“Who wants to capture Colonel Allen?” Faith asked.
“The ‘Yorkers.’ The English,” responded the boy carelessly; “but it can’t be done,” he added. “Why, every man who holds a New Hampshire Grant would defend him. And Colonel Allen isn’t afraid of the whole English army.”
“I know him. He was at my father’s house just a few weeks ago,” said Faith.
“Don’t tell anybody,” said Nathan. “Some of the people at the fort may question you, but you mustn’t let them know that you have ever seen Colonel Allen.”
Donald had been busy sorting out feathers for the new arrows, and now showed Nathan a number of bright yellow tips, which the elder boy declared would be just what were needed.
Nathan asked Faith many questions about her father’s mill, and about Ethan Allen’s visit. And Faith told him of the big bear that had entered their kitchen and eaten the syrup. When Mrs. Scott called them to dinner she felt that she was well acquainted with the good-natured boy, whom Mrs. Scott welcomed warmly.
“I believe Nathan knows as much about Fort Ticonderoga as the men who built it,” she said laughingly, “for the soldiers have let him play about there since he was a little boy.”
“And Nathan made his own boat, too. The boat he comes over from Shoreham in,” said Donald. For Nathan Beaman lived on the further side of the strip of water which separated Ticonderoga from the New Hampshire Grants.
That afternoon Faith and her aunt worked on the fine new blue dress. The next day Mrs. Scott took her little niece to the shoemaker, who measured her feet and promised to have the shoes ready at the end of a week.
As they started for the shoemaker’s Mrs. Scott said: