it," said Faith, quickly slipping out of bed and running into
the little passage at the head of the stairs.

In a few moments Mrs. Carew was standing beside the bed. She said to
herself that she did not wonder that Esther was ill. But while Faith
dressed and got ready for breakfast Mrs. Carew smoothed out the
tumbled bed, freshened the pillows and comforted their little visitor.

"Run down and eat your porridge, Faithie, and then come back and sit
with Esther," said Mrs. Carew.

When Faith returned Mrs. Carew went down and brewed some bitter herbs
and brought the tea for Esther to drink. The little girl swallowed the
unpleasant drink, and shortly after was sound asleep. She had not
awakened at dinner time, and Mrs. Carew was sure that she would sleep
off her illness.

"The child must be taught not to crave sweet foods," she said, as she
told Faith to run down to the mill and amuse herself as she pleased.
"Only don't go out of sight of the mill, Faithie," she cautioned, and
Faith promised and ran happily off down the path. She was eager to ask
her father about Mr. Ethan Allen.

Mr. Carew was busy grinding wheat. There were few mills in the
Wilderness, and nearly every day until midwinter settlers were coming
and going from the mill, bringing bags of wheat or corn on horseback
over the rough trail and carrying back flour or meal. When Mr. Carew
had tied up the bag of meal and his customer had ridden away, he came
to where Faith was sitting close by the open door and sat down beside
her.

"Why do you call Mr. Allen a 'Green Mountain Boy'?" asked the little
girl, after she had answered his questions about Esther; "he is a big
man."

Mr. Carew smiled down at Faith's eager face, and then pointed to the
green wooded hills beyond the clearing. "It's because he, and other
men of these parts, are like those green hills,--strong, and
sufficient to themselves," he answered. "Every settler in the
Wilderness knows that Ethan Allen will help them protect their homes;
and no man knows this part of the country better than Colonel Allen."

"Why do you call him 'Colonel'?" asked Faith.

"Because the Bennington people have given him that title, and put him
in command of the men of the town that they may be of service to
defend it in case King George's men come over from New York," replied
her father; "but I do not know but the bears are as dangerous as the
'Yorkers.' Do you think Esther will be quite well to-morrow?"
concluded