She stopped crying suddenly, for she felt a hand smoothing her hair, and she looked up to find Nakanit sitting beside her, and at her feet rested the bundle. It was plain that the mischievous Indian girl had wished to tease the little white girl, but had relented at the sight of her tears.
“Oh,” exclaimed Anne, “I’m so glad!” and she began to unfasten the bundle, spreading out the blue cape and muslin dress, and laying “Martha Stoddard” down on the deerskins. Then she took up the string of coral beads and turning toward Nakanit fastened them around her neck. “I want to give you these for being good to me,” she said. The Indian girl understood the gift if not the words, and was evidently delighted. Hearing a noise at the entrance they looked up to see the squaw smiling in at them. She had heard Anne’s words, and now came toward the girls. Anne picked up her blue cape and held it out toward the squaw. “I wish I had something better to give you,” she said.
The squaw took it eagerly, and with a grunt of satisfaction, and then, turning to Nakanit, began chattering rapidly. Nakanit ran toward a big basket in the corner and came back with several pairs of soft moccasins. Kneeling before Anne she tried them on her feet until a pair was found that fitted.
“Now go with Nakanit to the lake,” said the squaw, and Anne followed Nakanit out of the wigwam through the woods to a clear little lake where the girls bathed, braided their hair, and then came back to eat heartily of the simple food the squaw gave them.
CHAPTER V
AT BREWSTER
“Look, look, Aunt Hetty. Here are some Indians coming up the path, and I do believe that they have a little white boy and girl with them,” and Rose Freeman drew her aunt to the open window that looked down over a smooth green lawn to an elm-shaded village street.
Aunt Hetty’s well-starched dress rustled pleasantly as she hurried to join Rose.