He was gone a long time—much longer than he expected to be. When he reached England he found that war was going on, and Raleigh was busy fighting for his country.
Two ships, however, were loaded with supplies and started to America. Alas! they had not gone far before they had a fight with the Spaniards and were obliged to go back to England.
It was three years before Virginia's grandfather was able to cross the ocean again. What long, anxious years they must have been!
When he reached Virginia there was not one of his people to greet him; no daughter to meet him with smiles and kisses; no little grandchild to sit on his knee and put her arms around his neck.
All were gone—the fort, the village, men, women, and children. He looked about for a sign of what had happened. This only met his eyes: It was a tree into which these letters had been hurriedly cut:
C-R-O-A-T-A-N
What was the meaning of these letters? Was it to let him know that the white people could be found among the Croatan Indians? Had they been made prisoners by that tribe of Red Men? He went to them and to other tribes in the country around, but he was not able to learn anything about his lost dear ones. At last he went back to England with a sad heart.
No one knows to this day whether Virginia Dare was killed by the Red Men or whether she lived to grow up among their children and learn their ways and language. She and her people are spoken of to-day as "The Lost Colony."
When Sir Walter Raleigh heard the sad news he was discouraged. He had spent all his money and still had no colony. Queen Elizabeth died a few years after this. King James, who now ruled over England, was not his friend.
The king kept the brave knight in prison for twelve long years. At last he ordered the good Sir Walter Raleigh's head to be cut off.