A Little Maid of Ticonderoga Read online

  Produced by D Alexander, Juliet Sutherland and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

  A Little Maid of Ticonderoga

  BY

  ALICE TURNER CURTIS

  AUTHOR OF

  "A LITTLE MAID OF PROVINCE TOWN" "A LITTLE MAID OF MASSACHUSETTS COLONY" "A LITTLE MAID OF NARRAGANSETT BAY" "A LITTLE MAID OF BUNKER HILL" "A LITTLE MAID OF OLD CONNECTICUT" "A LITTLE MAID OF OLD PHILADELPHIA" "A LITTLE MAID OF OLD MAINE" "A LITTLE MAID OF OLD NEW YORK" "A LITTLE MAID OF VIRGINIA"

  ILLUSTRATED BY WUANITA SMITH

  THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY PHILADELPHIA

  1929

  COPYRIGHT 1917 BY THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY

  A Little Maid of Ticonderoga

  "MY NAME IS ETHAN ALLEN"]

  Introduction

  This is the story of a little girl whose home was among the GreenMountains of Vermont, then known as "The Wilderness," at the beginningof the American Revolution; and at the time when Ethan Allen and hisbrave soldiers were on guard to defend their rights. Ethan Allen wasthe friend of Faith, the heroine of the story, whose earnest wish tobe of help is fulfilled. She journeys from her Wilderness home acrossLake Champlain to Ticonderoga, and spends a winter with her aunt andcousin near Fort Ticonderoga. Here she learns a secret about the fortthat is of importance later to Ethan Allen's "Green Mountain Boys."

  There are two very interesting bears in this story. Like the earliervolumes of this series, "A Little Maid of Province Town," "A LittleMaid of Massachusetts Colony," "A Little Maid of Narragansett Bay,"and "A Little Maid of Bunker Hill"--the present volume introduces theheroes of American history and tells of famous deeds and places ofwhich all American children should know.

  Contents

  I. ESTHER AND BRUIN 9 II. FAITH MAKES A PROMISE 22 III. MORE MISCHIEF 33 IV. A NEW PLAN 42 V. KASHAQUA 51 VI. THE JOURNEY 59 VII. NEW FRIENDS 70 VIII. THE SHOEMAKER'S DAUGHTER 81 IX. LOUISE 90 X. THE MAJOR'S DAUGHTERS 100 XI. A DAY OF ADVENTURE 110 XII. SECRETS 119 XIII. LOUISE MAKES A PRESENT 129 XIV. A BIRTHDAY 140 XV. NEW ADVENTURES 150 XVI. LOUISE DISAPPEARS 161 XVII. FAITH AGAIN VISITS THE FORT 172 XVIII. HOME AGAIN 184 XIX. FAITH WRITES A LETTER 194 XX. THE CAPTURE OF THE FORT 208

  A Little Maid of Ticonderoga

  CHAPTER I

  ESTHER AND BRUIN

  Faith Carew was ten years old when Esther Eldridge came to visit her.Faith lived in a big comfortable log cabin on one of the slopinghillsides of the Green Mountains. Below the cabin was her father'smill; and to Faith it always seemed as if the mill-stream had a gaylittle song of its own. She always listened for it when she awoke eachmorning.

  "I wonder if Esther will hear what the brook sings?" thought Faith asshe drew on her moccasin slippers and dressed as quickly as she could,for her mother had already called her twice, and Faith had justreached the top of the stairs when the third call of, "Faith! Faith! Ishall not keep your porridge hot another instant," sounded from thekitchen.

  "I'm coming, mother dear," the little girl called back, and hurrieddown the stairs, wondering to herself why grown people who couldalways do exactly as they pleased should think it best to rise beforethe sun was really up.

  "Your father was off to the mill an hour ago," said Mrs. Carew,setting a bowl of steaming porridge on the end of the table beside anarrow window, "so you will have to eat your porridge alone."

  Faith sat down at the table, looking out through the open windowtoward the mill.

  "I do hope Esther Eldridge and her father will come to-day," she said."Do you think they will, mother dear?"

  "Yes, child; they will probably arrive before sunset. Your fatherexpected them yesterday. It will be a fine thing for you to have alittle girl for a companion. But she is a village child, and may notbe happy in the Wilderness," responded Mrs. Carew.

  "Why, of course she will like being here! Just think, she has neverseen wheat ground into flour! And she can see that in our mill; andshe has always walked on real roads, and here she will not even see aroad; and I know many pleasant paths where we can walk, and I cantell her the names of different trees and flowers. I'm sure she willthink the Wilderness a fine place," said Faith, nodding her head sothat her yellow curls seemed to dance about her face.

  "I hope they make the journey from Brandon safely. Your father hasbeen told that the Indians have been troublesome to the settlers nearLake Dunmore; and besides that, there are many bears coming out intothe clearings these fine autumn days. But Mr. Eldridge is a good shot,and I am seeking trouble in naming Indians or bears. Finish yourbreakfast, Faithie, and run to the garden and bring me in the ripestof the pumpkins; for I must make some cakes for our company."

