ut Nathan Beaman, and of the skating on the lake, and how the
English soldiers had extinguished the fire and spoiled their fun. But
she did not tell her of the evening when she had guided Mr. Phelps up
the moonlit lake to the foot of the cliff, and told him how to make
his way into the fort. Some time, she resolved, her mother should know
all about it; but she still felt that she must keep it a secret.

Mrs. Carew asked many questions about the fort.

"There is more travel over the trails than ever before," she told the
little girl, "and we hardly know who are our friends. The English are
sending their spies everywhere. Be very cautious, Faithie, and say
nothing to any stranger that you have ever been near Fort Ticonderoga.
This part of the country will not be safe until American soldiers take
the place of the English in the fort."

"Oh, mother dear, I hope they will soon. I wish that I could help take
the fort."

"Who knows but you may help in some way, when the right time comes,"
her mother responded, smiling at her little daughter's eagerness.
"Now, I am going out to get something for you. Something that you will
like very much," she added, and left Faith alone.

Faith closed her eyes, wondering happily what it was that her mother
would bring. She thought of the caraway cookies, of the little round
pies made of the dried pumpkin, and then a noise at the door made her
open her eyes. For an instant she believed that she must be asleep and
dreaming, for Esther Eldridge was standing in the door--Esther grown
taller and stronger, with red cheeks and shining eyes.

"Yes, it's really Esther," Mrs. Carew called over the little girl's
shoulder, and Esther ran toward the settle as Faith started forward to
meet her.

"Isn't this a fine surprise?" Esther exclaimed. "I was so afraid you
would hear about our living here before you got home."

"Living here?" questioned Faith, looking so puzzled that both Mrs.
Carew and Esther laughed aloud.

"Yes! yes, indeed! My father and mother and I," answered Esther
delightedly.

"But where? I have been up-stairs, and all over the house and I didn't
see anybody, or anything," said Faith.

"Oh, we live in our own house--a house just like this; or it will
be just like this when it is all finished," and Esther told of her
father's decision to bring his family to the Wilderness to live. He
had purchased a grant of land adjoining that held by Mr. Carew soon
after Esther's visit in Sep