“Things happened when I went to Boston before,” said Anne, remembering her brief visit to Newburyport, when she had safely carried a paper of importance to loyal Americans.
“I think all will go smoothly now,” said Mr. Freeman, “but it was a very brave thing for a little girl to start off alone for help, as you did last night, Anne,” and he looked kindly down at the little girl beside him. “Had we indeed been held prisoners by Tories you might have secured help for us, as you thought to do.”
“But she really did help us, father,” said Rose; “it was Anne who made them understand who we really were. I do believe we might be shut up still if Anne had not found a way to help us. Your father will be proud of you, Anne, when I tell him the story.”
It made Anne very happy to have Mr. Freeman and Rose praise her, and she quite forgave the man who had pulled her from behind the bushes, and whose finger marks she could still feel on her arm.
“I hope it won’t rain to-day,” said Mr. Freeman. “We ought to get to Sandwich by noon, and after Lady has rested, we’ll go on as far as we can. Lady seems as anxious to get to Boston as we do,” for the big horse was traveling at a rapid pace, and going as if she enjoyed it.
“You shall go and see Faneuil Hall when you are in Boston, Anne,” promised Rose, “and Mr. Hancock’s fine house. It has terraces and stone steps, and the English officers would well like to take up their quarters there.”
“They seem well satisfied with Vardy for a landlord at the ‘Royal Exchange,’” answered Mr. Freeman smilingly. “Look, there is a wasp’s nest as big as a bucket,” and Mr. Freeman pointed his whip toward a huge gray ball hanging from the branch of a partly decayed tree near the road.
“It’s a beauty,” said Rose, leaning out to see the wonderful ball of gray paper which swung from the branch above them.
Mr. Freeman turned Lady to the further side of the road and said, “If the wasps have deserted their house, as they sometimes do at this season, I’d like to get it to take home to the children. I never saw so large a nest. I can soon find out,” he concluded.