A Little Maid of Ticonderoga

the newly kindled sticks from the fire she hurled it at the big cre

s had reached the upper floor before he was well into the kitchen, and,

o?" sobbed Esther. "He will come u

a minute, for mother dear may be on her way to the house. Come," and she pushed Esther

, I can't,"

owsill, had dropped to the ground, and was speeding down the path to the mill, wh

en she saw Faith racing toward her. "A

nd Mr. Carew came running fr

and fasten the door on the inside. I'll attend to the bear," and he was off, racing t

r father gets there," said Mrs. Carew anxiously. "I

th, "and if he tried the stairs Es

e they heard the loud

e door now, mother

and Faith realized that her mother's arm

. Carew and Faith, and then they heard Mr. Carew calling;

r father's hand while he told the story. The bear, with his nose in the kettle

ed. "I have dragged the bear outside, and he will furnish us some fine steaks

the little girls offered any explanation. Mr. Carew looked about the clearing to see if an

the cabin, "although last year an old bear and two cubs came down

n overturned, and what syrup the bear had not eaten was smeared over the hearth and flo

is nothing that either of you can do to help;" so Faith led the way and pushed open the heavy door which led directly into a big comfortable room. The lower

ine boards. On one side of the fireplace was a broad wooden settle, covered with a number of fur robes, and several big cushions. Between the two

olden brown in color. There were several bearskin rugs on the floor, for Mr. Carew, like all the men of the "Wilderness," was a hunter;

eautiful paper on the walls, and we have pictures, and a fine carpet on the floor. W

now," resp

l her anything,"

hall have to tell

f you do that I'll get my father to take me home with him in

ything about you,

at her a lit

alk about it. Why, even the Indians treat visitors politely, and give them the best they have,

e to her and clasping her arm. "Is it beads? Oh! I do hope it is beads! And you can't back out after what

Faith should do exactly as she had promised and give her "the best she had." And it happened that Faith's dearest possession was a string of fine beads. Aunt Priscilla Scott, who lived in Ticonderoga, had

th's arm. "I knew you didn't

panels. The panel opened, and there was a closet. The little wooden box that held the be

" and she thrust the box into Esther's eager hands and ran out of the room. She forgot the dead bear, the wasted

t she had never before been so far along this rough path. All about her rose huge, towering pines. Looking ahead the path seemed to end in a dense thicket. She heard the rustle of some little forest animal as it moved through the vines behind her, and the call of birds near at hand. Faith began to recall the happenings of the morning: the excitement of Esther's arrival, the sudden appearance of the bear in the kitchen doorway, he

tle way down the path, was a tall man leaning on a musket. He wore a flanne

friendly voice. "I did not want to leave you here in the woods until I was

s tall, dark-eyed man, who knew her father, c

d again, and took

ponded; "it may be that you have

r titles to land taken under the "New Hampshire Grants," and she remembered hearing her father say that Ethan Allen would help any man defend his rights. She wished that she could tell him all about Esther Eldridge and t

ves indeed not to uphold their just and rightful claims. But

y at my house-

whatever she pleases," and he smiled and nodded, as if he understood all about it.

ll the afternoon!" excl

any questions about the people who came along the trai

nning to meet them. They welcomed Mr. Allen, and said that they had been sadly worrie

ing-room, hours ago!" a