Part 22 (2/2)

Mr. and Mrs. Eldridge were both in the kitchen of the Carew house, and none of the elder people appeared to notice the two girls.

Mr. Carew was loading his musket, and Faith's mother was packing a knapsack with provisions.

”Here are the children,” said Mrs. Eldridge, as she turned toward the door; and then Esther saw that her father was waiting for Mr. Carew.

”Faithie dear, your father is going to Castleton,” said Mrs. Carew, fastening the knapsack, and in a moment Faith was held close in her father's arms, and then the two men were off, striding down the trail.

”Are they going to take Ticonderoga?” Faith questioned eagerly.

The two women looked at her in surprise, but Mrs. Carew answered quickly:

”Of course they are. Americans are guarding the trail, so we are safe enough at present. But neither of you girls must go beyond the clearing.”

”When shall we know about the fort, mother? When will we know?” asked Faith.

”Soon, I hope, child. But talk not of it now,” responded her mother.

But after a little Mrs. Eldridge told them that a messenger had come from Bennington, summoning the settlers to Castleton to meet Colonel Allen. Faith and Esther listened to the story of the far-off battle of Lexington, in Ma.s.sachusetts, the news of which had determined the Green Mountain Boys to make an immediate attack on the fort. These men were the settlers of the New Hamps.h.i.+re Grants, living long distances apart, and obliged to travel over rough trails, through deep forests, across rivers and mountains.

There were no smooth roads or fleet horses to help them on their way; there was little time for preparation when Allen's summons came; they had no uniforms, no strains of music; but no truer soldiers ever faced danger than the Green Mountain Boys.

That night Faith told her mother the story of her adventure in the fort, when Nathan had rescued her and taken her down the cliff. She told of the evening in March when she had guided Mr. Phelps along the moonlit sh.o.r.e of the lake and told him of the entrance to the fort; and last of all she described her journey with Esther over the trail to Lake Dunmore, and the letter to Ethan Allen which she had given to Seth Warner.

Mrs. Carew listened in amazement; but she had no word of blame for Faith. She realized the dangers the child had so unknowingly faced with a sense that her little girl had been guarded by a protection greater than any by which she could have surrounded her; and she wondered, too, if it were not possible that Faith might not really have helped in the great undertaking for which her father was ready to give all that he had to give.

”Mother dear, I despise secrets,” Faith whispered, as she finished the story, ”and I mean never to have another one.”

Three days later Mr. Carew came swinging across the clearing. He waved his cap in the air as Faith came running to meet him.

”Ticonderoga is ours,” he called, ”and the English prisoners are on their way to Hartford. And so it was you, little maid, who helped Phelps to a plan of the fort, and told Ethan Allen of young Beaman!”

”Did it help, father? Did it help?” Faith asked eagerly.

”Help? Indeed it did. Young Beaman led the way to the fort, and we were in without firing a shot. And Colonel Allen and his men hold the fort,” replied Mr. Carew.

He could stay for but a few hours, as he was carrying the news to the settlements. It was several days before he was at home again, and told them more fully of Allen's triumph, and of the capture of Crown Point by Seth Warner and his followers.

Toward the last of May Aunt Prissy, accompanied by Nathan Beaman, arrived at the log cabin, and Faith heard the story of Louise's arrival at Ticonderoga.

”Her father has been taken a prisoner to Hartford, and Louise will stay with me,” Aunt Prissy said. ”I will adopt her for my own daughter if her father consents.”

”I do hope he will,” said Faith, glad indeed to know that her friend was safe.

”And so my little Faith did help take the fort after all, thanks to Nathan,” said Aunt Prissy, smiling down at her little niece.

”'Twas Faith who really helped, for she told Colonel Allen about me,”

<script>