl. Just think, she never had a doll in her life! Andher father won't let her take presents!" Faith had so much to say thatshe talked very rapidly. 

"I see, " responded her aunt, taking up the rumpled hair ribbon whichLouise had refused. "I am glad you were so kind to the poor child, "she added, smiling down at her little niece. "Tell me all you canabout Louise. Perhaps there will be some way to make her lifehappier. "

So Faith told her aunt that Louise could not read. That she had neverbefore tasted fruit cake, and that she had no playmates, and had neverhad a present. "Why do you suppose she came to see me, Aunt Prissy?"she concluded. 

"I cannot imagine. Unless it was because you are a stranger, " repliedAunt Prissy. "I have an idea that I can arrange with Mr. Trent so thathe will be willing for me to make Louise a dress, and get for her thethings she ought to have. For the shoemaker is no poorer than most ofhis neighbors. How would you like to teach Louise to read?"

"I'd like to! Oh, Aunt Prissy, tell me your plan!" responded Faitheagerly. 

"Wait until I am sure it is a good plan, Faithie dear, " her auntreplied. "I'll go down and see Mr. Trent to-morrow. I blame myselfthat I have not tried to be of use to that child. "

"May I go with you?" urged Faith. 

"Why, yes. You can visit Louise while I talk with her father, since heasked you to come. "

"Has the Witch gone?" called Donald, running into the room. "Didn'tyou know that all the children call the Trent girl a witch?" he askedhis mother. 

"No, Donald. But if they do they ought to be ashamed. She is a littlegirl without any mother to care for her. And now she is your cousin'sfriend, and we hope to see her here often. And you must always bepolite and kind to her, " replied Mrs. Scott. 

Donald looked a little doubtful and puzzled. 

"You ought to be more kind to her than to any other child, because sheis lame, " said Faith. 

"All right. But what is a 'witch, ' anyway?" responded Donald. 

"It is a wicked word, " answered his mother briefly. "See that you donot use it again. "

Faith's thoughts were now so filled with Louise that she nearly losther interest in the new dresses and shoes, and was eager for the nextday to come so that she could again see her new friend. 

Faith had been taught to sew neatly, and she wondered if she could nothelp make Louise a dress. "And perhaps Aunt Prissy will teach her howto make cake, " she thought; for never to taste of cake seemed to Faithto be a real misfortune. For the first night since her arrival at heraunt's home Faith went to sleep without a homesick longing for thecabin in the Wilderness, and awoke the next morning thinking about allthat could be done for the friendless little girl who could not accepta present. 

"We will go to Mr. Trent's as soon as our morning work is finished, "said Aunt Prissy, "and you shall wear your new shoes and cap. And Ihave a blue cape which I made for you before you came. The morning ischilly. You had best wear that. "

"I don't look like Faith Carew, I am so fine, " laughed the littlegirl, looking down at her shoes, and touching the soft cloth of thepretty blue cape. 

As they walked along Faith told Aunt Prissy of her plans to teachLouise to sew, as well as to read. "And perhaps you'll show her how tomake cake! Will you, Aunt Prissy?"

"Of course I will, if I can get the chance, " replied her aunt. 

The shoemaker greeted them pleasantly. Before Mrs. Scott could sayanything of her errand he began to apologize for his daughter's visit. 

"She slipped off without my knowing it. It shan't happen again, " hesaid. 

"But Faith will be very sorry if it doesn't happen again, " repliedAunt Prissy. "Can she not run in and see Louise while I settle withyou for the shoes?"

The shoemaker looked at her sharply for a moment, and then motionedFaith to follow him, leading the way across the shop toward a door onthe further side of the room. The shop occupied the front room of theshoemaker's house. The two back rooms, with the chambers above, waswhere Louise and her father made their home. 

Mr. Trent opened the door and said: "You'll find her in there, " andFaith stepped into the queerest room that she had ever seen, and thedoor closed behind her. Louise was standing, half-hidden by a clumsywooden chair. The shawl was still pinned about her shoulders. 

"This ain't much like your aunt's house, is it? I guess you won't everwant to come again. And my father says I can't ever go to see youagain. He says I don't look fit, " said Louise. 

But Faith's eyes had brightened, and she was looking at the furtherside of the room and smiling with delight. "Oh, Louise! Why didn't youtell me that you had a gray kitten? And it looks just like 'Bounce, '"and in a moment she had picked up the pretty kitten, and was sittingbeside Louise on a roughly made wooden seat, telling her of her ownkitten, while Louise eagerly described the cleverness of her own pet. 

"What's its name?" asked Faith. 

"Just 'kitten, '" answered Louise, as if surprised at the question. 

"But it must have a real name, " insisted Faith, and it was finallydecided that it should be named "Jump, " the nearest approach to thename of Faith's kitten that they could imagine. 

The floor of the room was rough and uneven, and not very clean. Therewas a table, the big chair and the wooden seat. Although the morningwas chilly there was no fire in the fireplace, although there was apile of wood in one corner. There was but one window, which lookedtoward the lake. 

"Come out in the kitchen, where it's warm, " suggested Louise, after afew moments, and Faith was glad to follow her. 

"Don't you want to try on my new cape?" asked Faith, as they reachedthe kitchen, a much pleasanter room than the one they had left. 

Louise shook her head. "I daresn't, " she replied. "Father may come in. And he'd take my head off. "

"You are coming to see me, Louise. Aunt Prissy is talking to yourfather about it now, " said Faith; but Louise was not to be convinced. 

"He won't let me. You'll see, " she answered mournfully. "_I_ know. He'll think your aunt is 'Charity. ' Why, he won't make shoes any morefor the minister because his wife brought me a dress; and I didn'twear the dress, either. "

But there was a surprise in store for Louise, for when Mrs. Scott andMr. Trent entered the kitchen the shoemaker was smiling; and it seemedto Faith that he stood more erect, and did not look so much like thepicture of the orang-outang. 

"Louise, Mrs. Scott and I have been making a bargain, " he said. "I amgoing to make shoes for her boys, and she is going to make dresses formy girl. Exchange work; I believe that's right, isn't it, ma'am?" andhe turned to Mrs. Scott with a little bow. 

"Yes, it is quite right. And I'll send you the bill for materials, "said Aunt Prissy. 

"Of course. Well, Louise, I warrant you're old enough to have properdresses. And Mrs. Scott will take you home to stay with her until youare all fixed up as fine as this little maid, " and the shoemakernodded to Faith. 

"Do you mean I'm to stay up there?" asked Louise, pointing in thedirection of the Scotts' house. "I can't. Who'd take care of you, father?"

Mr. Trent seemed to stand very straight indeed as Louise spoke, andFaith was ashamed that she had ever thought he resembled the uglypicture in her mother's book. 

"She's a good child, " he said as if whispering to himself; but heeasily convinced Louise that, for a few days, he could manage to takecare of himself; and at last Louise, happy and excited over thischange in her fortunes, hobbled off beside Mrs. Scott and Faith, whileher father stood in the shop doorway looking after them. 

It was a very differently dressed little daughter who returned to himat the end of the following week. She wore a neat brown wool dress, with a collar and cuffs of scarlet cloth, a cape of brown, and a capof brown with a scarlet wing on one side. These, with her well-made, well-fitting shoes, made Louise a very trim little figure in spite ofher lameness. Her hair, well brushed and neatly braided, was tiedback with a scarlet ribbon. A bundle containing underwear, aprons, handkerchiefs, and hair ribbons of various colors, as well as a stoutcotton dress for Louise to wear indoors, arrived at the shoemaker'shouse with the little girl. 

Her father looked at her in amazement. "Why, Flibbertigibbet, you area pretty girl, " he declared, and was even more amazed at the gay laughwith which Louise answered him. 

"I've learned a lot of things, father! I can make a cake, truly I can. And I'm learning to read. I'm so glad Faith Carew is going to live inTiconderoga. Aren't you, father?"

Mr. Trent looked at his daughter again, and answered slowly: "Why, yes, Flibbertigibbet, I believe I am. "

CHAPTER X

THE MAJOR'S DAUGHTERS

The day that school began Faith returned home to find that a letterfrom her mother and father had arrived. It was a long letter, tellingthe little girl of all the happenings since her departure at thepleasant cabin in the Wilderness. Her father had shot a deer, whichmeant a good supply of fresh meat. Kashaqua had brought the good newsof Faith's arrival at her aunt's house; and, best of all, her fatherwrote that before the heavy snows and severe winter cold began heshould make the trip to Ticonderoga to be sure that his littledaughter was well and happy. 

But there was one sentence in her mother's letter that puzzled Faith. "Your father will bring your blue beads, " her mother had written, andFaith could not understand it, for she was sure Esther had the beads. She had looked in the box in the sitting-room closet after Esther'sdeparture, hoping that Esther might have put them back beforestarting for home, but the box had been empty. 

"Who brought my letter, Uncle Phil?" she questioned, but her uncle didnot seem to hear. 

"Father got it from a man in a canoe when we were down at the shore. The man hid----"

"Never mind, Hugh. You must not repeat what you see, even at home, "said Mr. Scott. 

So Faith asked no more questions. She knew that the Green MountainBoys sent messengers through the Wilderness; and that Americans allthrough the Colonies were kept notified of what the English soldiersstationed in those northern posts were doing or planning. She was surethat some such messenger had brought her letter; and, while shewondered if it might have been her friend Ethan Allen, she had learnedsince her stay in her uncle's house that he did not like to bequestioned in regard to his visitors from across the lake. 

"I'll begin a letter to mother dear this very night, so it will be allready when father comes, " she said, thinking of all she longed to tellher mother about Louise, the school and her pretty new dresses. 

"So you did not bring your beads, " said Aunt Prissy, as she read Mrs. Carew's letter. "Did you forget them?"

Faith could feel her face flush as she replied: "No, Aunt Prissy. " Shewished that she could tell her aunt just why she had felt obliged togive them to Esther Eldridge, and how puzzled she was at her mother'sreference to the beads. Faith was already discovering that a secretmay be a very unpleasant possession. 

As she thought of Esther, she recalled that her aunt had spoken ofLouise as "mischievous, " and Faith was quite sure that Louise wouldnever have accepted the beads or have done any of the troublesomethings that had made the first days of Esther's visit so difficult. 

"Louise isn't mischievous, " she declared suddenly. "What made youthink she was, Aunt Prissy?"

Aunt Prissy was evidently surprised at this sudden change of subject, but she replied pleasantly:

"I ought not to have said such a thing; but Louise has improved everyday since you became her friend. How does she get on in her learningto read?"

For Faith stopped at the shoemaker's house every day on her way homefrom school to teach Louise; and "Flibbertigibbet, " as her fathergenerally called her, was making good progress. 

"She learns so quickly, " replied Faith, "and she is learning to write. I do wish she would go to school, Aunt Prissy, " for Louise had becomealmost sullen at the suggestion. 

Faith did not know that Louise had appeared at the schoolhouse severalyears before, and had been so laughed at by some of the rough childrenof the village that she had turned on them violently and they had notdared come near her since. They had vented their spite, however, incalling, "Witch! Witch! Fly home on your broomstick, " as Louisehobbled off toward home, vowing that never again would she go near aschool, and sobbing herself to sleep that night. 

Aunt Prissy had heard something of the unfortunate affair, and wasglad that Louise, when next she appeared at school, would have somelittle knowledge to start with and a friend to help her. 

"Perhaps she will go next term, now that she has a girl friend to gowith her, " responded Mrs. Scott. 

Faith was making friends with two girls whose seats in the schoolroomwere next her own. Their names were Caroline and Catherine Young. Faith was quite sure that they were two of the prettiest girls in theworld, and wondered how it was possible for any one to make suchbeautiful dresses and such dainty white ruffled aprons as these twolittle girls wore to school. The sisters were very nearly of an age, and with their soft black curls and bright brown eyes, their flouncedand embroidered dresses with dainty collars of lace, they looked verydifferent from the more suitably dressed village children. 

Caroline was eleven, and Catherine nine years old. But they were farin advance of the other children of the school. 

They lost no time in telling Faith that their father was an Englishofficer, stationed at Fort Ticonderoga; and this made Faith look atthem with even more interest. Both the sisters were rather scornful intheir manner toward the other school children. As Faith was anewcomer, and a stranger, they were more cordial to her. 

"You must come to the fort with us some day, " Caroline suggested, whenthe little girls had known each other for several weeks; and Faithaccepted the invitation with such eagerness that the sisters looked ather approvingly. Their invitations to some of the other children hadbeen rudely refused, and the whispered "Tories" had not failed toreach their ears. 

"We like you, " Caroline had continued in rather a condescendingmanner, "and we have told our mother about you. Could you go to thefort with us to-morrow? It's Saturday. "

"Oh, yes; I'm sure I may. I have wanted to go to the fort ever since Icame. You are real good to ask me, " Faith had responded gratefully, tothe evident satisfaction of the English girls who felt that this newlittle girl knew the proper way to receive an invitation. 

It was settled that they would call for Faith early on Saturdayafternoon. 

"I may go, mayn't I, Aunt Prissy?" Faith asked, as she told her auntof the invitation, and was rather puzzled to find that Aunt Prissyseemed a little doubtful as to the wisdom of permitting Faith visitingthe fort with her new friends. 

"It is a mile distant, and while that is not too long a walk, I do notlike you to go so far from home with strangers, " she said; but onFaith's declaring that the sisters were the best behaved girls inschool, and that she had promised to go, Mrs. Scott gave her consent;and Faith was ready and waiting when Caroline and Catherine arrived, soon after dinner on Saturday. 

"Is your father an officer?" asked Caroline, as the little girlsstarted off. 

Faith walked between her new friends, and looked from one to the otherwith admiring eyes. 

"No, my father is a miller. And he owns a fine lot of land, too, " sheanswered smilingly. 

