How Mr. Weston’s face brightened when he saw Danna safe and sound, and how closely Rebby held her little sister, as Anna again told the story of her journey down the river.
When Paul started for home Mrs. Weston insisted that a generous portion of the bucket of honey should go with him; and Trit, safely fastened in a small basket, was sent to Luretta as a gift from Anna. He promised to be ready the next morning to return to the falls with Mr. Weston in the canoe to bring home the store of honey.
As the Westons gathered about the table for their evening meal they looked at each other with happy faces.
“I couldn’t feel happier if the Polly were in port, and America triumphant over her enemies,” declared Mr. Weston, as he helped Anna to a liberal portion of honey.
CHAPTER XIV
AN UNINVITED GUEST
Paul and Mr. Weston started off at an early hour the next morning in Paul’s canoe to bring home the honey. Beside a tub they took with them a number of buckets, for the old stump had a rich store of honey.
It was a time of leisure for the lumbering settlement. The drives of logs had all come down the river and were safely in the booms. The mills could not run as usual, for the conflict with England made it difficult to send lumber to Boston. The crops were now planted, so Mr. Weston, like other men of the settlement, had time for hunting and fishing or for improving their simple homes. Some of the men passed a good part of each day lounging around the shores and wharves, looking anxiously down the harbor hoping to see Captain Jones’ sloops returning with the greatly needed provisions.