“Where is Faith?” Louise asked eagerly, when Mrs. Scott had welcomed her, and they were in the big kitchen.
“She’s gone home,” said Donald, before his mother could answer. But Mrs. Scott told the little girl of how much Faith had missed her, and of the string of blue beads that she had left to be given to Louise.
It was evident that Louise was greatly disappointed to find that her friend had gone. But she fastened the beads about her neck, and touched them with loving fingers.
“Faith was my very first friend,” she said. “My father says that we have come back to stay,” she added, “and perhaps Faith will come in the summer?” There was such a pleading, questioning look in the girl’s dark eyes that Mrs. Scott felt a new tenderness and sympathy for her, and put her arm about Louise as she answered:
“Perhaps she will. But you must come often and see me; for we shall both miss her very much.”
“Oh, may I, Mrs. Scott? I was afraid you wouldn’t want me to come,” and Louise’s face brightened.
“Why, I am to help you with your studies, and Donald is to call for you when you begin school. Faith arranged all that,” responded Mrs. Scott smilingly.
Faith was silent as the canoe went swiftly across the lake, and they had nearly reached the shore before she began asking questions about “Bounce,” whom her father declared to be now a “grown-up cat,” and about all the familiar things about the house and mill.
“Listen, father!” she said, as they landed, and he drew the canoe to its hiding-place in the alder bushes. “Hear the falls!” and for a moment the two stood quietly hearkening to the “Chiming Waters.”
Then Mr. Carew adjusted the pack, containing Faith’s belongings, picked up his musket, without which no woodsman dared travel in those days, and they started up the trail.