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 Caesar'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 o
ther 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.
A Little Maid of Ticonderoga Page 19