CHAPTER III
MORE MISCHIEF
"'Hours ago,'" repeated Mrs. Carew. "Why, dear child, it is only anhour since Esther came up from the mill with the dishes."
Faith looked so bewildered that her mother exclaimed: "Why, child!Have you forgotten that you and Esther had your dinner at the mill?"
"But I did not have any dinner," declared Faith. "It was not dinnertime when I ran off and left Esther in the sitting-room. I----" andthen Faith stopped suddenly. She resolved that she would not tell hermother that she had given Esther the blue beads,--not until Esther wasfound.
"Well, I declare. Esther came into the kitchen just as I was preparingdinner, and asked if you girls could not have a picnic dinner at themill, and I was well pleased to let you. I put some cold meat andbread, a good half of pumpkin pie and some of the pumpkin cakes in abasket, and gave her a pitcher of milk, and off she went. An hour agoshe came in to ask for a lunch and I gave her a good piece of molassescake. Your father was busy skinning the bear, and we gave but littlethought to you children. But when I called your name, and foundneither of you at the mill, I became alarmed. But where can Esther benow?" concluded Mrs. Carew, looking anxiously about the clearing.
"Go back to the house with Faith and give the child something to eat.Colonel Allen and I will search the mill again," said Mr. Carew.
"I'm tired," said Faith, as they reached the house, "and I don't likeEsther."
"Hush, Faithie. She is your guest. And if she has wandered into anyharm or danger I do not know what we can say to Mr. Eldridge,"responded her mother; "but I do not understand about the food," sheadded, half to herself, wondering if Esther could really have eaten itall.
Faith looked about the kitchen. "It looks just the same. Just as ifthe bear had not come in," she said.
Mrs. Carew brought her a bowl of milk and a plate of corn bread, andanother plate with two of the pumpkin cakes.
"I'll run back to the mill while you eat your supper, Faithie, and seeif Esther has been found. When I come back you must tell me what youwere turning syrup into the kettle for."
Faith was hungry, but as she ate her bread and milk she felt veryunhappy. She remembered her promise to Esther not to tell Mrs. Carewabout the syrup.
"I don't know what I shall do," she said aloud. "I guess I'll go andrest on the settle until mother dear comes," so she opened the doorand entered the sitting-room. As she lay back among the cushions ofthe settle she heard a faint noise from the further side of the room."I guess it's 'Bounce,'" she thought.
Then the noise came again: "Gr-r-r! Gr-rrr!" Faith sat up quickly. Shewondered if another bear had made its way into the house. The bigblack bearskin rug in front of the table was moving; it was standingup, and coming toward the settle.
"It's you, Esther Eldridge! You can't frighten me," said Faith, andEsther dropped the rug from her shoulders and came running toward thesettle. Her black eyes were dancing, and she was laughing.
"Oh! I've had the greatest fun! I ate all your dinner, and I hid underthat bearskin and your mother and father hunted everywhere for me.Where have you been?" concluded Esther, looking down at Faith. Thelittle girls did not notice that, just as Esther began speaking, Mrs.Carew had opened the sitting-room door.
"I've been way off in the woods, and my mother has asked me to tellher about the maple syrup," replied Faith accusingly.
"Well, Esther!"
Both the girls gave an exclamation of surprise at the sound of Mrs.Carew's voice. "You may go to the mill and tell Mr. Carew that you aresafe, and then come directly back," she said a little sternly, andstood by the door until Esther was on her way. Then she crossed overto the settle and sat down beside Faith.
"I will not ask you about the syrup, Faithie dear," she said,smoothing Faith's ruffled hair. "And you had best go up-stairs to bed.I will have a talk with Esther, and then she will go to bed. It hasbeen a difficult day, has it not, child? But to-morrow I trusteverything will go pleasantly, without bears or trouble of any sort."
"But Esther will be here," said Faith.