"Our father is a major. He will go back to Albany in the spring, andthat is a much better place to live than this old frontier town, " saidCatherine. "We shan't have to play with common children there. "

Faith did not quite know what Catherine meant, so she made noresponse, but began telling them of her own journey through thewilderness and across the lake. But her companions did not seem muchinterested. 

"Your uncle is just a farmer, isn't he?" said Caroline. 

"Yes, he is a farmer, " Faith replied. She knew it was a fine thing tobe a good farmer, so she answered smilingly. But before the fort wasreached she began to feel that she did not like the sisters as well aswhen they set out together. They kept asking her questions. Did hermother have a silver service? and why did her aunt not have servants?As they neared the fort Catherine ran to her sister's side andwhispered in her ear. After that they kept close together, walking alittle way ahead of Faith. At the entrance to the fort Faith wassomewhat alarmed to find a tall soldier, musket in hand. But hesaluted the little girls, and Faith followed her companions along thenarrow passageway. She wondered to herself what she had done to offendthem, for they responded very stiffly to whatever she had to say. Thenarrow passage led into a large open square, surrounded by high walls. Faith looked about with wondering eyes. There were big cannons, stacksof musketry, and many strange things whose name or use she could notimagine. There were little groups of soldiers in red coats strollingabout. 

"Where is your father, Catherine?" she asked, and then looked abouthalf fearfully; for both her companions had vanished. 

None of the soldiers seemed to notice Faith For a moment she lookedabout with anxious eyes, and then decided that her friends must haveturned back to the entrance for some reason. 

"And they probably think that I am right behind them, " she thought, running toward an arched passageway which she believed was the one bywhich she had entered the fort. But it seemed much longer than whenshe came in a moment before. She began running, expecting to see thesisters at every step. Suddenly she found that she was facing a heavydoor at the end of the passage, and realized that she had mistaken herway. But Faith was not frightened. "All I have to do is to run back, "she thought, and turned to retrace her steps. But there were twopassageways opening behind her at right angles. For an instant shehesitated, and then ran along the one to the right. 

"I'm sure this is the way I came, " she said aloud. But as she went onthe passageway seemed to curve and twist, and to go on and on in anunfamiliar way. It grew more shadowy too. Faith found that she couldnot see very far ahead of her, and looking back it seemed even darker. She began to feel very tired. 

"I'm sure Caroline and Catherine will come and find me, " she thought, leaning against the damp wall of the passage. "I'll just rest aminute, and then I'll call so they will know which way to turn to findme. "

CHAPTER XI

A DAY OF ADVENTURE

"Caroline! Caroline!" called Faith, and the call echoed back to herastonished ears from the shadowy passage. "I'd better go back! I'msure the other was the right way, " she finally decided; and veryslowly she retraced her steps, stopping now and then to call the namesof the girls who had deserted her. 

It seemed a long time to Faith before she was back to where the bigsolid door had blocked the first passage. She was sure now that theother way would lead her back to the square where she had last seenher companions. But as she stood looking at the door she could seethat it was not closed. It swung a little, and Faith wondered toherself if this door, after all, might not open near the entrance sothat she could find her way to the road, and so back to Aunt Prissy. 

She could just reach a big iron ring that swung from the center of thedoor; and she seized this and pulled with all her might. As the doorslowly opened, letting in the clear October sunlight, Faith heardsteps coming down the passage. The half-opened door nearly hid herfrom sight, and she looked back expecting to see either Caroline orCatherine, and, in the comfort of the hope of seeing them, quite readyto accept any excuse they might offer. But before she could call outshe heard a voice, which was vaguely familiar, say: "I did leave thatdoor open. Lucky I came back, " and Nathan Beaman, the Shoreham boy, was close beside her. 

When he saw a little girl still grasping the iron ring, he seemed toosurprised to speak. 

"I'm lost!" Faith whispered. "I'm so glad you came. Major Young'slittle girls asked me to come to the fort, and then ran away and leftme, " and Faith told of her endeavors to find her companions. 

"Lucky I came back, " said Nathan again, but this time his voice had anangry tone. "It was a mean trick. Those girls----" Then Nathan stoppedsuddenly. "Well, they're Tories, " he concluded. 

"I was afraid it was night, " said Faith. 

"No, but you might have wandered about in these passageways until youwere tired out. Or you might have fallen from that door. Look out, buthold close to the door, " said Nathan. 

Faith came to the doorway and found herself looking straight down theface of a high cliff to the blue waters of the lake. Lifting her eyesshe could look across and see the distant wooded hills of the GreenMountains, and could hear the "Chiming Waters" of the falls. 

"It's lovely. But what do they have a door here for?" Faith asked. 

And then Nathan explained what forts were for. That a door like thatgave the soldiers who held the fort a chance to look up and down thelake in order to see the approach of an enemy by water. "And givesthem a chance to scramble down the cliff and get away if the enemycaptures the fort from the other side. " Then he showed Faith the twobig cannon that commanded the lake and any approach by the cliff. 

"But come on. I must take you home, " he declared, moving as if toclose the door. 

"Could we get out any other way than by going back through thatpassage?" asked Faith, who thought that she never wanted to see thetwo sisters again, and now feared they might be waiting for her. 

"Certainly we could. That is, if you are a good climber, " repliedNathan. "I'll tell you something, that is, if you'll never tell, " headded. 

"I won't, " Faith declared earnestly. 

"Well, I can go down that cliff and up, too, just as easily as I canwalk along that passage. And the soldiers don't pay much attention tothis part of the fort. There's a sentry at the other end of thepassage, but he doesn't mind how I get in and out. If you'll do justas I say I'll take you down the cliff. My boat is hidden down byWillow Point, and I'll paddle you alongshore. 'Twill be easier thanwalking. That is, if you're not afraid, " concluded Nathan. 

"No, I'm not afraid, " said Faith, thinking to herself that here wasanother secret, and almost wishing that she had not agreed to listento it. 

"Come on, then, " said Nathan, stepping outside the door, and holdingtightly to the door-frame with one hand and reaching the other towardFaith. "Hold tight to my hand and don't look down, " he said. "Look tothe right as you step out, and you'll see a chance for your feet. I've got a tight hold. You can't fall. "

Faith clutched his hand and stepped out. There was room toward theright for her to stand. She heard the big door clang behind her. "Ihad to shut it, " Nathan said, as he cautiously made his way a stepdown the face of the cliff. Faith followed cautiously. She noticedjust how Nathan clung to the outstanding rocks, how slowly andcarefully he made each movement. She knew if she slipped that shewould push him as well as herself off into the lake. 

"I mustn't slip! I mustn't, " she said over and over to herself. 

Nathan did not speak, except to tell her where to step. At last theywere safely down, standing on a narrow rocky ledge which hardly gavethem a foothold. Along this they crept to a thick growth of alderbushes where a clumsy wooden punt was fastened. 

Faith followed Nathan into the punt, and as he pushed the boat offfrom the bushes she gave a long sigh of relief. 

"That was great!" declared Nathan triumphantly. "Say, you're thebravest girl I know. I've always wondered if I could bring anybodydown that cliff, and now I know I can. But you mustn't tell any onehow we got out of the fort. You won't, will you?" And Faith renewedher promise not to tell. 

Nathan paddled the boat out around the promontory on which the fortwas built. He kept close to the shore. 

"Does Major Young stay at the fort?" questioned Faith. 

"Not very long at a time. He comes and goes, like all spies, " repliedNathan scornfully. "I wish the Green Mountain Boys would take thisfort and send the English back where they belong. They keep stirringthe Indians up against the settlers, so that people don't know whenthey are safe. "

It was the last day of October, and the morning had been bright andsunny. The sun still shone, but an east wind was ruffling the watersof the lake, and Faith began to feel chilly. 

"I'll warrant you don't know when this lake was discovered?" saidNathan; and Faith was delighted to tell him that Samuel De Champlaindiscovered and gave the lake his name in 1609. 

"The Indians used to call it 'Pe-ton-boque, '" she added. 

But when Nathan asked when the fort was built she could not answer, and the boy told her of the brave Frenchmen who built Ticonderoga in1756, bringing troops and supplies from Canada. 

"The old fort has all sorts of provisions, and guns and powder thatthe English have stored there. I wish the American troops had them. IfI were Ethan Allen or Seth Warner I'd make a try, anyway, for thisfort and for Crown Point, too, " said Nathan. 

The rising wind made it rather difficult for the boy to manage hisboat, and he finally landed some distance above the point whereKashaqua had reached shore. Faith was sure that she could go over thefields and find her way safely home, and Nathan was anxious to crossthe lake to Shoreham before the wind became any stronger. Faith feltvery grateful to him for bringing her from the fort. 

"You'll be as brave as Colonel Allen when you grow up, " she said, asshe stood on the shore and watched him paddle off against the wind. 

He nodded laughingly. "So will you. Remember your promise, " he calledback. 

The wind seemed to blow the little girl before it as she hurriedacross the rough field. She held tight to her velvet cap, and, for thefirst time, wondered if she had torn or soiled the pretty new dress inher scramble down the cliff. Her mind was so full of the happenings ofthe afternoon that she did not look ahead to see where she was going, and suddenly her foot slipped and she fell headlong into a mass ofthorn bushes, which seemed to seize her dress in a dozen places. Bythe time Faith had fought her way clear her hands were scratched andbleeding and her dress torn in ragged ugly tears that Faith was surecould never be mended. 

She began to cry bitterly. "It's all the fault of those hatefulgirls, " she sobbed aloud. "If they had not run off and left me Ishould be safe at home. What will Aunt Prissy say?"

Faith reached the road without further mishap, and was soon walking upthe path. There was no one in sight; not even Scotchie was about. Asudden resolve entered her mind. She would slip up-stairs, change herdress, and not tell her aunt about the torn dress. "Perhaps I can mendit, after all, " she thought. 

As she changed her dress hurriedly, she wondered where all the familycould be, for the house was very quiet. But she bathed her hands andface, smoothed her ruffled hair, and then looked for a place to hidethe blue dress until she could find a chance to mend it. She peeredinto the closet. A small hair-covered trunk stood in the far cornerand Faith lifted the top and thrust her dress in. At that moment sheheard Donald's voice, and then her aunt's, and she started to godown-stairs to meet them. 

CHAPTER XII

SECRETS

"Did you see all the fort, and the guns, and the soldiers?" askedDonald eagerly, running to meet his cousin as she came slowly into thesitting-room. "Why, your hand is all scratched!" he added in asurprised tone. 

Faith tried to cover the scratched hand with a fold of her skirt. AuntPrissy noticed that the little girl wore her every-day dress. 

"Didn't you wear your blue dress, Faithie?" and without waiting for ananswer said: "Well, perhaps this one was just as well, for you mighthave hurt your blue dress. "

Faith sat down on the big sofa thinking to herself that she couldnever be happy again. First, and worst of all, was the ruined dress. Then the remembrance of the way she had been treated by Caroline andCatherine; and, last of all, her _secrets_!--every one a little moreimportant and dreadful than the other. First the blue beads; thenNathan's knowledge of a hidden entrance to Fort Ticonderoga; and thenthe dress. She was so taken up with her unhappy thoughts that she didnot realize she had not answered Donald, or spoken to her aunt, untilDonald, who was standing directly in front of her, demanded: "What'sthe matter, Cousin Faith? Does your tooth ache?"

Faith shook her head. "I'm tired. I didn't have a good time at all. Idon't like those girls, " and, greatly to Donald's alarm, she put herhead on the arm of the sofa and began to cry. 

In an instant she felt Aunt Prissy's arm about her, and heard the kindvoice say: "Never mind, dear child. Don't think about them. "

After a little Aunt Prissy persuaded Faith to lie down and rest untilsupper time. 

"I'll sit here with my sewing and keep you company, " said Aunt Prissy. "It's an hour to candle-light. "

Donald tiptoed out of the room, but was back in a moment standing inthe doorway and beckoning his mother; and Mrs. Scott went quietlytoward him, closing the door softly behind her. 

"It's those girls. The ones Faith went with to the fort, " Donaldexplained in a whisper. "They're on the door-step. "

Caroline and Catherine were standing, very neat and demure, at thefront door. 

"Has your little girl got home?" inquired Catherine in her most politemanner; "she ran off and left us, " added Caroline. 

"Faith is safe at home, " responded Mrs. Scott in a pleasant voice. 

"Why didn't you ask them to supper, mother? You said you were goingto, " demanded Donald, as he watched the sisters walk down the path. 

"Your cousin is too tired for company, " said his mother, who hadplanned a little festivity for Faith and her friends on their return, but had quickly decided that her little niece would be better pleasednot to see the sisters again that day. 

"All the more cake for us then, " said Donald cheerfully, for hehad seen a fine cake on the dining-room table; "there comes theshoemaker's girl, " he added. "Shall you ask her to stay, mother?"

"Yes, indeed, " and Mrs. Scott turned to give Louise a cordial welcome. 

"Faith is resting on the sofa, but you may go right in, Louise. I knowshe will be glad to see you, " she said, smiling down at the dark-eyedlittle girl. "When are you coming to make us another visit?"

"Father said I might stay all night if you asked me, " respondedLouise, who now felt sure that Mrs. Scott was her friend. 

"We shall be glad indeed to have you, my dear. Let me take your capand cape. And go in and cheer up Faithie, for I fear she has had anunhappy time, " said Mrs. Scott. 

Louise's smile faded. She had never had a friend until Faith Carewcame to Ticonderoga, and the thought that any one had made Faithunhappy made her ready to inflict instant punishment on the offenders. 

"Oh, Louise! I'm so glad it's you!" exclaimed Faith, as she heard thesound of Louise's crutch stubbing across the floor. 

Louise sat down beside the crumpled little figure on the sofa. 

"What did they do, Faith?" she demanded. 

Faith told the story of the walk to the fort; of the disagreeablemanner of both Caroline and Catherine toward her, and of theirdisappearance as soon as they were inside the fort. But she did nottell of her efforts to find them, nor of Nathan Beaman's appearance. 

