in ambush now began to attack them, and pretty soon the other
seven came to their aid, and in a little while the Indians were all
shot or drowned, and not one of the party escaped, to inform their
kindred what had befallen them. The stream on which this happened is
called Laplot River. Laplot, they say, means 'the plot,' and a good
many people think the river got its name from the stratagem of the
settlers, but I don't know how that is."

After musing awhile in silence, Ralph called for another story.

"Let me see," said his grandmother; "did I ever tell you about Widow
Storey's retreat, in the Revolution!"

"No ma'am," said Oscar; "I've read about General Burgoyne's retreat;
but I never heard of Widow Storey before: who was she?"

"O, it was n't that kind of a retreat that I meant," said his
grandmother; "but I will tell you who she was. She lived in Salisbury,
some twenty or thirty miles from where I belong. Her husband was the
first man who settled in Salisbury, but he was very unfortunate. After
he had worked hard, and got a log cabin ready for his family, it took
fire, and was destroyed; and he himself was killed by the fall of a
tree, soon after. But his widow was a very smart woman; and though she
had eight or ten small children, she moved on to the place her husband
had selected; and the proprietors of the township gave her a hundred
acres of land to encourage and reward her. She worked just like a man,
and didn't mind chopping down trees, and cultivating the soil, with her
own hands. But by-and-bye the Revolution broke out, and as there were
British soldiers in the neighborhood, she was afraid they would make
her a visit. She fled several times to another town, where there was
less danger; but after awhile a new idea entered her head, and she
proceeded to carry it out, with the aid of a man who lived near her.
The idea was, to construct a hiding-place, where the British could not
find them, if they should pay her a visit. They selected a spot on
Otter Creek, and dug a hole right into the bank, horizontally. The
hole was a little above the water, and was just large enough for a
person to crawl into. It was so covered up by bushes that hung from
the bank, that a stranger would not notice it. This passage led to a
large lodging-room, the bottom of which was covered with straw. Good
comfortable beds were prepared, and here the families found a secure
retreat, until the danger was past."

"That wa