A Little Maid of Province Town

								

until the frost came, and Mrs. Stoddard was already making plans for
Anne's winter foot-gear.
"I'll trade off something for some moccasins for the child before fall,"
she had resolved; "some of the Chatham Indians will get down this way when
the beach plums begin to ripen, and will be glad of molasses, if I am
lucky enough to have it."
For those were the days when the little coast settlements had but few
luxuries, and on Cape Cod the settlers were in fear of the British.
Province Town was especially exposed, and at that time there were but
thirty houses; and the people had no established communication with the
outside world. The sea was their thoroughfare, as a journey over the sandy
country from Province Town to Boston was almost impossible. News was a
long time in reaching the little settlement of fishermen. But they knew
that King George III had resolved to punish Boston for destroying his
cargoes of tea, and had made Salem the seat of government in the place of
Boston. War-ships from England hovered about the coast, and the children
of Province Town were quick to recognize these unwelcome craft.
"Mistress Stoddard," said Anne one morning, when she had returned from
driving the cow to the enclosed pasturage at some little distance from the
house, "Jimmie Starkweather says there is a big ship off Race Point, and
that it is coming into harbor here. He says 'tis a British ship, and that
like as not the men will land and burn down the houses and kill all the
cows." Anne looked at Mrs. Stoddard questioningly.
"Nonsense!" responded the good woman. "Jimmie was but trying to make you
afraid. 'Twas he sent thee running home last week in fear of a wolf that
he told you was prowling about."
"But there is a ship, Mistress Stoddard. I went up the hill and looked,
and 'tis coming along like a great white bird."
"Like enough. The big ships go up toward Boston and Salem on every fair
day. You know that well, child."
"This seems a different kind," persisted Anne; and at last Mrs. Stoddard's
curiosity was aroused, and with Anne close beside her she walked briskly
up to the hill and looked anxiously across the blue waters.
"'Tis much nearer, now," said Anne. "See, it's coming to--'twill anchor."
"Sure enough," answered Mrs. Stoddard. "Jimmie Starkweather is a wise lad.
'Tis a British man-of-war. Trouble is near at hand, child."
"Will they kill our cow?" questioned Anne. "Jimmie said they would, and
eat her," and Anne's voice trembled; for the small brown cow was the
nearest approach to a pet that the little girl had. It seemed a loss
hardly to be borne if "Brownie" was to be sacrificed.
"It's like enough they will," replied Mrs. Stoddard. "They'll be sending
their boats ashore and taking what they can see. Run back to the pasture,
Anne, and drive Brownie down the further slope toward the salt-meadow.
There's good feed for her beyond the wood there, and she'll not wander far