"They are hateful things!" Louise declared, "but it won't be longbefore they'll go to Albany with their father. Oh!" she ended a littlefearfully. "I ought not to have told that. It's a secret, " she addedquickly. 

"No, it isn't. They told me, " answered Faith, "and if it were a secretI shouldn't want to know it. I hate and despise secrets. "

Louise looked at her friend with a little nod of comprehension. "That's because you have a secret, " she said. 

"How did you know, Louise?" and Faith wondered if it were possibleLouise could know about the blue dress. 

"I know, " said Louise. "It's dreadful to know secrets. I can stay allnight. My father has gone to the fort. Oh!" and again she put her handover her mouth. "I ought not to have told that. He doesn't want anyone to know. "

Faith leaned back against the sofa with a little sigh ofdiscouragement. It seemed to her there was nothing but secrets. Shewished she was with her mother and father in her pleasant cabin home, where everybody knew about everything. 

"Where's 'Lady Amy'?" asked Louise, quite sure that such a beautifuldoll would comfort any trouble. And her question made Faith rememberthat Louise was a guest. 

"I'll get her, " she said, and in a few moments "Lady Amy" was sittingon the sofa between the two little friends, and Faith was displayingthe new dresses that Aunt Prissy had helped her make for the doll. 

"Father says he will buy me a doll, " Louise announced, "and he's goingto get me a fine string of beads, too, when he goes away again;" forthe shoemaker went away frequently on mysterious business. Many of thesettlers were quite sure that he carried messages for the Britishofficers to other forts; but he came and went so stealthily that asyet no proof was held against him. 

"I have some blue beads. My father is going to bring them when hecomes to see me, " said Faith. "I hope yours will be just like them. "

Louise shook her head a little doubtfully. "I may never get them, after all. Father forgets things, " she said. 

Before supper time Faith was in a much happier state of mind. She hadhelped Louise with her reading lesson; they had played that the sofawas a throne and Lady Amy a queen, and that they were Lady Amy'sdaughters; and the unpleasantness of the early afternoon had quitevanished when the candles were lighted, and supper on the table. 

The supper seemed a feast to the shoemaker's daughter. Every time shecame to visit Faith Louise tasted some new dish, so daintily preparedthat she was at once eager to learn to make it. Faith was hungry, too, and, as no reference was made to her trip to the fort, she enjoyed hersupper; and not until it was finished was she reminded of hertroubles. 

"To-morrow Louise may go to church with us, and you may wear your bluedress that you are so careful of, " Aunt Prissy said. 

Faith made no response. She did not know what to do or say. She was soquiet that her aunt was sure her little niece was overtired, and soonafter supper sent the little girls off to bed. 

"What is the matter, Faith?" questioned Louise, when they were safelyin the big chamber, with its high white bed, curtained windows, andcomfortable chairs, and which to Louise seemed the finest bedroom inall the world. 

Faith threw herself face down on the bed. "I don't know what to do! Idon't know what to do! I've spoiled my blue dress!" she sobbed. There!That was one secret the less, she thought. And Louise would nevertell. "I can't go to church. I don't dare tell Aunt Prissy about thedress. It was to be my best dress all winter, " she added. "What shallI do, Louise?"

Louise shook her head. That Faith Carew, who seemed to her to be themost fortunate girl in all the world, should be in trouble was a farmore dreadful thing to Louise than any trouble of her own. 

"Let me see the dress, " she said; "perhaps it isn't very bad. "

Faith opened the trunk and pulled out the blue dress, which only thatmorning had been so fresh and dainty. Now it was rumpled, soiled andtorn. Faith's tears flowed afresh as she held it out for Louise tosee. 

"I guess you'd better tell your aunt, " Louise said soberly. "Tell hernow, this minute, " she added quickly; "the sooner the better. "

Faith looked at her in surprise. She wondered at herself that she hadhidden the dress, or even thought of not telling Aunt Prissy. 

"I'll go now, " she said, and, still holding the dress, walked out ofthe room. She no longer felt afraid. As she went down the stairs shethought over all Aunt Prissy's goodness toward her. "I'll tell herthat I can wear my other dress for best, " she decided. 

The boys were already in bed; Mr. Scott was attending to the eveningchores, and Aunt Prissy was alone in the sitting-room when Faithappeared in the doorway. 

"Aunt Prissy, look! I tore my dress coming home to-day, and I wasafraid to tell you! Oh, Aunt Prissy!" for her aunt had taken Faith andthe blue dress into her arms, and held the little girl closely as shesaid:

"Why, dear child! How could you ever be afraid of me? About a dress, indeed! A torn dress is nothing. Nothing at all. "

"Louise, you are my very best friend, " Faith declared happily, as shecame running into the room a few minutes later. "I am so glad youmade me tell. "

Louise looked at Faith with shining eyes. She wished there was somewonderful thing that she could do for Faith as a return for all thehappiness her friendship had brought into her life. 

The clouds had lifted. Faith had disposed of one secret, and felt theothers would not matter very much. The two little friends snuggleddown in the big feather bed and were soon fast asleep. 

CHAPTER XIII

LOUISE MAKES A PRESENT

The week following Faith's visit to the fort proved rather a difficultone for her at school. Caroline and Catherine seemed to think they hadplayed a fine joke, and accused her of running home when they werewaiting for her. Faith had resolved not to quarrel with them, butapparently the sisters meant to force her into trouble, if sneeringwords and ridicule could do it. 

"You're an American, so you don't dare talk back, " sneered Catherineone day when Faith made no reply to the assertion that Faith had meantto run home from the fort alone. 

"Americans are not afraid, " replied Faith quickly. 

Catherine jumped up and down with delight at having made Faith angry. 

"Oh, yes they are. My father says so. Another summer the Englishsoldiers are going to take all the farms, and all you rebels will beour servants, " declared Catherine. 

"Another summer the Green Mountain Boys will send the English soldierswhere they will behave themselves, " declared Faith. "Ethan Allen isbraver than all the men in that fort. "

"I don't care what you say. We're not going to play with you any more, are we, Caroline?" said Catherine. "You play with that horrid littlelame girl. "

"She isn't horrid. She is much better than you are. She wouldn't sayor do the things you do!" responded Faith, now too angry to care whatshe said, "and she is my very best friend. I wouldn't play with youanyway. You're only Tory children, " and Faith walked off with her headlifted very proudly, feeling she had won the battle; as indeed shehad, for the sisters looked after her in silent horror. 

To be called "only" Tory children was a new point of view, and forseveral days they let Faith wholly alone. Then one morning theyappeared at school with the news that it would be their lastappearance there. 

"We're going to Albany, and never coming back to this rough commonplace, " Catherine said. 

"I am glad of it, " Faith replied sharply; "perhaps you will learn tobe polite in Albany. "

Some of the other children overheard these remarks, and a littletitter of amusement and satisfaction followed Faith's words. For thesisters had made no effort to be friendly with their schoolmates, andnot one was sorry to see the last of them. 

Faith awoke each morning hoping that her father would come that day, but it was toward the last of November before he appeared. There hadbeen several light falls of snow; the ground was frozen and ice formedalong the shores of the lake. The days were growing shorter, and Mrs. Scott had decided that it was best for Faith to come straight homefrom school at night, instead of stopping in to help Louise with herlessons. But both the little girls were pleased with the new plan thatMrs. Scott suggested, for Louise to come home with Faith on Tuesdaysand Fridays and stay all night. Louise was learning a good deal morethan to read and write. Mrs. Scott was teaching her to sew neatly, andFaith had taught her to knit. She was always warmly welcomed byDonald and the two younger boys, and these visits were the bright daysof the week for Louise. 

At last, when Faith had begun to think her father might not come afterall, she returned from school one night to find him waiting for her. It was difficult to tell which of the two, father or daughter, was thehappier in the joy of seeing each other. Mr. Carew had arrived in theearly afternoon, and Aunt Prissy was now busy preparing the eveningmeal and Faith and her father had the sitting-room to themselves. There was so much to say that Faith hardly knew where to begin, aftershe had listened to all her father had to tell her of her mother. 

"I would have come before, but I have been waiting for Kashaqua tocome and stay with your mother, " said Mr. Carew. "She appeared lastnight, and will stay until I return. And your mother could have nobetter protector. Kashaqua is proud enough since we proved ourconfidence in her by sending you here in her charge. "

Faith told him about Louise, and was surprised to see her father'sface grave and troubled. For Mr. Carew had heard of the shoemaker, andwas sure that he was an English spy, and feared that his daughter'sfriendship with Faith might get the Scotts into some trouble. 

"She is my dearest friend. I tell her everything, " went on Faith. 

"I'm afraid her father is not a friend to the settlers about here, "replied Mr. Carew. "Be careful, dear child, that you do not mentionany of the visitors who come to your uncle's house. Your friend wouldmean no harm, but if she told her father great harm might come of it, "for Mr. Scott was doing his best to help the Americans. Messengersfrom Connecticut and Massachusetts with news for the settlers came tohis house, and Mr. Scott found ways to forward their importantcommunications to the men on the other side of Lake Champlain. 

"Aunt Prissy likes Louise; we all do, " pleaded Faith; so her fathersaid no more, thinking that perhaps he had been overanxious. 

"Your mother sent your blue beads. I expect you would have beenscolded a little for being a careless child if you had been at home, for she found them under the settle cushion the very day you lefthome, " said Mr. Carew, handing Faith two small packages. "The largerpackage is one that came from Esther Eldridge a few weeks ago, " headded, in answer to Faith's questioning look. 

"I wonder what it can be, " said Faith; but before she opened Esther'spackage she had taken the blue beads from the pretty box and put themaround her neck, touching them with loving fingers, and looking downat them with delight. Then she unfastened the wrapping of the secondpackage. 

"Here is a letter!" she exclaimed, and began reading it. As she readher face brightened, and at last she laughed with delight. "Oh, father! Read it! Esther says to let you and mother read it. And shehas sent me another string of beads!" And now Faith opened the otherbox, a very pretty little box of shining yellow wood with "Faith" cuton the top, and took out another string of blue beads, so nearly likeher own that it was difficult to tell them apart. 

Mr. Carew read Esther's letter. She wrote that she had lost Faith'sbeads, and had been afraid to tell her. "Now I am sending you anotherstring that my father got on purpose. I think you were fine not to saya word to any one about how horrid I was to ask for your beads. Please let your mother and father read this letter, so they will knowhow polite you were to company. "

"So it was Esther who lost the beads! Well, now what are you going todo with two strings of beads?" said her father smilingly. 

When Aunt Prissy came into the room Faith ran to show her Esther'spresent and the letter, and told her of what had happened when she hadso rashly promised to give Esther anything she might ask for. "I am soglad to have my own beads back again. And most of all I am glad not tohave the secret, " she said, thinking to herself that life was muchhappier when father and mother and Aunt Prissy could know everythingthat she knew. Then, suddenly, Faith recalled the fort, and thedifficult climb down the cliff. "But that's not my secret. It'ssomething outside. Something that I ought not to tell, " she thought, with a little sense of satisfaction. 

"But which string of beads did Esther send you? I can't tell themapart, " she heard Aunt Prissy say laughingly. 

When the time came for Mr. Carew to start for home Faith was surethat she wanted to go home with him. And it was only when her fatherhad promised to come after her early in March, "or as soon as Marchstirs the fire, and gives a good warm day, " he said, that Faith couldbe reconciled and persuaded to let him go without her. She was gladindeed that it was a Tuesday, and that Louise would come to stay allnight. Faith was eager to tell Louise the story of the blue beads, andto show her those Esther had sent, and those that Aunt Prissy hadgiven her. Faith was sure that she herself could tell the beads apart, and equally sure that no one else could do so. 

Louise was waiting at the gate when Faith came from school. At thefirst sight of her Faith was hardly sure that it was Louise; for thelittle girl at the gate had on a beautiful fur coat. It was made ofotter skins, brown and soft. On her head was a cap of the same fur;and, as Faith came close, she saw that Louise wore fur mittens. 

"Oh, Louise! Your coat is splendid, " she exclaimed. "And you look sopretty in it; and the cap and mittens. " And Faith looked at Louise, smiling with delighted admiration. 

Louise nodded happily. "My father sent to Albany for them. A manbrought them last night, " she said. "You do truly like them?" shequestioned, a little anxiously. 

"Of course! Any girl would think they were beautiful. Aunt Prissy willbe just as glad as I am, " declared Faith. "What's in that big bundle?"she added, as Louise lifted a big bundle from beside the gate. 

But if Louise heard she made no reply, and when Faith offered to carrythe package she shook her head laughingly. Faith thought it might besomething that Louise wanted to work on that evening, and was sointent on telling of her father's visit, the blue beads, and thepromised visit to her own dear home in March, that she did not reallygive much thought to the package. 

Aunt Prissy was at the window watching for the girls, with the threelittle boys about her. They all came to the door, and Aunt Prissyexclaimed, just as Faith had done, over the beauty of Louise's newpossessions. "But what is in that big bundle, Louise?" she asked, whenthe little lame girl had taken off coat, cap and mittens, and stoodsmiling up at her good friend. 

"Once you said to me that a present was something that any one oughtto be very happy to receive, " she said. 

"Yes, I remember. And I know you are happy over your father's gift, "replied Mrs. Scott. 

Louise nodded, and began unwrapping the bundle. 

"This is my present to Faith, " she said, struggling to untie the heavystring. 

"Let me, Louise; let me, " and Donald was down on his knees and in amoment the bundle was opened, and Donald exclaimed:

"My! It's a coat exactly like Louise's. "

"There's a cap too, and mittens, " said Louise eagerly. "Do try it on. "

Donald stood holding the coat; and Faith, as excited and happy asLouise, slipped on the coat, put the cap on her head and held out herhands for the mittens. 

"Oh, Louise! They are lovely. I may keep them, mayn't I, Aunt Prissy?"she asked, turning about for her aunt to see how nicely the coatfitted. 

