unboat will shoot down our liberty pole! Perhaps
burn the church and our houses, and they may carry off our father a
prisoner! 'Tis what they try to do whenever Americans resist; and if the
Machias men have powder and shot they'll not let the gunboat come near.
And we can get the powder and save the settlement. Oh, Danna----"

Rebby's petition ended in a wail.

And now Anna was as eager to start as Rebby herself. The thought of her
father being taken a prisoner and that she and Rebby could prevent so
great a misfortune made her no longer hesitate.

"We will start to-morrow morning, early," she said. "We must make sure
that our moccasins are in good shape, Rebby; and we must take some
corn-bread, for 'twill be a good journey. How early can we start,
Rebby?"

"Before sunrise, surely," responded Rebby, "and I will write on a strip
of birch-bark what we are going to do, and pin it to Father's hat. Then
they will not worry about us."

"Worry! Why, Father will think it a brave deed," declared Anna. "I wish
we had started this morning."

That day seemed very long to the sisters. They made their preparations
carefully for the next day's journey, and at an early hour went to bed,
so that they might awaken in good season.

The next morning dawned clear. Before the sun was up Anna was wide
awake, and at her whispered "Rebby," her sister's eyes opened quickly,
and they slipped quietly out of bed. In a few moments they were fully
dressed for their tramp through the forest. Very cautiously they made
their way down the stairs. The house was silent. Neither Mr. nor Mrs.
Weston heard the faintest sound to disturb their slumbers.

On the piece of smooth birch-bark that Rebby had made ready on the
previous day, with a bit of charcoal from the fireplace she wrote:

"Dear Mother and dear Father: Anna and I are going to Chandler's River
to bring home powder and shot for Machias men to use to save the
settlement. We will be home to-morrow. Your loving Rebby and Danna."

They slipped this under the deerskin thong that was twisted about Mr.
Weston's hat, opened the kitchen door gently, and moved noiselessly
along in the shadow of the house, then ran swiftly up the path, and in a
short time were out of sight of the houses of the settlement.

"Now we must walk slowly for a time," cautioned Anna, remembering her
father's warnings against hurrying at the beginning of a tramp. "We must
go on steadily for a time, and rest before we begin