that I interrupted you in your interesting talk about
'everlasting fire,' 'ructions,' and 'King George.' You seem to be in a
fighting mood."

"I is, Missie Jean, I is in a turrible fightin' mood. I'd like jes at
dis very minute to hab my two hands on dem rascals dat turned on good
King George, an' den druve us all out ob our homes. I'd show dem a
t'ing or two, I sa'tinly would."

"I don't doubt it," the girl replied, as she stooped and helped herself
to a waffle. "If you could fight as well as you can cook you would be
a wonder."

"I could cook on our stove in Ol' Connec., Missie Jean, but it's mighty
hard work on dat," and she looked contemptuously at the rude
fire-place. "To t'ink that we should ebber come to dis!"

"Why, I think it's great, Mammy."

"What' not better'n Ol' Connec.?"

"Oh, not at all. But this might be worse. I miss our dear old home in
Connecticut, and yet I have often longed for a life such as this. I am
sure you will like it, too, Mammy, when you get used to it."

"I kin nebber git used to it, chile. I'se been torn up by de roots
from de ol' home where I was born an' bred, an' I kin nebber take root
agin, 'specially in sich a rocky hole as dis."

"But we're not going to stay here, Mammy. We are going up the river,
and make a new home in a beautiful place among the trees."

"Ah, chile, dat's what makes me tremble. It's bad 'nuf here, de Lo'd
knows, but up dere! Why, dere's bears, an' tagers dat'll eat ye up in
a jiffy. An' dere's Injuns, too, dat'll skin ye alive, an' scalp ye,
an' roast ye fo' dinner. No, I kin nebber take root in a place like
dat."

"But we'll be pioneers, Mammy," the girl reminded. "Just think what an
honour it will be to take part in holding this land for King George.
People will be proud of what we are doing in years to come."

"I don't want to be no pioneers, Missie Jean, an' I'm not hankerin'
after no honour. It suits dis ol' woman better to hab her skin an'
scalp now, even if dey are black, den to hab folks ye don't know
nuffin' 'bout blubberin' over ye a hundred years from now. Dem's my
solemn sent'ments."

"But daddy thinks there is a great purpose in our coming here, Mammy.
He says he believes that the Lord is overruling our defeat, and that
the driving us out from our homes and scattering us abroad will be the
means of extending King George's sway, and raising up a great nation in
this land."

"Missie Jean," and Mammy raised a warning f