Neither of the little girls noticed that Mrs. Scott looked grave and alittle troubled, for she was thinking that this was almost too fine apresent for her little niece to accept from the shoemaker's daughter. But she knew that to refuse to let Faith accept it would not only makeboth the girls very unhappy, but that Mr. Trent would forbid Louisecoming to the house, and so stop all her friendly efforts to helpLouise; so she added her thanks to those of Faith, and the two littlefriends were as happy as it is possible to be over giving andreceiving a beautiful gift. Faith even forgot her blue beads in thepleasure of possessing the pretty coat and cap. 

CHAPTER XIV

A BIRTHDAY

"Can you skate, Cousin Faith?" asked Donald, on their way to schoolone morning in late December. There had been a week of very coldweather, and the ice of the lake glittered temptingly in the morningsun. 

"No, I never had any skates, and there wasn't a very good chance forskating at home, " answered Faith regretfully; for many of the schoolchildren were eager for the sport, and told her of their good times onthe ice. 

"Mother has a pair of skates for you; I heard her say so; and fatheris going to teach you to skate, " responded Donald. "I can skate, " headded, "and after you learn we'll have a fine time. Nat Beaman comesacross the lake on the ice in no time. "

It was rather difficult for Faith to pay attention to her studies thatday. She wondered when Aunt Prissy would give her the skates, andUncle Phil teach her how to use them. And when the schoolmasterannounced that there would be no school for the remainder of the weekFaith felt that everything was planned just right for her. Now, shethought, she could begin the very next day, if only the cold, clearweather would continue. 

The sun set clear and red that night, and the stars shone brightly. Faith was sure the next day would be pleasant. Donald found a chanceto tell Faith that the skates were a "secret. " "But I didn't know ituntil just a few minutes ago, " he explained, adding briefly: "I hatesecrets. "

Faith agreed heartily. If the skates were a secret who could tell whenAunt Prissy would give them to her? She went to bed a littledespondent, thinking to herself that as soon as she was clear of onesecret another seemed ready to interfere with her happiness. But shewas soon asleep, and woke up to find the sun shining in at herwindows, and Aunt Prissy starting the fire with a shovelful of coalsfrom the kitchen hearth. And what were those shining silver-likeobjects swinging from the bed-post?

"Skates! My skates!" she exclaimed, sitting up in bed. "Oh, AuntPrissy! I did want them so to-day. "

"They are your birthday present from your father and mother, " saidAunt Prissy, coming to the side of the bed, and leaning over to kissher little niece. "Eleven years old to-day! And you had forgotten allabout it!"

"Why, so I am! Why, so I did!" said Faith. "Well, I like secrets thatend this way. May I go skating right away, Aunt Prissy?"

"Breakfast first!" laughed Aunt Prissy, and was out of the room beforeFaith had noticed that lying across the foot of her bed was a dress ofpretty plaided blue and brown wool. A slip of paper was pinned to it:"For Faith to wear skating, " she read. 

"Lovely! Lovely!" exclaimed Faith, as she hastened to dress in frontof the blazing fire. 

"Why, here are new stockings, too, " she said, as she discovered a pairof warm knit brown and blue stockings. 

She came running into the dining-room, skates in hand, to be met byher uncle and little cousins with birthday greetings. Donald had atlast finished the bow and arrows that he had promised her weeksbefore, and now gave them to her; Hugh had made a "quiver, " a littlecase to hold the arrows, such as the Indians use, of birch bark, andlittle Philip had a dish filled with molasses candy, which he hadhelped to make. 

It was a beautiful morning for Faith, and the broiled chicken and hotcorn cake gave the breakfast an added sense of festivity. 

Soon after breakfast Mr. Scott, Donald and Faith were ready to startfor the lake. Donald took his sled along. "So we can draw Cousin Faithhome, if she gets tired, " he explained, with quite an air of beingolder and stronger than his cousin. 

Aunt Prissy watched them start off, thinking to herself that Faith hadnever looked so pretty as she did in the fur coat and cap, with herskates swinging from her arm, the bright steel catching the rays ofsunlight. 

They crossed the road, and went down the field to the shore. The hardcrust gave Faith and Donald a fine coast down the slope, and both thechildren exclaimed with delight when Mr. Scott, running and sliding, reached the shore almost as soon as they did. 

Mr. Scott fastened on Faith's skates, and held up by her uncle on oneside and Donald on the other, Faith ventured out on the dark, shiningice. After a few lurches and tumbles, she found that she could standalone, and in a short time could skate a little. 

"Father, are those Indians?" asked Donald, pointing to a number ofdark figures coming swiftly down the lake from the direction of thefort. 

Mr. Scott looked, and answered quickly: "Yes. They have seen us; so wewill skate toward them. They will probably be friendly. " But he toldFaith to sit down on the sled, and took fast hold of Donald's hand. Ina few moments the flying figures of the Indians were close at hand. There were six of them, young braves, and evidently racing either forsport, or bound on some errand of importance, for they sped straightpast the little group, with a friendly call of salutation. 

"I wonder what that means, " said Mr. Scott, turning to watch them. "Itmay be they are on their way to Albany as messengers from the fort, "he added, as if speaking to himself. 

"What kind of a message, Uncle Philip?" asked Faith. 

"Heaven knows, child. Perhaps for troops enough to crush the Americansettlers, and drive them from their homes, " replied Mr. Scott. Fornews of the trouble in Boston, the blockade of the port, and the lackof supplies, had reached the men of the Wilderness; and Mr. Scott knewthat the English were planning to send a larger body of troops to FortTiconderoga and Crown Point, and the sight of these speeding Indiansmade him wonder if they might not be English messengers. 

"Couldn't we stop them, uncle?" asked Faith, so earnestly that heruncle looked down at her in smiling surprise. 

"Couldn't we? It will be dreadful to leave our homes, " said Faith. 

Mr. Scott swung the little girl gently around. "Look!" he said, pointing down the lake. Already the Indians were but dark specks inthe distance. "If trouble comes there are brave Americans ready, " hesaid; "and now we had best be going toward home, or you will be tootired to come out this afternoon. "

Faith and Donald were surprised to find that it was dinner time. Theyhad a great deal to tell Aunt Prissy of their morning's adventures. 

"Could a little girl do anything to help, Aunt Prissy, if the Englishdo try to drive us away?" Faith asked, as she helped her aunt clearthe dining-room table. 

"Who knows?" responded Mrs. Scott, cheerfully. "A brave girl might beof great service. But I do not believe the Tories will dare go muchfarther. At all events, we will be ready for them. Run to the door, Faithie; there comes Louise. "

Louise was as pleased over Faith's presents as Faith herself, anddelighted at the prospect of going to the lake with Faith and Donaldthat afternoon. Faith and Donald promised to draw her on the sled, andAunt Prissy was to be their companion. 

"Mother can skate like a bird, " Donald declared admiringly. 

Louise was no longer the sullen, sad-faced child whom Faith had firstseen. She knew that she had friends; she was included in all thepleasant happenings with Faith; her father seemed to take pride in herappearance; and best of all, she thought, she was to begin school whenthe spring term opened. To-day as they started off for the lake shewas as full of happiness as any child could be. 

There were a number of children and young people on the ice, skatingand sliding. A number of boys had built a bonfire on the shore, wherethey could warm their chilled toes and fingers. 

Nathan Beaman was there, circling about in skilful curves, or dartingoff with long swift strokes, greatly to the admiration of the otherchildren. He was quite ready to take the sled rope and give Louise afine ride up the lake toward the fort, and back to the fire, and toguide Faith in her clumsy efforts to skate. 

Faith and Louise were warming their fingers at the fire when theyheard loud voices and a commotion on the ice. 

"What is it? Indians?" exclaimed Faith, looking around, for thesettlers never knew at what moment the Indians might becomemischievous. 

"No! Soldiers. Soldiers from the fort, " replied Aunt Prissy, drawingthe little girls away from the fire. "Perhaps they are only coming towarm their fingers. "

Two red-coated soldiers came swinging close to the shore. They weretalking loudly, and as they neared the fire they called out: "Clearaway from that fire. We'll have no fires built on this shore. 'Tistoo good a way to send messages across the lake. "

With a couple of stout sticks they beat out the flame, kicking snowover the coals, and extinguishing the last bit of fire. 

Mrs. Scott had helped Louise toward the ice, but Faith had lingered amoment. As one of the soldiers turned from the fire he found himselffacing a little fur-clad figure with flushed cheeks and angry eyes. 

"That was our fire. You had no business to put it out, " Faithdeclared. 

"Oh, ho! What's this?" laughed the soldier. "Do you own this lake? Orperhaps you are our new captain?"

"It is a mean thing to spoil our fire, " continued Faith; "we wouldn'tdo you any harm. "

"I'm not so sure about that, " replied the soldier. "You have a prettyfierce expression, " and with another kick at the fire, and a"good-bye, little rebel, " to Faith, the two soldiers started back tothe fort. The skaters now, troubled and angry by the unfriendlyinterference, were taking off their skates and starting for home. 

"I wish American soldiers were in that fort, " said Nat Beaman. 

"Why don't you ask Colonel Allen to come and take it?" asked Faithearnestly; she was quite sure that Ethan Allen could do anything heattempted. 

"Ask him yourself, " responded Nathan laughingly. 

"I guess I will, " Faith thought to herself, as she followed AuntPrissy up the field toward home. "Perhaps that would be doingsomething to help Americans. "

The more Faith thought about this the stronger became her resolve toask Colonel Allen to take possession of Fort Ticonderoga. She was sosilent all the way home that her companions were sure she wasovertired. Louise had to return to her own home, and soon after supperFaith was ready to go to bed. 

"I've got a real secret now; even if I don't like secrets, " shethought to herself. For she realized that she could not tell any oneof her determination to find some way to ask Ethan Allen to captureTiconderoga and send the troublesome English soldiers back to theirown homes. 

CHAPTER XV

NEW ADVENTURES

"It will be a good day to put a quilt in the frame, " said Aunt Prissy, the morning after Faith's birthday. "You and Donald can help me withit right after breakfast; then while you children are off to the lakeI will mark the pattern. "

"Can't I help mark the pattern?" asked Faith, who had sometimes helpedher mother, and thought it the most interesting part of the quilting. 

The quilting-frame, four long strips of wood, was brought into thesitting-room and rested on the backs of four stout wooden chairs, forming a square. The frame was held firmly together at the corners byclamps and screws, so that it could be changed and adjusted to fit thequilt. 

This quilt was a very pretty one, Faith thought, as she watched AuntPrissy fasten it to the frame with stout linen thread. It was made ofbits of bright woolen cloth. There were pieces of Faith's new dresses, and of the dresses made for Louise, and they were neatly stitchedtogether in a diamond-shaped pattern. Faith had made a good many ofthese, and so had Louise in the evenings as they sat with Aunt Prissybefore the open fire. 

First of all Aunt Prissy had fastened the lining for the quilt to theframe. Over this she spread an even layer of soft wool, and then overthis the bright patchwork was spread and fastened. And now it wasready to mark the quilting pattern. 

Aunt Prissy took a ball of firm twine and rubbed it well with whitechalk. The cord was fastened tightly across the surface of the quilt. 

"Now, " said Aunt Prissy, and Faith took the tight cord up and "snap"it went when her fingers released their hold, leaving a straight whitemark across the quilt. Back and forth they stretched the cord and"snapped" the line, until the quilt was marked in a checkerboardpattern of white lines, which the quilters would follow with theirneat stitches. 

"I believe I'll have a quilting bee to-morrow, " said Aunt Prissy. "When you and Donald start out you can go down and ask the minister'swife, and be sure and say that we shall expect Mr. Fairbanks to tea. Then ask Neighbor Willis and her husband, and Mrs. Tuttle. I thinkthat will be a pleasant number. "

"May I help quilt?" asked Faith. 

"Of course you may. Tell Mrs. Tuttle to bring her daughter. And now, my dear, in what manner will you ask our friends to the quilting partyand to tea?" asked Aunt Prissy, looking down at her little niece withher pretty smile. 

"I shall rap at the minister's door first, of course; and when Mrs. Fairbanks opens the door I shall make my best curtsy, like this:" andFaith took a bit of her skirt in each hand, and bent in a very prettycurtsy indeed; "and I shall say: 'Good-morning, Mrs. Fairbanks. MyAunt Prissy will be very happy if you and the minister will come toher quilting bee to-morrow afternoon and stay to tea. '"

Aunt Prissy nodded approvingly. "I think that will do very nicelyindeed. Now put on your things and run along. Donald is waiting. "

Donald and "Scotchie" were at the door when Faith was ready to start. The big dog barked his delight at being allowed to go with thechildren. 

"I'd like to harness him to the sled; he could draw us both, "suggested Donald, but Faith was sure that "Scotchie" would upset thesled; so her cousin gave up the project. 

"We can go on the lake just below Mrs. Tuttle's house, and skate alongthe shore home; can't we, Cousin Faith?" asked Donald, after they hadstopped at Mrs. Willis' house and that of the clergyman. 

"Let's call and get Louise, " suggested Faith. 

"Oh, there won't be time. Look, there goes an English soldier into theshoemaker's now. The boys all say that the shoemaker is an Englishspy, " answered Donald. 

They were nearly in front of Mr. Trent's shop now, and Faith noticedthat the soldier was the one who had been on the lake the previousday, and who had called her "a little rebel. "

"Come to the back door, Donald. Just a moment, while I speak toLouise. And make 'Scotchie' keep still, " said Faith, turning into thepath leading to the back door. 

"Scotchie" was barking fiercely as if he resented the sight of theredcoat. 

The soldier turned quickly. "Stop that dog before I put a bullet intohim, " he called. 

"He's afraid, " Donald whispered to Faith, with a word to "Scotchie, "and Faith ran up the path and entered the house. 

