onfidentially: "Because of
the war with the Boston people. The country is overrun with
rebels--rebel troops at Albany, rebel gunners at Stanwix, rebels at
Edward and Hunter and Johnstown. A scout of ten men came here last week;
they were harrying a war-party of Brant's Mohawks, and Stoner was with
them, and that great ox in buckskin, Jack Mount. And do you know what he
said to father? He said, 'For Heaven's sake, turn red or blue, Sir
Lupus, for if you don't we'll hang you to a crab-apple and chance the
color.' And father said, 'I'm no partisan King's man'; and Jack Mount
said, 'You're the joker of the pack, are you?' And father said, 'I'm not
in the shuffle, and you can bear me out, you rogue!' And then Jack Mount
wagged his big forefinger at him and said, 'Sir Lupus, if you're but a
joker, one or t'other side must discard you!' And they rode away,
priming their rifles and laughing, and father swore and shook his
cane at them."

In her eagerness her lips almost touched my ear, and her breath warmed
my cheek.

"All that I saw and heard," she whispered, "and I know father told
Walter Butler, for a scout came yesterday, saying that a scout from the
Rangers and the Royal Greens had crossed the hills, and I saw some of
Sir John's Scotch loons riding like warlocks on the new road, and that
great fool, Francy McCraw, tearing along at their head and crowing
like a cock."

"Cousin, cousin," I protested, "all this--all these names--even the
causes and the manners of this war, are incomprehensible to me."

"Oh," she said, in surprise, "have you in Florida not heard of our war?"

"Yes, yes--all know that war is with you, but that is all. I know that
these Boston men are fighting our King; but why do the Indians
take part?"

She looked at me blankly, and made a little gesture of dismay.

"I see I must teach you history, cousin," she said. "Father tells us
that history is being made all about us in these days--and, would you
believe it? Benny took it that books were being made in the woods all
around the house, and stole out to see, spite of the law that
father made--"

"Who thaw me?" shouted Benny.

"Hush! Be quiet!" said Dorothy.

Benny lay back in his chair and beat upon the table, howling defiance at
his sister through Harry's shouts of laughter.

"Silence!" cried Dorothy, rising, flushed and furious. "Is this a
corn-feast, that you all sit yelping in a circle? Ruyven, hold that
door, and see that no one follows u