  The Carews lived in a log house on a slope of cleared ground runningdown to the mill-stream. There were no roads, only rough trails, andthey had no near neighbors. Faith's father had a large grant of land,a "New Hampshire Grant," it was called, which ran toward the easternshore of Lake Champlain. Faith had no playmates, and when Mr.Eldridge, of the town of Brandon, had sent word that he was coming tosee Mr. Carew on business and would bring his small daughter withhim, Faith had been overjoyed and had made many plans of what shewould do to entertain her visitor.

  Faith finished her breakfast, and helped her mother clear the tableand wash the dishes, and then went up the slope to where a number offine pumpkins and squashes, growing among the corn, were ripening inthe early September sunshine. She looked about carefully, and selecteda yellow pumpkin. "This is about as large as my head," she said aloud,"and I guess it is about the same color," and she ran back to thehouse carrying the pumpkin, which Mrs. Carew set to bake in the brickoven beside the fireplace.

  "When it is baked may I fix the shell for a work-basket for Esther?"asked Faith.

  "Yes, indeed," answered Mrs. Carew smilingly. "Your Aunt Prissy wasgreatly pleased with the one you gave her when she visited here lastautumn."

  "I wish I could go to Ticonderoga and visit Aunt Prissy," said Faith.

  "Why, so you shall some day. But 'tis a troublesome journey, since onemust be set across the strait," replied her mother. "But look, child!Can it be that Mr. Eldridge has arrived at this early hour?"

  "Yes, indeed. I see his little girl! Look, mother! Father has liftedher down from the horse; and Mr. Eldridge is walking, too! Oh, mother!See the fine hat she has on!" and Faith ran to the open door to get abetter look at the little girl who was walking so slowly up the pathto the log house.

  In a moment the little girl looked up toward the open door and Faithwaved her hand.

  "She didn't wave back, mother dear," exclaimed Faith, and then thetravelers were close at hand, and Mrs. Carew was greeting the tall,grave-faced man and welcoming Esther.

  "My little girl was so tired that we stopped for the night at yourneighbor Stanley's house, five miles east," said Mr. Eldridge; "andthat is why we are in good season this morning."

  While Mr. Eldridge was speaking Esther held fast to her father'shand, her large black eyes fixed on Mrs. Carew. Faith looked at heradmiringly, wishing that her own eyes were black, and that her feetwere small like Es
ther's, and that she had a hat with a wide scarletribbon.

  "Esther, this is Faith," she heard her mother say, "and she will tryand make you so happy here that you will wish to stay all winter."

  The two little girls smiled shyly, and Esther let go her clasp on herfather's hand and followed Mrs. Carew into the pleasant kitchen. Faithwatched her eagerly; she wondered why Esther looked about the big roomwith such a curious expression. "Almost as if she did not like it,"thought Faith.

  The little gray kitten came bouncing out from behind the big wood-boxand Esther gave a startled exclamation.

  "It's just 'Bounce,'" said Faith, picking up the kitten and smoothingits pretty head. "I named it 'Bounce' because it never seems to walk.It just bounces along."

  Esther smiled again, but she did not speak. Faith noticed that she wasvery thin, and that her hands looked almost like little brown shadows.

  "Are you tired?" she asked, suddenly remembering that she had heardher father say that "Mr. Eldridge's little maid was not well, and hethought the change would do her good."

  Esther nodded. "Yes, I'm always tired," she answered, sitting down inthe low wooden rocker beside the light stand.

  "For pity's sake, child, we must see to it that you are soon as strongand well as Faith," said Mrs. Carew, untying the broad scarlet ribbonand taking off Esther's hat. She smoothed back the dark hair with atender hand, remembering that Esther's own mother was not well, andresolving to do her best for this delicate child.

  "I think the pumpkin is cooked by this time, Faithie. I'll set it inthe window to cool and then you can take out the pulp and I'll makethe cakes," said Mrs. Carew.

  Bounce jumped up in Esther's lap, and Faith sat down on the braidedrug beside her.

  "I'm going to make the pumpkin shell into a work-basket for you," saidFaith. "Did you ever see a pumpkin-shell work-basket?"

  Esther shook her head. She did not seem much interested. But she askedeagerly: "Are the pumpkin cakes sweet?"

  "Yes, indeed. You shall have one as soon as they are baked; may shenot, mother dear?"

  "Why, yes; only if Esther is not well it may not be wise for her toeat between meals," responded Mrs. Carew.

  "Oh! But I eat cakes whenever I want them," declared Esther, "and Ilove sweets. I had a fine cake when I left home and I ate it allbefore we got to Lake Dunmore."

  Mrs. Carew thought to herself that she did not wonder Esther wasalways tired and not strong. Esther did not say that the "fine cake"had been sent as a gift to Faith. But her face flushed a little, andshe added, "I meant to bring the cake as a present; but I was hungry."

  "Of course you were," agreed Faith quickly. "Is not the pumpkin coolenough to cut, mother dear?" asked Faith.

  "Yes," replied her mother, setting the yellow pumpkin on the table.

  "Come and see me do it, Esther," said Faith, and Esther, with a littlesigh, left the comfortable chair and came and leaned against thetable.