Donald and "Scotchie" stood waiting, the dog growling now and then, whenever the soldier moved about on the door-step. It was evident thatthe shoemaker was not at home, for no answer came to the raps. In amoment Louise appeared at the door and told the man that her fatherwas not at home. 

"Send that boy with the dog about his business, " said the soldier. 

"'Tis the public road, sir; and 'tis not likely he'd mind what I mightsay, " responded Louise smilingly, as she closed the door. 

Donald rested his mittened hand on "Scotchie's" head. 

"You needn't be afraid. I won't let him hurt you, " Donald called. 

The soldier came down the path scowling. 

"I've a great mind to kick the beast, " he said. 

"You'd better not, " said Donald. 

Evidently the man agreed, for he went past as quickly as possible. Donald watched him with a little scornful smile. The boy was not oldenough to realize, as Faith did, the difference between these hiredsoldiers of England, and the brave Americans who were ready toundertake any sacrifice to secure the freedom of their country, but hewas a brave boy, and thought poorly of this soldier's courage. 

Louise listened to Faith's hurried account of the proposed quiltingparty. 

"And you must come too, Louise, " she concluded, "and come early. "

Louise promised. She had never been to a quilting party, and was surethat it would be a great experience. She could not go to the lake, forshe must not leave the house until her father returned. 

When Faith rejoined Donald he told her of the soldier's evident fearof the dog. "I don't see what made 'Scotchie' growl so, " added Donald. 

"I'm glad he did, " responded Faith. "Come on; let's hurry, or we won'thave much time on the ice, " so off they went across the field. 

But as they reached the shore they looked at each other questioningly. The lake seemed to be in the possession of the redcoats. At leasthalf the garrison of the fort were on the ice; skating, racing, andevidently enjoying themselves. 

"We had better go home, " said Faith, and Donald made no objections. The two children, disappointed of their morning's sport, went slowlyback toward home. 

"That's the way they take everything, " declared Faith, renewing herpromise to herself to try in some way to let Ethan Allen know how easyit would be to drive the English from Ticonderoga. 

"I am glad you did not venture on the ice, " Aunt Prissy said whenDonald and Faith told their story. "The English become less friendlyevery day. Well, we will not think of them when there is so much to doas we have before us. "

"I asked Louise to come to the quilting, " said Faith. 

"That's right; and I am going to send Donald to ask a number of yourschoolmates to come in the evening. The moon will be full to lightthem home, and you children can have the kitchen to yourselves aftersupper, and make molasses candy, " said Aunt Prissy. 

This seemed a very delightful idea to both Faith and Donald. Thethought of making candy reminded Faith of Esther Eldridge, and of thebear's sudden appearance at the kitchen door. Mr. Carew had promisedFaith to ask Esther's father to bring her to visit Faith on her returnhome, and Faith often thought of how much she and Esther would have totell each other. 

That afternoon Faith helped her Aunt Prissy in preparing for thequilting. Aunt Prissy was cooking a ham, and the brick oven held someof the spiced cakes that the children liked so well. Donald cracked abig dish full of hickory-nuts, while Faith rubbed the pewter platesand pitchers until they shone like silver. The two younger boys ran inand out of the kitchen, thinking a quilting party must be a greataffair. 

Mr. Scott had been cutting wood at the edge of the forest, and did notreturn until nearly dusk; and when he arrived there was a man withhim--evidently a traveler, for there was a pack on his back, and hewas tired. Faith heard her Aunt Prissy call the stranger by name, andwelcome him. 

"Why, it is Esther's father. Of course it is!" she exclaimed suddenly. 

Mr. Eldridge told her all about Esther, and promised that his littledaughter should again visit the Wilderness cabin. Faith wondered whatbusiness it was that took Mr. Eldridge through the Wilderness and upand down the lakes. Long afterward she discovered that he was one ofthe trusted messengers of the American leaders, and through him theAmerican settlers along the lake shores and through the New HampshireGrants were kept informed of what the English were doing. She did notknow that he underwent constant danger. 

The little boys went early to bed that night, but Faith was notsleepy. The firelight in the sitting-room made dancing pictures on thewall, as she sat in a small chair at the end of the sofa. The sound ofAunt Prissy's knitting needles made her think of the silvery tinkle ofthe mill-stream under the winter ice in her Wilderness home. Mr. Eldridge and her uncle were talking quietly. She heard her uncle saythat: "Ticonderoga was the lock to the gate of the country, " and Mr. Eldridge respond that until Crown Point and Ticonderoga were taken bythe Americans that none of the colonies could be safe. 

"If there were any way to get into Fort Ticonderoga, " said Mr. Eldridge. "They say there's a secret passageway. "

Faith was all attention at this. She quite forgot that she waslistening to conversation not intended for her ears, as she heard heruncle answer:

"There is such a door, but no way for an American to find it. If someone could get entrance to the fort in that way, discover just the planof the place, and escape, it would be of the greatest service to theAmericans when the right time came to take the fort. "

"Time for bed, Faithie, " said Aunt Prissy, and, very reluctantly, thelittle girl went up-stairs. She was thinking of all that her uncle andMr. Eldridge had said, and of the unguarded door opening on the cliffat the fort. She wondered if she could make her way up that steepcliff as easily as Nathan had declared he had so often done. 

"Perhaps Nathan will help capture the fort, " she thought. "Anyway hecould show the Green Mountain Boys the way. If I were at home I wouldput a note in that cave near Lake Dunmore and tell Ethan Allen aboutNathan. "

Only Ethan Allen and a few of his friends knew of this mountain cave, and it was there messages were left for him by the men of theWilderness. 

CHAPTER XVI

LOUISE DISAPPEARS

The guests for the quilting party arrived at an early hour in theafternoon. All that morning Faith and Aunt Prissy were busy. Dishesfilled with red apples were brought up from the cellar; cakes weremade ready, and the house in order before dinner time. 

Only one little girl, Jane Tuttle, had been asked to come in the earlyafternoon. Jane was about Faith's age, and at school they were in thesame classes. She was not very tall, and was very fat. Jane was one ofthe children whom Caroline and Catherine Young had taken especialdelight in teasing. 

 "Jane, Jane! Fat and plain; With a button nose and turned-in toes, "

they would call after her, until the little girl dreaded the verysight of them. When Faith had proved that she was not afraid of thesisters Jane Tuttle became her steadfast admirer, and was greatlypleased to come in the afternoon with her mother. But she wassurprised to find Louise Trent there before her, and evidently verymuch at home. However, she was too kind-hearted a child not to bepleasant and polite to the lame girl, and Louise was now as ready tomake friends as, before knowing Faith, she had been sullen andunfriendly. 

Each of the girls was encouraged to set a few neat stitches in thequilt. Then, on the arrival of Mrs. Fairbanks and Mrs. Lewis, AuntPrissy told Faith that if she wanted to take the little girls to herown room she might do so. 

There was a glowing fire on the hearth, and Faith was pleased for Janeto see her pleasant chamber, and to introduce "Lady Amy. "

"I wish I had brought my doll, " said Jane, as the little girlsgathered in front of the fire. "Mine is one my mother made for me. "

"There, Louise! We could make you a doll!" exclaimed Faith, knowinghow much her friend had always wished for a doll of her own. 

But Louise shook her head. "I guess I am too old for dolls; I'mtwelve, " she said slowly, "and I don't have time to make dresses fordolls now that I'm learning to read and write. You see, " and sheturned to Jane, "I keep house for my father. "

Jane looked at Louise, wondering to herself why she had ever imaginedthat Louise Trent was a girl that she could not have for a friend. Why, Louise was really pretty! thought fat little Jane, lookingadmiringly at the smooth black hair, and the neat and pretty dress. And so nearly grown-up, too. Twelve years old! Jane resolved to go andsee Louise, and to ask her to come for a visit. 

"I shall always play with dolls, " she heard Faith declare. "I'd liketo have a regiment of dolls, and play games with them. Wouldn't it befun to have dolls that we could make up names for, and then have themdo all sorts of things?"

Louise and Jane agreed that would be a fine game. 

"We could dress up the pillows on your bed for dolls, " suggestedLouise. 

"Yes, and put my dresses on them, " responded Faith eagerly, running tothe closet and bringing out the blue dress, a skirt and a smallshawl. It was not long before two "cushiony" figures, as large asJane, were seated on the bed. 

"Let's put our coats and caps on them, Faith; and when the other girlscome this evening we'll make them think the pillows are company, "suggested Louise. 

Jane jumped about the room with delight as Faith and Louise adjustedthe caps and fur coats. 

"We'll introduce them as Annie Snow and Mary White, " said Faith. "Itwill be fun to see what the girls will say. "

Four little girls were expected, and several boy friends of Donald's. Aunt Prissy wondered a little at Faith's eagerness to take the girlsdirectly up-stairs on their arrival, but she was greatly pleased tosee that Louise, Jane and Faith were evidently having a delightfultime. 

It was nearly dusk when the little visitors arrived, and Faith's roomwas rather dim and shadowy. The little girls coming in were rathersurprised to find that there were strangers, evidently just arrived, sitting on Faith's bed. 

"Girls, these are two of my best friends, Annie Snow and Mary White, "said Faith, trying hard not to laugh, as her schoolmates bowedpolitely and greeted the stout figures on the bed, who, apparently, did not hear the introductions. 

Jane, giggling with delight, circled around the newcomers; whileLouise seated herself on the bed and began talking to Annie Snow. Faith endeavored to make the newcomers at ease, and it was not longbefore she had to run down-stairs to help her aunt with the supper, leaving Louise and Jane to carry on the game. 

The children were to have their supper in the kitchen. The tables foryoung and old had been spread before the arrival of any of the guests, so there was but little for Aunt Prissy and Faith to do before callingthe guests to supper. 

Louise was the last one to enter the kitchen, her face radiant withfun and delight at the success of "Annie Snow" and "Mary White. " Shefound a chance to tell Faith that "Annie" and "Mary" had managed tosay that they didn't feel like eating supper, and that the girls hadnot yet discovered the joke. 

"We'll bring them down after supper, " Faith whispered. 

"Are your friends from the Wilderness?" asked Peggy Tibbetts, theoldest girl of the party, as Faith sat down beside her. 

"No, " Faith answered slowly. "They are both coming down after supper, and I know you will be surprised when I tell you that they live rightin this house. "

Peggy Tibbetts was surprised. She looked almost frightened, and lostno time in whispering this information to the other girls; so thatwhen Faith announced that she would run up-stairs and ask "Annie" and"Mary" to come down there was an anxious silence. 

Faith asked Jane to go with her, and in a few moments they returnedwith the two clumsy "girls. " In the brightly-lit kitchen thedressed-up figures could no longer be mistaken, and the children weregreatly pleased and amused by "Annie" and "Mary, " who were establishedin straight-backed chairs, and urged to share in the supper. 

There was so much laughter and merriment in the kitchen that AuntPrissy looked in for a moment. "Faithie dear, who are the little girlsin the corner?" she asked. To Louise and Jane this seemed a triumphindeed, and when Aunt Prissy, entering into the spirit of the affair, insisted upon being introduced to "Annie" and "Mary, " and said shewas very glad to see them, the children danced about, greatly pleasedwith this unexpected fun. 

When the clock struck nine the grown people and children were allready to start for home. Louise was to stay all night with Faith. As the children said their good-byes and stepped out into thesnow-trodden path they called back messages to "Annie" and "Mary. "The full moon shone down so brightly that the path could be plainlyseen, and in the distance the dark line of the forest, and the heightsof Ticonderoga. 

"It's the best time I ever had in all my life, " declared Jane, as shetrotted off holding fast to her mother's hand. 

And Faith said the same as she bade Aunt Prissy good-night. "It's funto have parties, isn't it, Aunt Prissy, " she said, "and all the girlsare so pleasant. "

"That is what makes the good time, isn't it?" responded her aunt. 

"I hope it won't storm to-morrow, " Louise said, as the two girlsprepared for bed. 

"What makes you think of a storm?" questioned Faith. 

"There was a ring around the moon, " said Louise; "that's one sign, andthe air felt like snow. "

But Faith was too happy over the evening to think about weather signs. She had, for that night, quite forgotten about the English soldiersand her resolve to send a message to Ethan Allen. 

Louise's predictions proved right; for when the morning came snow wasfalling steadily, and great drifts were heaped up against the wallsand fences. A chill east wind came sweeping across the ice-bound lake, and it was plain that there would be no more skating for many days. 

For nearly a week trails and roads were impassable. Mr. Trent, knowingthat Louise was safe and happy with her friends, made no effort toreach her; and the Scotts were glad to keep indoors, safe from thefierce cold and wind. 

Donald and Hugh dug a tunnel to the shop, and Mr. Scott kept a pathopen to the barn, while indoors Aunt Prissy kept the two girls busyand happy. She declared that she had been hoping for a day to dye somerecently woven blankets, and asked Faith what color she thought wouldbe best. 

"But how can you make any color you like, Aunt Prissy?" asked Faith. 

"Perhaps not 'any color I like, ' but I have a good lot of colors tochoose from, " replied Aunt Prissy. "People who live in the wildernessneed only to step outdoors to find almost anywhere some plant thatfurnishes dye, and I gather my dye-plants and roots every summer, as Iam sure your own mother does. "

"I know mother always gathers the dogwood roots to make a scarlet dye. Kashaqua told her about that, " answered Faith. "The Indians use it fortheir feathers. "

"And I am sure your mother dyed your brown dress with the shells ofthe hickory-nut, " said Aunt Prissy, "and the yellow root is what Iused to color the covers on the chair cushions in your room. "

This was all new to Louise, and she listened eagerly, thinking toherself that she would color the faded quilts on her own bed; and thatanother summer she would gather a good supply of the roots and plantsof which Mrs. Scott spoke. 

