A Little Maid of Ticonderoga

								

grunting her satisfaction, and taking from one of her baskets a pair
of fine doeskin moccasins, which she gave to Faith. "Present," she
said briefly.
"They are the prettiest pair I ever had!" said Faith, looking
admiringly at their fringed tops, and the pattern of a vine that ran
from the toes to insteps, stitched in with thread-like crimson and
blue thongs.
"It is a fine chance for Faith to go to her Aunt Priscilla," said Mr.
Carew. "Do you know where Philip Scott lives, across Champlain?"
"Me know. Not great ways from Fort," responded Kashaqua. "Me take
little girl safe to Scott's wigwam."
"That's right, Kashaqua," said Mr. Carew.
"Then me come back to mill and get meal an' get pie," said Kashaqua.
"Of course. I will make you the finest pie you ever tasted," said Mrs.
Carew, with a little sigh of relief. For she had wondered how long it
would be before they could get news that Kashaqua had kept her
promise, and that Faith had reached her aunt's house in safety.
In the surprise and excitement of this new decision neither Faith nor
her parents had much time to think about their separation. Although
Aunt Priscilla was to see that Faith was well provided with suitable
dresses, shoes, hat, and all that a little girl would need to wear to
school and to church, there was, nevertheless, a good deal to do to
prepare and put in order such things as she would take with her.
Beside that Mrs. Carew meant to give the squaw a well-filled luncheon
basket; so the remainder of the day went very quickly. Faith helped
her mother, and talked gaily with Kashaqua of the good time they would
have on the journey; while Kashaqua smoked and nodded, evidently quite
satisfied and happy.
When night came the Indian woman made her preparations to sleep
before the kitchen fire, and the Carews went up-stairs to bed. The
mother and father lay long awake that night. While they assured each
other that Faith would be perfectly safe, and that the Indian woman
would defend the little girl from all danger, they could not but feel
an uncertainty. "We can trust the strength and love that has protected
us always to go with our little maid," said Mr. Carew; "perhaps
Kashaqua is the safest person we could find."
"We must hope so; but I shall not draw a good breath until she is here
again, and tells me Faithie is safe with Priscilla," responded Mrs.
Carew.
The little household was awake at an early hour the next morning.
Faith was to wear the new moccasins. She wore her usual dress of brown
homespun linen. Faith had never had a hat, or a pair of leather shoes,
and only the simplest of linen and wool dresses. She had never before
been away from home, except for a day's visit at the house of some
neighboring settler. She knew that when she got to Aunt Prissy's she
would have a hat, probably like the one Esther Eldridge had worn,
ribbons to tie back her yellow curls, shining leather shoes, and many