  With a sharp knife Faith cut a circle about the stem of the pumpkinand took it off, a little round, with the stem in the center. "Thatwill be the work-box cover," she explained, laying it carefully on awooden plate. Then she removed the seeds and the pulp, putting thepulp in a big yellow bowl, and scraping the inside of the pumpkinshell. "There! Now when it dries a bit 'twill be a fine work-box, andit is for you, Esther," she said; but Esther was watching Mrs. Carew,who was beating up eggs with the pumpkin pulp.

  "Do you put spices in the cakes?" she questioned eagerly. "How longbefore they will be baked?"

  Faith stood holding the yellow pumpkin shell, and looking at hervisitor wonderingly.

  "All she cares about is something to eat," thought Faith, a littlescornfully, setting the fine pumpkin shell on the table.

  Esther's face brightened as she listened to Mrs. Carew's descriptionof pumpkin cakes, and of pumpkin pies sweetened with maple syrup.

  "I think I must teach you to cook, Esther. I am sure you would soonlearn," said Mrs. Carew.

  "I guess I wouldn't be strong enough," responded Esther in a listlesstone, going back to the rocking-chair, without even a glance atFaith's present.

  "Come, Esther, let's go down to the mill. I'll show you the big wheel,and how father raises the water-gate," suggested Faith, who wasbeginning to think that a visitor was not such a delightful thing,after all.

  Esther left her chair with a regretful sigh, and followed Faithout-of-doors.

  "Listen!" said Faith. "That rippling, singing noise is the brook."

  Esther laughed. "You're funny," she said. "Why should I listen to anoisy old mill-stream?"

  "I thought perhaps you'd like to hear it. I do. Sometimes, just as Igo to sleep, I hear it singing about the stars, and about little foxeswho come down to drink, and about birds...." Faith stopped suddenly,for Esther was laughing; and as Faith turned to look at her sherealized that Esther cared nothing about the music of the stream.

  "I do believe you are silly," Esther responded. "Do you think yourmother will bake the cakes and pies while we are away?"

  "Yes," replied Faith dully. Only that morning she had said to herselfhow nice it would be to have a girl friend to talk with, but if Estherthought she was "silly"--why, of course, she must not talk. "I'll lether talk," resolved Faith.

  For a few moments the two little girls walked on in silence, thenEsther said suddenly: "Does your mother ever let you boil down maplemolasses for candy?"

  "Sometimes," replied Faith.

  Esther slipped her little brown hand under Faith's arm. "Ask her tolet us make candy this afternoon. Do. Tell her it will keep me frombeing lonesome. For my father will be going to Ticonderoga as soon asdinner is over; he will be gone for days. Will you ask her, Faith?"

  "Yes, I'll ask her," Faith answered.

  "I know I'm going to have a fine visit," declared Esther, with moreinterest than she had shown since her arrival. "Does your mother everbake little pies, in saucers, for you?"

  "No," said Faith, still resolved to say no more than was necessary.

  "Oh! Doesn't she? That's too bad. I wish I had asked her to. Then wecould play keep-house in the afternoon, and have the pies to eat. Willyour mother make pies again to-morrow?"

  "I don't know," said Faith.

  Esther did not care much about the mill. She hardly glanced at the bigwater-wheel, and was eager to get back to the house. Several timesshe reminded Faith of her promise about the maple candy. Faith hadexpected that she and Esther would be the best of friends, but thetime before dinner seemed very long to both the children.

  Soon after dinner Mr. Eldridge went on his way. He left his horse inMr. Carew's care, as he was to walk to the shore of Lake Champlain andtrust to good fortune to find a canoe or boat in which he could crossthe narrow strait to Ticonderoga. He would not return for a week, andhe seemed greatly pleased that his little daughter was so contented tobe left with her new friends.

  "She is an only child, like your own little maid," he said to Mrs.Carew, "and I am glad they are to be friends."

  They all walked down the slope with him, and watched him striding offalong the rough path.

  "He's going to fetch me some rock-candy," said Esther as they turnedback to the house.

  Mrs. Carew stopped at the mill, and the two little girls went back tothe house.

  "We'll make the maple candy now, shan't we?" said Esther, as theyreached the kitchen door. "See, the kettle is all clean, and I knowwhere the molasses jug is," and before Faith could remind her that shehad not yet asked permission, Esther was dragging the heavy jug fromthe pantry.

  "Oh, look out, Esther. You'll spill it," cautioned Faith, running tohelp her.

  "No, I won't. Here, help me turn it into the kettle and get it overthe fire before your mother comes back," urged Esther, and the twogirls lifted the jug and turned the maple syrup into the kettle."There, that will make a lot of candy," said Esther. "You stir up thefire and put on more wood."

  Faith obeyed. She hardly knew what else she could do, although she wassure that her mother wo
uld not want them to use all the syrup forcandy. As she piled on the wood, she heard a scrambling noise at thedoor, and a sudden scream from Esther: "Faith! Faith! A bear! A bear!"and looking over her shoulder she saw a big brown bear coming inthrough the kitchen door.