a time ago; all she could think of was to get away from Esther Eldridge.

She ran across the clearing and along a narrow path that circled behind the mill into the woods. She ran on and on until she could no longer hear the sound of the brook, and the path began to grow rocky and difficult. Then, tired and almost breathless, Faith sat down on a big rock and looked about her. For a few moments she could think of nothing but her lost beads, and of the disagreeable visitor. Then gradually she realized that she had never before been so far along this rough path. All about her rose huge, towering pines. Looking ahead the path seemed to end in a dense thicket. She heard the rustle of some little forest animal as it moved through the vines behind her, and the call of birds near at hand. Faith began to recall the happenings of the morning: the excitement of Esther’s arrival, the sudden appearance of the bear in the kitchen doorway, her terror lest her mother should come before she could be warned; and then, again, Esther and the loss of her beads. She began to cry. She felt very tired and unhappy. She felt Esther was to blame for everything, even for the appearance of the bear. Never before had a bear dared come to the house. Faith leaned back against a friendly tree with a tired little sigh. She would rest, and then go home, she thought, and closed her eyes.

When she awoke, she thought she must still be dreaming; for, standing a little way down the path, was a tall man leaning on a musket. He wore a flannel blouse, and his homespun trousers were tucked into high leathern gaiters.

The man smiled and nodded. “Do not be frightened, little maid,” he said in a friendly voice. “I did not want to leave you here in the woods until I was sure that you could make your way home. Are you Miller Carew’s little girl?”

“Yes, sir,” answered Faith, wondering who this tall, dark-eyed man, who knew her father, could be, and then adding, “My name is Faith.”

The tall man smiled again, and took off his leather cap.

“My name is Ethan Allen,” he responded; “it may be that you have heard your father speak of me.”

“Yes, sir! You are a Green Mountain Boy; and you help the settlers to keep their ‘Grants,’” Faith replied quickly; for she had often heard her father and mother speak of the trouble the settlers were having to prove their titles to land taken under the “New Hampshire Grants,” and she remembered hearing her father say that Ethan Allen would help any man defend his rights. She wished that she could tell him all about Esther Eldridge and the blue beads, but she remembered her promise. “I guess there are times when people don’t have any rights,” she decided, and was quite unconscious that she had spoken aloud until she heard her companion say very clearly:

“There can never be such a time as that. People would be slaves indeed not to uphold their just and rightful claims. But why is a small maid like yourself troubling about ‘rights’?”

“I have company at my house——” began Faith.

“I see, I see!” interrupted Colonel Allen. “Of course you have to let the guest do whatever she pleases,” and he smiled and nodded, as if he understood all about it. “And now we had best start toward your father’s mill, for it is well toward sunset.”

“Sunset? Have I slept all the afternoon!” exclaimed Faith, jumping up.

As they walked down the path Ethan Allen asked Faith many questions about the people who came along the trail from the settlements on their way to Lake Champlain.

When they reached the clearing where the mill stood Faith’s father and mother came running to meet them. They welcomed Mr. Allen, and said that they had been sadly worried about Faith. “But where is Esther?” asked Mrs. Carew. “Is she not with you, Faith?”

“I left her in the sitting-room, hours ago!” answered the little girl.

CHAPTER III

MORE MISCHIEF

“‘Hours ago,’” repeated Mrs. Carew. “Why, dear child, it is only an hour 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 dinner time when I ran off and left Esther in the sitting-room. I——” and then Faith stopped suddenly. She resolved that she would not tell her mother that she had given Esther the blue beads,—not until Esther was found.

“Well, I declare. Esther came into the kitchen just as I was preparing dinner, and asked if you girls could not have a picnic dinner at the mill, and I was well pleased to let you. I put some cold meat and bread, a good half of pumpkin pie and some of the pumpkin cakes in a basket, and gave her a pitcher of milk, and off she went. An hour ago she came in to ask for a lunch and I gave her a good piece of molasses cake. Your father was busy skinning the bear, and we gave but little thought to you children. But when I called your name, and found neither of you at the mill, I became alarmed. But where can Esther be now?” 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 like Esther.”

“Hush, Faithie. She is your guest. And if she has wandered into any harm or danger I do not know what we can say to Mr. Eldridge,” responded her mother; “but I do not understand about the food,” she added, half to herself, wondering if Esther could really have eaten it all.

Faith looked about the kitchen. “It looks just the same. Just as if the bear had not come in,” she said.

Mrs. Carew brought her a bowl of milk and a plate of corn bread, and another plate with two of the pumpkin cakes.

“I’ll run back to the mill while you eat your supper, Faithie, and see if Esther has been found. When I come back you must tell me what you were turning syrup into the kettle for.”

Faith was hungry, but as she ate her bread and milk she felt very unhappy. She remembered her promise to Esther not to tell Mrs. Carew about the syrup.

“I don’t know what I shall do,” she said aloud. “I guess I’ll go and rest on the settle until mother dear comes,” so she opened the door and entered the sitting-room. As she lay back among the cushions of the 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. She wondered if another bear had made its way into the house. The big black bearskin rug in front of the table was moving; it was standing up, and coming toward the settle.

“It’s you, Esther Eldridge! You can’t frighten me,” said Faith, and Esther dropped the rug from her shoulders and came running toward the settle. Her black eyes were dancing, and she was laughing.

“Oh! I’ve had the greatest fun! I ate all your dinner, and I hid under that bearskin and your mother and father hunted everywhere for me. Where have you been?” concluded Esther, looking down at Faith. The little 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