"The pokeweed berries will color a good red, " continued Mrs. Scott;"but for scarlet we must use the dogwood roots. "

Then Mrs. Scott showed the little girls her bundles of dyestuffs, eachplant and root tied up and marked carefully with its name and use. Alarge number of the dogwood roots were put into a huge iron kettle, the kettle filled with water, and hung over the fire. When it hadboiled for several hours there would be a good scarlet dye in whichthe new blankets would be dipped. Then they would be hung to dry inthe shed. 

The next day the sun came out and shone brightly down on a white andglistening world, and that afternoon Mr. Trent came to take Louisehome. He would not come in, but waited at the door until she was readyto go. But he thanked Mrs. Scott for all her kindness to his littledaughter. 

Faith was quite sure that Mr. Trent must be sorry to be a Tory insteadof a loyal American. "But I suppose he can't help it, " she decided, and always thought of her friend's father as unfortunate. 

Faith and Louise always had so many things to talk about that theyseldom spoke of the redcoats; and when they did Louise seemed todislike them more than Faith herself. 

Faith and Donald both had snow-shoes, and on their way to school, afew days later, Faith stopped at the shoemaker's door. But there wasno response to her knock, and when she tried the door it would notopen. She wondered where Louise and her father could be, but not untilthe next day did she hear that the shoemaker and Louise had left theirhome, apparently not to return. They had gone with a number of Englishfamilies, on sledges, down the river, without a good-bye to the kindfriends who had grown to love the little lame girl. 

"I know Louise couldn't help it, " Faith declared, when Aunt Prissytold her the news. "She will write to me, I know she will, " but it wasa long time before any word came to her from her little friend. Andnow Faith became more and more eager for March to come, that she mightonce more see her father and mother, and make some attempt to send amessage to Ethan Allen. 

CHAPTER XVII

FAITH AGAIN VISITS THE FORT

The night after hearing that Louise had gone Faith felt more nearlyhomesick than at any time since her arrival at her aunt's house. Everything seemed to remind her of her friend. Even "Lady Amy" madeher remember that Louise had never owned a doll of her own. 

"And I had meant to give Louise one of my strings of blue beads justas soon as I had asked Aunt Prissy, " she thought, regretfully, holdingup the pretty beads, and recalling how much Louise had admired them. 

"Aunt Prissy, " she called, running down the stairs and into thesitting-room, "may I not give Louise one of my bead necklaces?"

Aunt Prissy looked up in amazement. 

"But how can you, Faithie, dear? We do not know where she is, " sheanswered. 

"We shall know some time. Of course we shall. And when we do, may I? Imeant to ask you the day of the quilting, " said Faith. 

"Of course you may, child. I was sure that you would want to whenEsther sent the beads. I only hope you may have a chance to give themto Louise at an early day, " responded Aunt Prissy. 

This decision proved a comfort to Faith. As the weeks went by, and nonews of the shoemaker and his little daughter was received, she wouldoften look at the string of blue beads which she meant to give herfriend. "I wish I had given them to her on my birthday, " she thoughtregretfully, "but she shall have them some time, " for Faith was quitesure that it could not be very long before Louise would find a way tolet them know where she was. 

March came, "stirring the fire" vigorously from the day of itsarrival. The ice in the lake broke up rapidly, the snow melted, and bythe middle of the month Faith began to expect her father. NathanBeaman, in his clumsy boat, had crossed from Shoreham a number oftimes. He often teasingly reminded Faith of her plan to ask EthanAllen to come and take possession of Fort Ticonderoga. 

"You'd better hurry. The British will be sending men down from Canadaby early summer, and then 'twill be of no use for the Green MountainBoys to try to capture the fort, " he said. 

"How do you always know so much about what the English are going todo?" asked Faith. 

The children were all in the shop. Nathan was helping Donald in theconstruction of a small boat, and Faith and the two younger boys hadbeen filling a basket with chips and shavings to carry into the house. 

"Can't help knowing, " answered Nathan. "I hear the men at the forttalking about all their fine plans to own all this country every timeI go there. "

"Nathan, " and Faith lowered her voice so that the other children wouldnot hear, "you know I promised not to tell about the door at thefort?"

Nathan nodded; he was looking at her sharply, and half feared that shewas about to tell him that she had broken the promise. 

"Well, of course I shan't tell. But if my telling some American wouldhelp send the soldiers away, mayn't I tell then?" and Faith's face wasvery serious as she waited for his response. 

"Yes. I meant you weren't to tell Louise Trent, or those Young girls, "said Nathan. "And don't tell any one unless you are sure it will be ofsome use. You see I may tell, if it comes to that. "

Faith drew a long breath. "Thank you, Nathan, " she said, in so seriousa tone that the boy laughed aloud. 

"You are as grave about that old fort as my father and the Shorehammen are. You ought to hear my father tell about the big fight here in1758. He was a young man then, and the French held the fort, and theEnglish were after it. "

Donald had stopped his work, and he and Hugh were listening eagerly. "Tell us, tell us about it, " said Donald. 

"Father says there'll never be anything like it again. All theColonies sent men, and Lord Howe brought thousands of Englishsoldiers. England was our friend then, " said Nathan. "They hadthousands of boats, and rafts to carry their big guns. They had bigflags, and music; and they didn't lurk or skulk about. Their boatscame right down the lake in fine shape; they landed, and marchedtoward the fort. But the French were ready for them, and beat themback. However, the next year the English and Americans drove theFrench out. "

"I guess the English are brave, " Donald ventured, returning to hiswork. 

"Of course they are. Why, we're all English ourselves, " declaredNathan, "and that's why we won't stand being treated so unfairly. Wecan't stand it. "

"I'm not English. I'm an American, " said Faith; "and when theAmericans take Ticonderoga that will be American too. "

"That's the way to talk, little maid, " said a gruff voice, and thechildren turned quickly toward the door. 

"I didn't mean to listen, " and a tall man, dressed in deerskin jacketand trousers, with moccasins, and wearing a fur cap, stepped into theshop, resting his musket against the wall near the door. "Shouldn'thave dared come in if I had not heard I was in good company, " he saidlaughingly, his sharp eyes looking carefully about the shop. 

Nathan, with a half-muttered word of good-bye to the children, hadstarted toward the door; but the newcomer's hand grasped his arm. 

"Wait a minute!" he said, swinging the boy about. "I'm not so sureabout letting you start off so smart. You may head straight for thefort, for all I know. What's your name?"

Nathan stood silent. His face flushed, but he looked the newcomersteadily in the face. 

"Let go of Nathan!" said Donald sturdily, clutching at the man's arm, and kicking at his legs. "This isn't your shop. You let go of him. "

"I guess I'd better, " laughed the man, taking a firm hold of Donaldand looking at both his captives in evident amusement. "Well, PhilipScott, what sort of a hornet's nest have you here?" he called out, andFaith turned around to see her Uncle Philip standing in the doorway. "I'll not let go these men until you promise to defend me, " continuedthe stranger. 

"You are safe, Phelps, " responded Mr. Scott, coming forward and, asNathan and Donald were released, giving the stranger a cordialwelcome. Nathan vanished without a word, but on Mr. Scott's sayingthat he was the son of Mr. Beaman of Shoreham, the stranger wasreassured. It was evident he did not wish his arrival to become knownat the fort. 

Faith heard the stranger say that he had come from Hartford, and thathe would cross to the New Hampshire Grants as soon as he could safelydo so. 

"I'd like to look in at Fort Ticonderoga if I could without thesoldiers knowing it, " she heard him say, and her uncle replied that itwould be impossible. 

Faith was sure that this stranger was on some errand to the GreenMountain Boys, for he spoke of Remember Baker, and Seth Warner. 

"I'd like to take Colonel Allen a plan of the fort, " she heard himsay, as she helped Aunt Prissy prepare an early dinner for theirvisitor. 

Faith wished that she was grown up. Then, she was sure, she would dareto tell this stranger of the way up the cliff to the unguardedentrance. "He could go up this evening, and then he could tell ColonelAllen all about it, " she thought, and before dinner was over she hadresolved to find a way to tell him. But after a talk with Mr. Scottthe visitor had declared he must get a few hours sleep. He said thathe had been on the trail since very early that morning, and must beoff again soon after sunset. 

"Run in the sitting-room, Faithie, and fix a cushion for Mr. Phelps, "said Aunt Prissy, and the little girl started obediently. 

"I'll tell him now, " she resolved, and as the tall man followed hershe said quickly: "I know how you can get into the fort and no one seeyou. It's a secret. I'll show you. But Uncle Phil won't let me if youtell him. "

"I'll not tell him. You are a brave child. Tell me quickly, " respondedthe tall stranger. 

"There's a canoe under the big willow at the bottom of the field----"began Faith, but he interrupted. 

"Yes! Yes! I know. I am to cross the lake in it. But how can I getinto the fort?"

"I could show you. I can't tell you, " answered Faith. 

"Then 'tis of small use. Harm might come to you, child, " he answered, stretching himself out on the long settle with a tired sigh. 

Faith went slowly back to the kitchen. Here was the very chance shehad so long hoped for, and this stranger would not let her attempt it. 

All that afternoon Faith was very quiet. She walked across the fieldsto the shore and looked at the big willow tree where the canoe wasconcealed. She looked off toward Mount Defiance, and Mount Hope, rising clearly against the sky, as if standing sentinels for FortTiconderoga. 

"I'll try, anyway, " she said to herself, as she turned toward home. 

After supper she went early up-stairs. But she did not undress. Sheknew that her uncle would not go to the lake shore with his visitor, for that might attract the attention of some hunter or fisherman. Itwould not be long before Mr. Phelps would start. There was no time tolose. She put on her fur cap, and a knit jacket, and then peered outof the window. The sky was clear, and the moon made it almost as lightas day. The sound of the falls came clearly through the quiet air. 

"He could find his way up the cliff as plainly as if it weredaylight, " thought Faith, as she turned from the window. 

She opened her door and closed it silently behind her. Her cousinswere in bed, her uncle and aunt in the sitting-room with theirvisitor. Faith would have to pass the sitting-room door and go throughthe kitchen; the slightest noise would betray her. She had put onher moccasins, the ones Kashaqua had given her, and she steppedcautiously, without a sound. In a few moments she was safelyout-of-doors and running across the field. She crouched down in thecanoe and waited. 

Faith did not hear or see the stranger as he came toward theshore--not until he grasped the canoe to push it into the water. 

"King of Britain!" he whispered under his breath, when Faith spoke hisname. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm going to show you the way into the fort. Yes! 'Twill take notmore than an hour or two. Then you can leave me here. 'Twill do me noharm, and you will tell Colonel Allen about the fort, " said Faith, ina whisper. 

The man slid the canoe into the water. "You are well-named, Faith, " heresponded. "Well, 'tis a chance, and no man will harm a little maid, "and with a stroke of his paddle he sent the canoe clear of the willowsand headed toward the fort. 

"Keep close to the shore, " whispered Faith, peering anxiously ahead. 

Several hours later Faith stepped from the canoe, and said a whisperedgood-bye to the stranger, and watched the canoe dart off straighttoward Shoreham. He had scaled the cliff, while Faith kept the canoeclose under the alder bushes, entered the door of the fort, andskilfully made his way about the fortifications, determining the rightplace for an attack and assuring himself that the fortress containedvaluable stores. 

As Faith stepped from the canoe the man tried to thank her. 

"Some day your Uncle Scott will hear of this, and be proud indeed ofso brave a child, " he said, "and I shall tell Colonel Allen your name, and of your courage. Be sure of that. You have helped the Americancause more than a regiment of soldiers. "

Faith said over his words as she made her way across the fields. Sherecalled her first visit to the fort. "I'm glad those girls ran offthat day, " she thought, as she gently tried the back door. It wassecurely fastened. A low warning growl from "Scotchie" made her fearto lift a window. He would arouse the household. She stood on thesteps, shivering a little in the sharp March wind. "I must get inwithout making a noise, " she thought. But she could think of no way toaccomplish it. 

In spite of her silence "Scotchie" realized that some one was outside. He barked, growled, and once or twice threw himself against the door. Then suddenly his growls stopped, and, before Faith had time to move, the kitchen door opened slightly and she heard her uncle say, "Who'sthere?" and knew that, musket in hand, he was awaiting her answer. 

CHAPTER XVIII

HOME AGAIN

"Scotchie's" warning growl turned to a joyful greeting as Faith spokehis name. 

"Great Cæsar! Faith!" exclaimed her uncle, drawing her into thekitchen. "What on earth are you doing out-of-doors at this time ofnight?"

"You locked the door, " whimpered Faith. 

"But why did you not call out? We thought you went straight to bed, "said her uncle. 

"I went down to the shore----" began Faith, and then stopped suddenly. 

"Well, go straight to bed, and tell your aunt about it in the morning. She is fast asleep now. "

Faith was glad to obey. She was too tired and sleepy to be greatlytroubled by what would happen in the morning. She had resolved that ifAunt Prissy questioned her she would tell the truth. But she hopedearnestly that in some way the secret could be kept even from heraunt and uncle, until Mr. Phelps should tell them. 

When she came down to breakfast it appeared that her uncle had onlytold Aunt Prissy that Faith had run out after supper, and, instead ofcalling and knocking until some one opened the door, had waited until"Scotchie's" bark had brought him to the door. 

Aunt Prissy was more surprised and alarmed at this news than Faith hadexpected. She cautioned Faith never to go out without telling some oneof the family. 

"Why, some wolf or wildcat might have been about; or a party ofIndians might have happened along and taken you off, " she said. "Andwe should never have known what had become of you. "

Faith promised never again to leave the house without her aunt'spermission, and was glad indeed that she had escaped without tellingof her journey to the fort. 

"Aunt Prissy! Do you know what day this is?" she asked, so soberlythat her aunt looked at her a little anxiously. "It is the very lastday of March; it has been a warm and pleasant month, and my father hasnot come for me. "

"And are you so anxious to say good-bye to us, Faithie? You know thatinstead of your making a visit home your father has decided it is bestfor you to stay; not come back unless for a visit, until anotherautumn, " responded Aunt Prissy. 

