"'Tis nearly a year ago since my father was captured by the British," said
Anne one day as she and Amanda, followed by the white kitten, went out
under the pine trees.

"Anne!" exclaimed Amanda, "I did not know what 'spy' and 'traitor' meant
when I called those words at you."

Anne looked at her playmate smilingly. "You would not say them now,
Amanda, would you?" she answered.

"Say them now!" repeated Amanda. "Why, Anne, you are my best friend, and
your father a soldier. 'twas but yesterday my father said that there was
but one thing that Province Town had to be proud of in this war, and that
was John Nelson, your father, because he is the only soldier from the
settlement."

Anne's cheeks flushed happily. "'twas hard not to have my father," she
said, "but he may come back any day now; Uncle Enos says so. And he is to
live with us, and help Uncle Enos with the fishing. And then, Amanda, I
shall be the happiest little girl in the settlement."

"To-morrow my mother is going to the marshes to gather young pine tips,
and arrowroot, and young spruce tips and the roots of thoroughwort to brew
beer with," said Amanda; "Amos and I are to go with her, and if your Aunt
Martha be willing you can go with us. She plans to take something to eat
and be away till past noon."

"I am sure I may go," replied Anne eagerly, "and we can bring home
Mayflowers. There are many all along near the pine trees."

"Yes," said Amanda, "and will it not be fine to eat our dinner
out-of-doors? Amos plans to start a fire and cook a fish for us, over it,
this time, not under sand as he did when we were on the island."

Mrs. Stoddard gave her consent for Anne to go next day with the Carys. "I
will bake you a molasses cake to carry," she said; "if it were a few weeks
later you could call it a May party. In England, and I know it is now a
custom in many of our towns, all the children gather and put flowers on
their heads, and have a May-pole wreathed with flowers, and dance around
it. And they choose a little girl for Queen of the May."

"Can we not do that, Aunt Martha, when May is really here?" asked Anne.

"Perhaps," replied Aunt Martha, "if the minister sees no objection, and if
we get good news before that time, why, a May-day party would be a pretty
thing. The boys could put up the May-pole near the spring, and there will
be all sorts of wild things in blossom by that time."

When they started off for the marshes Anne told Amanda what he