"Never mind; I think Esther has made mischief enough to-day to lastall her visit," responded Mrs. Carew; and Faith, very tired, andgreatly comforted, went up to her pleasant chamber which Esther was toshare. She wondered to herself just what her mother would say toEsther. But she did not stay long awake, and when Esther cameup-stairs shortly after, very quietly, and feeling rather ashamed ofherself after listening to Mrs. Carew, Faith was fast asleep.
But Esther did not go to sleep. She wondered to herself what herfather would say if Mrs. Carew told him of her mischief, and began towish that she had not deceived Mrs. Carew about the dinner. She couldfeel her face flush in the darkness when she remembered what Mrs.Carew had said to her about truthfulness. Esther's head ached, and shefelt as if she was going to be ill. Down-stairs she could hear themurmur of voices. Ethan Allen would sleep on the settle, and be off atan early hour the next morning. It seemed a long time before thevoices ceased, and she heard Mr. and Mrs. Carew come up the stairs.Esther began to wish that she had not eaten the fine pumpkin pie andall the cakes. It was nearly morning before she fell asleep, and shewas awake when Faith first opened her eyes.
"It's time to get up. It always is the minute I wake up," said Faithsleepily.
Esther answered with a sudden moan: "I can't get up. I'm sick," shewhispered.
Faith sat up in bed and looked at Esther a little doubtfully. ButEsther's flushed face and the dark shadows under her eyes proved thatshe spoke the truth.
"I'll tell mother. Don't cry, Esther. Mother will make you well beforeyou know it," said Faith, quickly slipping out of bed and running intothe little passage at the head of the stairs.
In a few moments Mrs. Carew was standing beside the bed. She said toherself that she did not wonder that Esther was ill. But while Faithdressed and got ready for breakfast Mrs. Carew smoothed out thetumbled bed, freshened the pillows and comforted their little visitor.
"Run down and eat your porridge, Faithie, and then come back and sitwith Esther," said Mrs. Carew.
When Faith returned Mrs. Carew went down and brewed some bitter herbsand brought the tea for Esther to drink. The little girl swallowed theunpleasant drink, and shortly after was sound asleep. She had notawakened at dinner time, and Mrs. Carew was sure that she would sleepoff her illness.
"The child must be taught not to crave sweet foods," she said, as shetold Faith to run down to the mill and amuse herself as she pleased."Only don't go out of sight of the mill, Faithie," she cautioned, andFaith promised and ran happily off down the path. She was eager to askher father about Mr. Ethan Allen.
Mr. Carew was busy grinding wheat. There were few mills in theWilderness, and nearly every day until midwinter settlers were comingand going from the mill, bringing bags of wheat or corn on horsebackover the rough trail and carrying back flour or meal. When Mr. Carewhad tied up the bag of meal and his customer had ridden away, he cameto where Faith was sitting close by the open door and sat down besideher.
"Why do you call Mr. Allen a 'Green Mountain Boy'?" asked the littlegirl, after she had answered his questions about Esther; "he is a bigman."
Mr. Carew smiled down at Faith's eager face, and then pointed to thegreen wooded hills beyond the clearing. "It's because he, and othermen of these parts, are like those green hills,--strong, andsufficient to themselves," he answered. "Every settler in theWilderness knows that Ethan Allen will help them protect their homes;and no man knows this part of the country better than Colonel Allen."
"Why do you call him 'Colonel'?" asked Faith.
"Because the Bennington people have given him that title, and put himin command of the men of the town that they may be of service todefend it in case King George's men come over from New York," repliedher father; "but I do not know but the bears are as dangerous as the'Yorkers.' Do you think Esther will be quite well to-morrow?"concluded Mr. Carew.
Faith was quite sure that Esther would soon be as well as ever. Shedid not want to t
alk about Esther. She wanted to hear more about herfriend Colonel Allen. "I heard him tell mother that he slept in a caveone night on his way here," she said.
"Oh, yes; he can sleep anywhere. But you must talk of him no moreto-day, Faithie," answered Mr. Carew; "and here is 'Bounce' lookingfor you," he added, as the little gray kitten jumped into Faith's lap.