"Yes, I know. But why does he not come?" persisted Faith. 

"Perhaps to-day will bring him, " Aunt Prissy answered hopefully. 

Faith came and stood close beside Aunt Prissy's chair. She wanted tosay that she loved her cousins and uncle and Aunt Prissy very dearly;to tell her that she had been happy; and that it had been a beautifulvisit; but that now she wanted to see her own dear mother more thananything else. But how could she say all this so that Aunt Prissywould understand?

Aunt Prissy put down her knitting and drew the little girl into herlap. 

"There! Now tell me all about it, dear, " she said, resting her faceagainst Faith's yellow curls. 

And Faith told her all that she had been thinking; all that she hadthought would be so difficult. And Aunt Prissy listened, saying, "Ofcourse, " and "Yes, indeed, " from time to time, and understanding evenmore than Faith found words to tell. 

"Why, Aunt Prissy, it's almost like having two homes, " concludedFaith. 

Before Aunt Prissy could answer there was the sound of voices in thekitchen, and Donald, closely followed by Mr. Carew, came into theroom. 

"It's the very last day of March!" Faith reminded him. 

"And I came near not getting here to-day, " her father replied, asFaith drew him to the big chair near the window, and climbed to a seaton his knees. "I was held up on the trail by a tall fellow, fromConnecticut, as it proved. He was bound to make me own up that I wasan English spy. I told him my name, and my errand, and when I spokeFaith's name, why, he was at once my best friend, told me of his visitat this house, and could not say enough in praise of my littledaughter, " responded Mr. Carew. 

"The Americans seem to be gaining courage, " said Aunt Prissy. "The menof the Wilderness do not mean to let the other Colonies do all thefighting, I'm sure. "

"Indeed we'll do our part, Priscilla, " her brother assured her. 

Faith told her father of the disappearance of Mr. Trent and Louise; ofthe quilting party, and of all the happenings since his Novembervisit. But she did not tell him of guiding the Connecticut man to thepathway up the cliff to Fort Ticonderoga. 

It was evident that Mr. Phelps had kept the secret for some purpose ofhis own; so, much as she wanted her father to know, Faith resolvedthat she would not tell him. This secret did not worry and trouble heras the others had done. "I guess it's because this secret meanshelping somebody, and the others were just--well, just mean secrets, "Faith decided, as she thought it over. 

The next morning Faith and her father were ready to start at an earlyhour. Uncle Phil, Aunt Prissy, the boys and "Scotchie" walked withthem to the shore. 

"You will come back when summer comes, won't you, Cousin Faith?" saidDonald. "You'll come for a visit even if you don't stay and go toschool. "

"I will if I can, " Faith promised, "and when Louise comes back giveher the blue beads, Aunt Prissy. "

"Yes, indeed, dear child, " responded her aunt, wondering to herself ifLouise and her father would ever again be seen in that vicinity. Thenthere were messages for Faith's mother, and not until she was in thecanoe were the good-byes really said. 

The little group stood on the shore watching the canoe for someminutes, and then turned back toward the house. They were all veryquiet, but as they reached the road Donald called out: "There'ssomebody on our door-step! Why, it is Louise! Yes, it is, " and with agay call he was off, running swiftly toward the house while the othershurried after him. 

"Where is Faith?" Louise asked eagerly, when Mrs. Scott had welcomedher, and they were in the big kitchen. 

"She's gone home, " said Donald, before his mother could answer. ButMrs. Scott told the little girl of how much Faith had missed her, andof the string of blue beads that she had left to be given to Louise. 

It was evident that Louise was greatly disappointed to find that herfriend had gone. But she fastened the beads about her neck, andtouched them with loving fingers. 

"Faith was my very first friend, " she said. "My father says that wehave come back to stay, " she added, "and perhaps Faith will come inthe summer?" There was such a pleading, questioning look in the girl'sdark eyes that Mrs. Scott felt a new tenderness and sympathy for her, and put her arm about Louise as she answered:

"Perhaps she will. But you must come often and see me; for we shallboth miss her very much. "

"Oh, may I, Mrs. Scott? I was afraid you wouldn't want me to come, "and Louise's face brightened. 

"Why, I am to help you with your studies, and Donald is to call foryou when you begin school. Faith arranged all that, " responded Mrs. Scott smilingly. 

Faith was silent as the canoe went swiftly across the lake, and theyhad nearly reached the shore before she began asking questions about"Bounce, " whom her father declared to be now a "grown-up cat, " andabout all the familiar things about the house and mill. 

"Listen, father!" she said, as they landed, and he drew the canoe toits hiding-place in the alder bushes. "Hear the falls!" and for amoment the two stood quietly hearkening to the "Chiming Waters. "

Then Mr. Carew adjusted the pack, containing Faith's belongings, picked up his musket, without which no woodsman dared travel in thosedays, and they started up the trail. 

Everywhere were evidences that spring was near at hand. Many treesand shrubs were showing the delicate gray green of coming buds; andnow and then the fragrance of the wild arbutus was in the air. Birdswere busy; wood-thrushes and pewees were calling; now and then agolden-throated warbler sounded his clear note. The air was soft andwarm for the season, and Faith was so happy in the thought of beingreally on her way home that she forgot for a time that Mr. Phelps hadsaid that no American settler's home in the Wilderness could be safeuntil Fort Ticonderoga was held by American soldiers. 

"It's lovely to be going home, isn't it, father?" she said; and Mr. Carew smiled down at his little daughter, and agreed with her thatnothing better could be desired. 

 "We shall see with glad surprise Lilies spring, and verdure rise; And soon, amidst the wilds, we'll hear Murmuring waters falling clear, "--

sang Mr. Carew softly. 

"Oh, that is mother's song, " exclaimed Faith. "It just means home, doesn't it?" And again her father was quite ready to agree. 

They walked slowly up the rocky trail and when they reached the top ofthe first ridge they stopped to rest and eat the excellent lunch thatAunt Prissy had prepared for them. But Faith declared that she was nottired. It seemed to her that she could run all the way if her fatherwould only permit. And when in the early afternoon she first heard thesound of the mill-stream she did run, until, out of breath, she had torest on a moss-grown stump for her father to catch up with her. 

And then, in a short time, they were standing on the edge of theclearing. The brook was dancing and singing as if eager to welcomeFaith; the sun shone warmly down on mill and cabin and running downthe path came Mrs. Carew; while standing near the cabin was Kashaqua, in her gayest feathers, grunting and smiling. 

"Mother dear! Mother dear!" called Faith, as she ran forward and washeld close in her mother's arms. 

CHAPTER XIX

FAITH WRITES A LETTER

Kashaqua was evidently delighted to see Faith safely at home oncemore. She had brought a present for her little friend; and after Faithhad talked to her mother, and yet, as she declared, had "not begun totell her" all she had to tell, Kashaqua unrolled a soft bundle andspread out the skin of a black bear cub. It was hardly larger than theskin of a good-sized puppy; but the fur was so soft and glossy thatFaith and her mother exclaimed admiringly over its beauty, and Faithsaid that she would take the greatest care of it. She questionedKashaqua about "Nooski, " the tame bear which had followed them ontheir journey to Ticonderoga. 

"Gone!" replied Kashaqua, and had no more to tell of the wild creaturethat she had tamed, and, suddenly, Kashaqua disappeared in her usualsilent fashion without a sign or word of farewell. 

Faith was tired, and quite satisfied to rest on the big settle andtalk to her mother, while "Bounce, " steady and well-behaved, curled upon the hearth rug. Faith told her mother about Louise; about Carolineand Catherine and their mischief, and of the quilting party. She toldher about Nathan Beaman, and of the skating on the lake, and how theEnglish soldiers had extinguished the fire and spoiled their fun. Butshe did not tell her of the evening when she had guided Mr. Phelps upthe moonlit lake to the foot of the cliff, and told him how to makehis way into the fort. Some time, she resolved, her mother should knowall about it; but she still felt that she must keep it a secret. 

Mrs. Carew asked many questions about the fort. 

"There is more travel over the trails than ever before, " she told thelittle girl, "and we hardly know who are our friends. The English aresending their spies everywhere. Be very cautious, Faithie, and saynothing to any stranger that you have ever been near Fort Ticonderoga. This part of the country will not be safe until American soldiers takethe place of the English in the fort. "

"Oh, mother dear, I hope they will soon. I wish that I could help takethe fort. "

"Who knows but you may help in some way, when the right time comes, "her mother responded, smiling at her little daughter's eagerness. "Now, I am going out to get something for you. Something that you willlike very much, " she added, and left Faith alone. 

Faith closed her eyes, wondering happily what it was that her motherwould bring. She thought of the caraway cookies, of the little roundpies made of the dried pumpkin, and then a noise at the door made heropen her eyes. For an instant she believed that she must be asleep anddreaming, for Esther Eldridge was standing in the door--Esther growntaller and stronger, with red cheeks and shining eyes. 

"Yes, it's really Esther, " Mrs. Carew called over the little girl'sshoulder, and Esther ran toward the settle as Faith started forward tomeet her. 

"Isn't this a fine surprise?" Esther exclaimed. "I was so afraid youwould hear about our living here before you got home. "

"Living here?" questioned Faith, looking so puzzled that both Mrs. Carew and Esther laughed aloud. 

"Yes! yes, indeed! My father and mother and I, " answered Estherdelightedly. 

"But where? I have been up-stairs, and all over the house and I didn'tsee anybody, or anything, " said Faith. 

"Oh, we live in our own house--a house just like this; or it willbe just like this when it is all finished, " and Esther told of herfather's decision to bring his family to the Wilderness to live. Hehad purchased a grant of land adjoining that held by Mr. Carew soonafter Esther's visit in September. The timber for the cabin had beencut early in the winter, and the cabin begun, and now it was nearlyfinished. "We moved last week, " said Esther, "and you can see ourhouse from your back door. "

Faith forgot all about being tired and ran to the back door to look. Yes, there it was; the big new cabin, near the path down which EthanAllen had led her home, when, angry at Esther, she had run off to thewoods. 

"Isn't it splendid! Oh, Esther, it is the very best thing that everhappened, " Faith declared; "isn't it, mother dear?"

Mrs. Carew was quite ready to agree with her little daughter. "Goodneighbors was the only thing we really lacked, " she agreed, "andperhaps others will come when there is better protection for theirsafety. "

The two little friends had much to tell each other, and when Estherstarted for home Faith walked with her as far as the mill. From themill the new cabin could be clearly seen. 

"Do you remember asking me if I listened to the brook?" Esther askedlaughingly, as they stood looking at the dancing waters of the stream. "Well, I know now just what you meant. It's company, isn't it?"

Then Faith told her of the "Chiming Waters" of Ticonderoga, and ofsome of the old tales of the lake that her aunt and Nathan hadrelated. 

"Did you see the English soldiers?" questioned Esther. 

"Oh, yes. " And Faith described the skating party on the lake that theredcoats had interfered with. "I wish I could see Ethan Allen, as Idid that day in September, and tell him all about the fort and thesoldiers, and ask him to drive the English away. My father says thatColonel Allen could drive them away, " said Faith. 

"Of course he could! My father says so, too, " agreed Esther. "Would itnot be a fine thing for us to send him a letter, Faith, and ask him?"

"Oh, Esther! That's just what I thought of. But we ought to do itright away, for more soldiers are coming to the fort, Nathan Beamansays, and then it won't be so easy, " responded Faith. 

The two little girls talked earnestly. They both knew of the cave onthe rocky slope near Lake Dunmore, and that messages were sometimesleft there for the settlers. But Lake Dunmore was a long distanceaway. 

"It would take all day to go and get back, " said Esther, "and ourmothers would never let us go; you know they wouldn't. "

"One of us ought to go to-morrow, " answered Faith, "but how can weplan it?"

"I know! I know!" declared Esther. "I'll ask your mother if you maycome for a visit, and then you'll go home at night. Some time youcan tell her all about it, " concluded Esther as she noticed Faith'sserious and doubtful expression. 

"And what will you do? Don't you mean to go with me?" asked Faith. 

"Oh, yes! I'll tell my mother I am going to spend the day with you. Then we'll start off in good season, and we'll get home before ourmothers miss us, " said Esther. 

"Faith! Faith!" and Mrs. Carew's voice sounded through the clear air. 

"I must run back now. I'll write the letter to-night and be over nearyour house as early as I can in the morning, " said Faith. 

"Hide behind the big pine, " said Esther, and the two friends, greatlyexcited over their project, separated and ran toward their respectivehomes. 

It was not easy for Faith to write the letter, for she would have toask her mother for the quill pen, and the bottle of ink, made from thejuice of the pokeberry. But in the early evening, while her mother wasbusy, Faith secured the quill and ink and a sheet of the treasuredpaper and wrote her letter:

 "Dear Mr. Colonel Ethan Allen, " she wrote. "Will you please send the English soldiers away from Fort Ticonderoga? Nathan Beaman, who lives at Shoreham, will show you how to get in. Please send them soon, or more will come. 

 "Respectfully your friend, "FAITH CAREW. "

She had time to fold and seal the letter with the big stick of redwax, softening the wax before the sitting-room fire. A moment laterand her mother came in, saying she had best go to bed and get a goodnight's rest. 

"May I spend to-morrow, all day, with Esther?" asked Faith, as hermother went up-stairs with her, and feeling her face flush with theconsciousness of not telling her mother all the truth. 

"Your very first day at home, dear child! Why, I should be runningover to Mrs. Eldridge's every hour to make sure that you were reallywithin reach, " responded her mother. 

