A Little Maid of Ticonderoga

								

Esther Eldridge and the blue beads, but she remembered her promise. "I
guess there are times when people don't have any rights," she decided,
and was quite unconscious that she had spoken aloud until she heard
her companion say very clearly:
"There can never be such a time as that. People would be slaves indeed
not to uphold their just and rightful claims. But why is a small maid
like yourself troubling about 'rights'?"
"I have company at my house----" began Faith.
"I see, I see!" interrupted Colonel Allen. "Of course you have to let
the guest do whatever she pleases," and he smiled and nodded, as if he
understood all about it. "And now we had best start toward your
father'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 questions
about the people who came along the trail from the settlements on
their way to Lake Champlain.
When they reached the clearing where the mill stood Faith's father and
mother came running to meet them. They welcomed Mr. Allen, and said
that 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 an
hour 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 dinner
time when I ran off and left Esther in the sitting-room. I----" and
then Faith stopped suddenly. She resolved that she would not tell her
mother that she had given Esther the blue beads,--not until Esther was
found.
"Well, I declare. Esther came into the kitchen just as I was preparing
dinner, and asked if you girls could not have a picnic dinner at the
mill, and I was well pleased to let you. I put some cold meat and
bread, a good half of pumpkin pie and some of the pumpkin cakes in a
basket, and gave her a pitcher of milk, and off she went. An hour ago
she came in to ask for a lunch and I gave her a good piece of molasses
cake. Your father was busy skinning the bear, and we gave but little
thought to you children. But when I called your name, and found
neither of you at the mill, I became alarmed. But where can Esther be
now?" 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 like
Esther."
"Hush, Faithie. She is your guest. And if she has wandered into any
harm or danger I do not know what we can say to Mr. Eldridge,"