A Little Maid of Ticonderoga

								

Ethan Allen's visit. And Faith told him of the big bear that had
entered their kitchen and eaten the syrup. When Mrs. Scott called them
to dinner she felt that she was well acquainted with the good-natured
boy, whom Mrs. Scott welcomed warmly.
"I believe Nathan knows as much about Fort Ticonderoga as the men who
built it," she said laughingly, "for the soldiers have let him play
about there since he was a little boy."
"And Nathan made his own boat, too. The boat he comes over from
Shoreham in," said Donald. For Nathan Beaman lived on the further side
of the strip of water which separated Ticonderoga from the New
Hampshire Grants.
That afternoon Faith and her aunt worked on the fine new blue dress.
The next day Mrs. Scott took her little niece to the shoemaker, who
measured her feet and promised to have the shoes ready at the end of a
week.
As they started for the shoemaker's Mrs. Scott said:
"The man who will make your shoes is a great friend of the English
soldiers. Your uncle thinks that he gathers up information about the
American settlers and tells the English officers. Do not let him
question you as to what your father thinks of American or English
rule. For I must leave you there a little while to do an errand at the
next house."
Faith began to think that it was rather a serious thing to live near
an English fort.

CHAPTER VIII
THE SHOEMAKER'S DAUGHTER

The shoemaker was the smallest man Faith had ever seen. She thought to
herself that she was glad he was not an American. When he stood up to
speak to Mrs. Scott Faith remembered a picture in one of her mother's
books of an orang-outang. For the shoemaker's hair was coarse and
black, and seemed to stand up all over his small head, and his face
was nearly covered by a stubbly black beard. His arms were long, and
he did not stand erect. His eyes were small and did not seem to see
the person to whom he was speaking.
But he greeted his customers pleasantly, and as Faith sat on a little
stool near his bench waiting for her aunt's return, he told her that
he had a little daughter about her own age, but that she was not very
well.
"Perhaps your aunt will let you come and see her some day?" he said.
"I'll ask her," replied Faith, and before they had time for any
further conversation the door opened and a tall man in a scarlet coat,
deerskin trousers and high boots entered the shop.
"Any news?" he asked sharply.
"No, captain. Nothing at all," replied the shoemaker.
"You're not worth your salt, Andy," declared the officer. "I'll wager
this small maid here would have quicker ears for news."
Faith wished that she could run away, but did not dare to move.
"Well, another summer we'll put the old fort in order and have a
garrison that will be worth while. Now, what about my riding boots?"
he added, and after a little talk the officer departed.
It was not long before Mrs. Scott called for her little niece and the