"Oh, mother, you wouldn't!" said Faith, so earnestly that Mrs. Carewsmiled reassuringly and said:

"Well, perhaps not every hour. But if you want to spend the day withEsther you may. 'Tis not as if you were going back to Aunt Prissy in aweek. "

"And you won't come to Mrs. Eldridge's at all, will you, mother dear?"pleaded Faith. "I'll be safe, and I'll come home early. "

"You shall do as you like, dear child. I know you will do nothing butwhat will please me, " and Mrs. Carew leaned over to kiss Faithgood-night. 

"Oh, dear, " Faith whispered to herself guiltily, as her mother wentdown the stairs. "Here is another secret, the biggest of all. But Ican't tell mother. "

The song of the brook seemed louder than ever before to the littlegirl that night, as she lay watching the April stars shine through herwindow. She remembered that her mother had said that perhaps a littlegirl could help. "Mother dear is sure to be glad when she knows thatColonel Allen had to be told about Nathan, " thought Faith; and thenthe brook's song grew softer and softer and she was fast asleep. 

Faith was down-stairs the next morning almost as soon as her fatherand mother. She had on her brown dress and her moccasins, and theletter was safely hidden in her pocket. She could hardly keep stilllong enough to eat her breakfast. 

"Esther wanted me to come early, mother dear, and I promised, "she urged; so her mother bade her be off, and stood in the doorand watched the little girl run down the slope, feeling a littledisappointed that Faith should be so eager to be with Esther insteadof remaining at home. 

But early as it was Faith found Esther waiting for her. 

"Did you bring anything to eat?" asked Esther. 

"I never thought of it!" replied Faith, "and I don't believe I could, anyway. "

"Well, I thought of it. I have a fine square of corn cake, a piece ofcold venison, and a square of molasses cake, " said Esther, holding upa small basket. "Now, creep along on the edge of the trail until weare well up the ridge. Then we can walk as we please. "

Faith obeyed. She thought to herself how fortunate it was that Estherhad come to live in the Wilderness, and that she was ready to helpcarry the message. 

"Isn't it lovely in the woods!" said Esther, as they reached thesummit of the ridge, and turned to look back down the winding trail. "Father said this morning that the spring was early, and 'tis surelywarm as summer. "

As they rested for a little while on a bank of firm green moss Faithtold Esther of "Nooski's" sudden appearance when she and Kashaquawere on their journey to the lake. 

"Goodness!" exclaimed Esther, peering anxiously into the underbrush. "I hope we shan't see any bears to-day, not even a tame one. "

The sun was high in the April skies when the two little girls came insight of Lake Dunmore. The trail led near the lake; and Esther wasvery sure that she knew just where to look for the cave. 

"It's near a big pine tree, and you can only see rocks. Father showedme when we came from Brandon, " she said. 

The little girls were very tired and hungry, and Faith suggested thatthey should eat their luncheon and rest before searching for the cave. 

"I wish I had brought more corn bread, " said Esther, when they hadfinished the last morsel of the food. 

"It's lucky you brought as much as you did, " responded Faith. "We'dbetter begin looking for the cave now. "

It was hard work climbing up the rocky hillside, and it did notseem such an easy matter to locate the cave as Esther had expected. They peered under rocks, and climbed over ledges, and were nearlydiscouraged when a sudden noise made Faith grasp Esther's arm with awhispered "Hush"; for almost in front of them, apparently comingdirectly out of the hillside, appeared the head and shoulders of aman. But they were too near to conceal themselves or to try and runaway. 

"Great Cæsar's Ghost!" exclaimed the man, crawling out from the cave. "Two little maids! Where did you come from?"

Faith's hold on Esther's arm tightened. "Don't tell. Don't answer hisquestions, " she whispered, remembering her mother's caution aboutstrangers, and thinking perhaps this might be an English spy who haddiscovered the cave. 

"Where are the others?" asked the man. 

Esther looked questioningly at Faith, but neither of them spoke. 

The man's stern face softened as he looked at the two little figures. He realized they must be the children of some settler in theWilderness--perhaps children who had wandered too far from home andlost their way. 

"You need not be afraid to speak, " he said smilingly. "Perhaps I knowyour fathers. Tell me your names. "

Faith was quite sure that this was a question which could be safelyanswered, so both the little girls spoke their names, and instantlythe man responded by saying:

"Then you, " and he nodded to Faith, "are Miller Carew's daughter. Iknow your father well. Tell him Seth Warner has been in Salisbury andis now starting back to Bennington. But how come you this distancefrom home?"

Both Faith and Esther knew that Seth Warner was a friend of thesettlers, and before he had finished speaking Faith was quite readyto tell him their errand and to give the note for Colonel Allen intohis hands. 

He listened in evident amazement to the story of their morning'sjourney, for he well knew the dangers of the wilderness trail. 

"I will go with you to within sight of your homes, " insisted theirnew friend, "and I shall not forget to tell Colonel Allen of yourcourage. "

"Will he come soon and take the fort?" asked Faith. 

"More quickly for your help than without it, little maid. But go notso far from home again, " Mr. Warner answered, with a kindly smile. 

It was sunset, and Mr. Carew was starting to bring Faith home from hervisit to Esther, when he saw his little daughter coming down the path. She walked so slowly that her father hastened to meet her. 

"I'm so tired, father, " she said. "Couldn't you carry me home?"

"Of course I can, " and he lifted her in his arms and, anxious andworried by her pale face and evident fatigue, hurried toward thehouse. 

CHAPTER XX

THE CAPTURE OF THE FORT

It was noon the next day when Faith awoke; and although she was quiteready to dress and go down-stairs, her mother thought it best for herto stay in bed. 

Faith wondered to herself if Esther's feet ached as hers did; and, more than this, she was anxious to know if their parents had any ideaof where she and Esther had spent the previous day. 

"There will be so much for me to tell mother, " she thought, a littleuneasily, hoping that soon she would again have no secrets to conceal. 

When Faith came down-stairs she found Esther waiting to see her;and, in response to Faith's questioning look, she nodded and smiledreassuringly. Esther had brought over her English grammar, for it hadbeen decided that the two little girls were to study together twohours each day; one day at Faith's house, and the next at Esther's. 

"It's all right; our mothers don't know. But what made you so tired?"said Esther, as soon as the girls were alone. 

Faith shook her head. "I don't know. I do hope we can tell all aboutit soon. I've a great mind to tell mother now. "

"You mustn't. Don't you remember? Mr. Warner said that soon he wouldtell our fathers, and they would be proud of us. But if we tell themnow they won't be proud; they will be vexed, and maybe punish us. Waituntil Colonel Allen tells them that you helped him. Then 'twill be allright, " advised Esther, and Faith agreed, a little doubtfully. 

It was difficult for the two little girls to fix their minds on theirlessons that day, and for many days to come. They both watched thetrail, each day expecting to see some messenger who would bring newsthat Colonel Allen was in possession of Fort Ticonderoga; but Aprilpassed, and Esther declared that she did not believe the Americanswanted the fort. 

"I am going to tell my mother everything. All about our going to LakeDunmore, and my letter, and something else, " declared Faith. 

It was one day early in May, and she and Esther were coming up fromBeaver meadow, where they had been watching the little creatures, who Were very active and did not seem to fear the two little figuresat the edge of the woods. The beavers were building a dam; they haddragged trees to the side of the stream, and it seemed a verywonderful thing to Esther when she saw the beavers sink one end ofthese stakes, while others raised and fastened the other end, twistingin the small branches of the trees, and plastering mud over all withtheir feet and tails. She was thinking to herself that there were morestrange things to see in the Wilderness in one day than in a wholeyear in a village, when she felt Faith seize her arm and saylaughingly:

"You haven't heard a word. Now, listen! I am going to tell my mother. "

The little girls were now in sight of the clearing, and, before Esthercould answer, Faith stopped suddenly and exclaimed:

"Look, Esther! There's a man just leaving the mill, and running up thetrail as fast as he can go. A stranger. "

Quite forgetting beavers and secrets the two little girls ran towardthe house. "There's my father, " said Esther as they reached the door. 

Mr. And Mrs. Eldridge were both in the kitchen of the Carew house, andnone of the elder people appeared to notice the two girls. 

Mr. Carew was loading his musket, and Faith's mother was packing aknapsack with provisions. 

"Here are the children, " said Mrs. Eldridge, as she turned toward thedoor; and then Esther saw that her father was waiting for Mr. Carew. 

"Faithie dear, your father is going to Castleton, " said Mrs. Carew, fastening the knapsack, and in a moment Faith was held close in herfather's arms, and then the two men were off, striding down the trail. 

"Are they going to take Ticonderoga?" Faith questioned eagerly. 

The two women looked at her in surprise, but Mrs. Carew answeredquickly:

"Of course they are. Americans are guarding the trail, so we are safeenough at present. But neither of you girls must go beyond theclearing. "

"When shall we know about the fort, mother? When will we know?" askedFaith. 

"Soon, I hope, child. But talk not of it now, " responded her mother. 

But after a little Mrs. Eldridge told them that a messenger had comefrom Bennington, summoning the settlers to Castleton to meet ColonelAllen. Faith and Esther listened to the story of the far-off battleof Lexington, in Massachusetts, the news of which had determined theGreen Mountain Boys to make an immediate attack on the fort. These menwere the settlers of the New Hampshire Grants, living long distancesapart, and obliged to travel over rough trails, through deep forests, across rivers and mountains. 

There were no smooth roads or fleet horses to help them on their way;there was little time for preparation when Allen's summons came; theyhad no uniforms, no strains of music; but no truer soldiers ever faceddanger than the Green Mountain Boys. 

That night Faith told her mother the story of her adventure in thefort, when Nathan had rescued her and taken her down the cliff. Shetold of the evening in March when she had guided Mr. Phelps along themoonlit shore of the lake and told him of the entrance to the fort;and last of all she described her journey with Esther over the trailto Lake Dunmore, and the letter to Ethan Allen which she had given toSeth Warner. 

Mrs. Carew listened in amazement; but she had no word of blame forFaith. She realized the dangers the child had so unknowingly facedwith a sense that her little girl had been guarded by a protectiongreater than any by which she could have surrounded her; and shewondered, too, if it were not possible that Faith might not reallyhave helped in the great undertaking for which her father was ready togive all that he had to give. 

"Mother dear, I despise secrets, " Faith whispered, as she finished thestory, "and I mean never to have another one. "

Three days later Mr. Carew came swinging across the clearing. He wavedhis cap in the air as Faith came running to meet him. 

"Ticonderoga is ours, " he called, "and the English prisoners are ontheir way to Hartford. And so it was you, little maid, who helpedPhelps to a plan of the fort, and told Ethan Allen of young Beaman!"

"Did it help, father? Did it help?" Faith asked eagerly. 

"Help? Indeed it did. Young Beaman led the way to the fort, and wewere in without firing a shot. And Colonel Allen and his men hold thefort, " replied Mr. Carew. 

He could stay for but a few hours, as he was carrying the news to thesettlements. It was several days before he was at home again, and toldthem more fully of Allen's triumph, and of the capture of Crown Pointby Seth Warner and his followers. 

Toward the last of May Aunt Prissy, accompanied by Nathan Beaman, arrived at the log cabin, and Faith heard the story of Louise'sarrival at Ticonderoga. 

"Her father has been taken a prisoner to Hartford, and Louise willstay with me, " Aunt Prissy said. "I will adopt her for my own daughterif her father consents. "

"I do hope he will, " said Faith, glad indeed to know that her friendwas safe. 

"And so my little Faith did help take the fort after all, thanks toNathan, " said Aunt Prissy, smiling down at her little niece. 

"'Twas Faith who really helped, for she told Colonel Allen about me, "Nathan added handsomely. 

All this made Faith a very happy little girl; but when, a few weekslater, a messenger brought her a letter from Ethan Allen himself, shefelt that no other little girl in all the American Colonies could beas proud as Faith Carew. She confessed to her mother that, after all, some secrets were worth keeping. Colonel Allen invited her to make avisit to the fort, and it was arranged that her father should take herto Ticonderoga and that she should stay for a few days with AuntPrissy. 

So once again she went over the trail and crossed the lake, and on apleasant June morning with her father and Aunt Prissy, she stood againat the entrance to Fort Ticonderoga. This time she was not left alone, as on her first visit, a frightened deserted child. For it was ColonelAllen himself, tall and handsome, who met the little party at theentrance and escorted them about the fortifications. 

"'Faith, '" he said kindly, as he bade them good-bye, "'tis indeed thebest of names for a little American girl; a name that I shall everremember. "

Faith was very quiet as they walked toward home. She was thinking toherself of all the happy experiences of the past weeks; and not untilshe saw Louise waiting for her at Aunt Prissy's gate did her face loseits serious expression. She ran ahead of the others and called out:"Louise! Louise! You will be Aunt Prissy's little girl, won't you?Because then you'll really be an American. "

Louise nodded happily. 

"Yes; and father is going to be an American, too. Didn't Aunt Prissytell you?" she responded; "and it's all because you were my friend, Faith, " she added more soberly, as the two girls entered the house, and stood hand in hand at the door where, but a few months ago, Louisehad entered a ragged, unhappy child. 

"We'll always be friends, shan't we!" said Faith, and Louise earnestlyresponded:

"Always. "

The stories in this series are:

 A LITTLE MAID OF PROVINCE TOWN A LITTLE MAID OF MASSACHUSETTS COLONY A LITTLE MAID OF NARRAGANSETT BAY A LITTLE MAID OF BUNKER HILL A LITTLE MAID OF TICONDEROGA A LITTLE MAID OF OLD CONNECTICUT A LITTLE MAID OF OLD MAINE A LITTLE MAID OF OLD NEW YORK A LITTLE MAID OF OLD PHILADELPHIA A LITTLE MAID OF VIRGINIA A LITTLE MAID OF MARYLAND A LITTLE MAID OF MOHAWK VALLEY A LITTLE MAID OF MONMOUTH A LITTLE MAID OF NANTUCKET A LITTLE MAID OF VERMONT

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:

Minor changes have been made to correct typesetters' errors;otherwise, every effort has been made to remain true to the author'swords and intent.