A Little Maid of Ticonderoga

								

Mrs. Carew had heard Esther's suggestion about Faith going to Brandon
to go to school, and after the little girls had gone to bed she spoke
of it to Faith's father, as they sat together before the fire.
"Perhaps we ought to send Faithie where she could go to school and be
with other children," said Mr. Carew, "but I hardly know how we could
spare her."
There was a little silence, for the father and mother knew that their
pleasant home on the slope of the hillside would be a very different
place without their little maid.
"But of course we would not think of Brandon," continued Faith's
father. "If we must let her go, why, her Aunt Priscilla will give her
a warm welcome and take good care of the child; and the school at
Ticonderoga is doubtless a good one."
"Esther seems sorry for her mischief, but I should not wish Faith to
be with her so far from home. Perhaps we had best send some word to
Priscilla by the next traveler who goes that way, and ask her if Faith
may go to her for the winter months," said Mrs. Carew.
So, while Faith described the beaver's home to the sleepy Esther, it
was settled that as soon as it could be arranged she should go to stay
with her Aunt Priscilla in the village of Ticonderoga, across Lake
Champlain, and go to school.
"If 'twere not that some stray Indians might happen along and make a
bonfire of our house and mill we might plan for a month's visit
ourselves," said Mr. Carew.
"We must not think of it," responded his wife. For the log cabin home
was very dear to her, and at that time the Indians, often incited by
the British in command of the forts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point,
burned the homes of settlers who held their land through grants given
by the New Hampshire government.
"More settlers are coming into this region every year. We shall soon
have neighbors near at hand, and can have a school and church," said
Mr. Carew hopefully. "Colonel Allen is not journeying through the
wilderness for pleasure. He has some plan in mind to make this region
more secure for all of us. Well, tell Faithie, if she has aught to say
of going to Brandon, that she is soon to visit Aunt Priscilla. I doubt
not 'twill be best for the child."

CHAPTER V
KASHAQUA

Esther did not find the blue beads; and when her father came for her
she had not said a word to Faith about them.
Mr. Eldridge found his little daughter fully recovered from her
illness, and in better health than when she came to the Wilderness.
When she said good-bye Faith was really sorry to have her go, but she
wondered a little that Esther made no mention of the beads, for Esther
had been a model visitor since her illness. She had told Mrs. Carew
the full story of the attempt to make maple candy, which the bear had
interrupted, and she had claimed the pumpkin-shell work-box with
evident delight. All these things had made Faith confident that Esther