Nathan Beaman was there, circling about in skilful curves, or darting off with long swift strokes, greatly to the admiration of the other children. He was quite ready to take the sled rope and give Louise a fine ride up the lake toward the fort, and back to the fire, and to guide Faith in her clumsy efforts to skate.

Faith and Louise were warming their fingers at the fire when they heard loud voices and a commotion on the ice.

"What is it? Indians?" exclaimed Faith, looking around, for the settlers never knew at what moment the Indians might become mischievous.

"No! Soldiers. Soldiers from the fort," replied Aunt Prissy, drawing the little girls away from the fire. "Perhaps they are only coming to warm their fingers."

Two red-coated soldiers came swinging close to the sh.o.r.e. They were talking loudly, and as they neared the fire they called out: "Clear away from that fire. We'll have no fires built on this sh.o.r.e. 'Tis too good a way to send messages across the lake."

With a couple of stout sticks they beat out the flame, kicking snow over the coals, and extinguishing the last bit of fire.

Mrs. Scott had helped Louise toward the ice, but Faith had lingered a moment. As one of the soldiers turned from the fire he found himself facing a little fur-clad figure with flushed cheeks and angry eyes.

"That was our fire. You had no business to put it out," Faith declared.

"Oh, ho! What's this?" laughed the soldier. "Do you own this lake? Or perhaps you are our new captain?"

"It is a mean thing to spoil our fire," continued Faith; "we wouldn't do you any harm."

"I'm not so sure about that," replied the soldier. "You have a pretty fierce expression," and with another kick at the fire, and a "good-bye, little rebel," to Faith, the two soldiers started back to the fort. The skaters now, troubled and angry by the unfriendly interference, were taking off their skates and starting for home.

"I wish American soldiers were in that fort," said Nat Beaman.

"Why don't you ask Colonel Allen to come and take it?" asked Faith earnestly; she was quite sure that Ethan Allen could do anything he attempted.

"Ask him yourself," responded Nathan laughingly.

"I guess I will," Faith thought to herself, as she followed Aunt Prissy up the field toward home. "Perhaps that would be doing something to help Americans."

The more Faith thought about this the stronger became her resolve to ask Colonel Allen to take possession of Fort Ticonderoga. She was so silent all the way home that her companions were sure she was overtired. Louise had to return to her own home, and soon after supper Faith was ready to go to bed.

"I've got a real secret now; even if I don't like secrets," she thought to herself. For she realized that she could not tell any one of her determination to find some way to ask Ethan Allen to capture Ticonderoga and send the troublesome English soldiers back to their own homes.

CHAPTER XV

NEW ADVENTURES

"It will be a good day to put a quilt in the frame," said Aunt Prissy, the morning after Faith's birthday. "You and Donald can help me with it right after breakfast; then while you children are off to the lake I will mark the pattern."

"Can't I help mark the pattern?" asked Faith, who had sometimes helped her mother, and thought it the most interesting part of the quilting.

The quilting-frame, four long strips of wood, was brought into the sitting-room and rested on the backs of four stout wooden chairs, forming a square. The frame was held firmly together at the corners by clamps and screws, so that it could be changed and adjusted to fit the quilt.

This quilt was a very pretty one, Faith thought, as she watched Aunt Prissy fasten it to the frame with stout linen thread. It was made of bits of bright woolen cloth. There were pieces of Faith's new dresses, and of the dresses made for Louise, and they were neatly st.i.tched together in a diamond-shaped pattern. Faith had made a good many of these, and so had Louise in the evenings as they sat with Aunt Prissy before the open fire.

First of all Aunt Prissy had fastened the lining for the quilt to the frame. Over this she spread an even layer of soft wool, and then over this the bright patchwork was spread and fastened. And now it was ready to mark the quilting pattern.

Aunt Prissy took a ball of firm twine and rubbed it well with white chalk. The cord was fastened tightly across the surface of the quilt.

"Now," said Aunt Prissy, and Faith took the tight cord up and "snap"

it went when her fingers released their hold, leaving a straight white mark across the quilt. Back and forth they stretched the cord and "snapped" the line, until the quilt was marked in a checkerboard pattern of white lines, which the quilters would follow with their neat st.i.tches.

"I believe I'll have a quilting bee to-morrow," said Aunt Prissy.

"When you and Donald start out you can go down and ask the minister's wife, and be sure and say that we shall expect Mr. Fairbanks to tea.

Then ask Neighbor Willis and her husband, and Mrs. Tuttle. I think that will be a pleasant number."

"May I help quilt?" asked Faith.

"Of course you may. Tell Mrs. Tuttle to bring her daughter. And now, my dear, in what manner will you ask our friends to the quilting party and to tea?" asked Aunt Prissy, looking down at her little niece with her pretty smile.

"I shall rap at the minister's door first, of course; and when Mrs.

Fairbanks opens the door I shall make my best curtsy, like this:" and Faith took a bit of her skirt in each hand, and bent in a very pretty curtsy indeed; "and I shall say: 'Good-morning, Mrs. Fairbanks. My Aunt Prissy will be very happy if you and the minister will come to her quilting bee to-morrow afternoon and stay to tea.'"

Aunt Prissy nodded approvingly. "I think that will do very nicely indeed. Now put on your things and run along. Donald is waiting."

Donald and "Scotchie" were at the door when Faith was ready to start.

The big dog barked his delight at being allowed to go with the children.

"I'd like to harness him to the sled; he could draw us both,"

suggested Donald, but Faith was sure that "Scotchie" would upset the sled; so her cousin gave up the project.

"We can go on the lake just below Mrs. Tuttle's house, and skate along the sh.o.r.e home; can't we, Cousin Faith?" asked Donald, after they had stopped at Mrs. Willis' house and that of the clergyman.

"Let's call and get Louise," suggested Faith.

"Oh, there won't be time. Look, there goes an English soldier into the shoemaker's now. The boys all say that the shoemaker is an English spy," answered Donald.

They were nearly in front of Mr. Trent's shop now, and Faith noticed that the soldier was the one who had been on the lake the previous day, and who had called her "a little rebel."

"Come to the back door, Donald. Just a moment, while I speak to Louise. And make 'Scotchie' keep still," said Faith, turning into the path leading to the back door.

"Scotchie" was barking fiercely as if he resented the sight of the redcoat.

The soldier turned quickly. "Stop that dog before I put a bullet into him," he called.

"He's afraid," Donald whispered to Faith, with a word to "Scotchie,"

and Faith ran up the path and entered the house.

Donald and "Scotchie" stood waiting, the dog growling now and then, whenever the soldier moved about on the door-step. It was evident that the shoemaker was not at home, for no answer came to the raps. In a moment Louise appeared at the door and told the man that her father was not at home.

"Send that boy with the dog about his business," said the soldier.

"'Tis the public road, sir; and 'tis not likely he'd mind what I might say," responded Louise smilingly, as she closed the door.