A Hero of Ticonderoga

sked a stranger one August afternoon, as, without unslinging his pack, he set his

e further extension of his betterments, but he scanned the man closely before he answered. Though unprepossessing, low-browed, and surly looking, he was evidently a stout

company of Rogers's Rangers. Seth had previously ascertained that no grown-up son of any of his neighbors could be spared to help him, so he finally hired this man, who proved to be efficient and faithful, although not a genial companion, such as an old

alled to the bedside of Mrs. Newton, who was ill of the fever so prevalent in new clearings, Nathan and

ians" with Nathan's bow and arrows and Martha's rag doll. This was stolen and carried into captivity, from which it was rescued by its heroic little mother. Then they threw off their assumed characters

utcher knife and pewter plate, to get the pork, but had barely got the cover off

than, come

her, where, just outside the door, she

two figures just disclosed above the rushes, as they m

moment's scrutiny, "and I guess they're a-trapp

water maples, the bronze and yellow weeds, and, here and there, the rough dome of a newly built muskrat house. At each of these the two men, now revealed in a birch canoe, halted for a little space, and then, tying a knot in the ne

I wish they'd let my mushrat alone. But

eaking so softly that the children thought his voice coul

You Bee

ying the Yankee instinct of inquiry,

and Nathan understood that he attributed the scarcity of muskrats to Job, whose fame

the creek with his paddle. "Den go house, see um Beenu

]

r-getting by the mention of pork, caught Martha's hand and h

time usurped the tidiness whereof they had left the room possessed. The coverlets and blankets of one bed were dragged from

outen the pen?" Then he saw in the scattered meal some broad tracks that a former adventur

e cried, "and he

wny muzzle was above the floor, when Nathan, with desperate strength, slammed down the hatch, and its edge caught the bear fairly on the neck, pressing his throat against the edge of the hatchway. The trap door had scarcely fallen when the quick-witted boy m

as was imparted to the head by the huge body still slowly vibrating from the final struggle. When this had quite ceased they ventured off the trap door, and, pale and panting, they stood before the ghastly

the same breath, laughed and cried, till they both be

Nathan, "for I dasn't open tha

with puzzled faces on the strange scene. Then one, with a hatchet half uplifted, cautiously approached

the adventure. The Indian gave the boy an approvi

for sometings. Nawaa," he said to his companion, and the other coming in, the two reached down and laid hold of the bear's

ed fresh praise for his deed. The dinner was bounteous, if late, and the Indians, Toksoose and Tahmont, had their full share of it, with a big chunk of pork and as muc

ted praise of the old hunter was sweetest of all. Many a day was the tale rehearsed for the benefit of new listeners. Even when Nathan was an old man, and looked b