A Little Maid of Old Maine Part 16

Twilight was near at hand. The sun was low in the western sky, and a cool little breeze crept up from the river and stirred the tree-tops.

Shadows gathered about the house, and still there was no sign or sound of the Hortons, and Rebby was about to start for home when a man came around the corner of the house and spoke to her.

He was evidently a sailor, and in a great hurry. He asked no questions but began speaking as if he had no time to lose.

"Tell your mother that the _Polly_ and _Unity_ will come into harbor to-morrow, and that Captain Jones is on board the _Unity_. There's a British gunboat along with them, and your father says there may be trouble, and for you and your mother to keep close indoors until he comes."

The sailor started to move off, but Rebby found courage to ask:

"Where--where are the sloops now?"

"Anch.o.r.ed below Round Island; but we'll be sailing in with morning tide.

The Captain bade me keep well out of sight and come straight back to the sloop. Be sure you tell your mother," responded the man, speaking in such low tones that Rebby had to listen sharply to understand.

"Yes, I'll tell my mother," she replied, and without a moment's hesitation she started for home as fast as her feet could carry her. She had entirely forgotten her anger toward Lucia, or her mother's reproof.

All she could think of was the news this sailor, evidently a member of the _Polly's_ crew, had told her, believing that he was speaking to Lucia Horton.

And now Rebecca recalled all that Lucia had told her of what might befall the little village if a British gunboat sailed into harbor and saw a liberty tree flaunting its courageous defiance to injustice. But now she could tell her father, not Lucia's secret, but what the sailor had told her.

"And Father will know what to do. Father and Mr. Lyon," she thought breathlessly, as she ran swiftly up the path and burst into the kitchen, where her father and mother and Anna were waiting her return.

She told her story quickly, and without any mention of what Lucia had confided in her weeks before. "The sailor thought I was Captain Horton's little girl," she concluded.

Mr. Weston questioned Rebby carefully, and then said:

"I'll take this news to Captain O'Brien and to Parson Lyon; but say nothing about it to anyone until we see what news the _Polly_ brings."

And he hurried away to prepare his neighbors for possible danger.

"You see, Rebby, your obedience may have saved the settlement," said Mrs. Weston, putting her arm about Rebecca.

"But I had not seen Lucia, Mother. I was waiting for her," said Rebecca.

Mrs. Weston made no answer; her thoughts were too full of the possible dangers to the settlement from the British gunboat to think much of the postponed apology; nor was the matter ever again mentioned.

"Now, Rebby, you really have done something for America," declared Anna, as the sisters went up to their room that night. But Rebby shook her head.

"No, Danna, I haven't. But perhaps I can sometime, and you too," she replied. For some reason, that Rebby could not explain even to herself, her thoughts centered around what her father had said on their trip to the Falls of the store of powder and shot at Chandler's River settlement. She had heard her father say that Machias was but ill provided with munitions; and with a British gunboat coming into harbor the next day who could tell how quickly powder and shot might be needed?

CHAPTER XVI

REBBY DECIDES

The next morning dawned bright and tranquil. The fragrance of pine woods and broad meadows filled the air, and practically all the inhabitants of Machias gathered about the wharves to watch for the _Polly_ and _Unity_ to come sailing into harbor.

The provisions the sloops were bringing were greatly needed; but when Mr. Weston had told the men of the settlement that the sloops were being convoyed by a British war vessel their alarm and consternation can be imagined. Mrs. Horton and Lucia were about the only ones absent from the wharf when, silently and without a cheer of welcome, the _Polly_ and _Unity_, and the boat flying the hated English flag came to anchor.

Captain Jones came ash.o.r.e, greeting his old-time friends cordially, and explaining that the presence of the gunboat was only to protect him from attacks by British cruisers. But his explanation was received in silence. The memory of the recent battle in Lexington was fresh in the people's hearts, and much as they needed the provisions on the sloops they were ready to do without them unless Captains Horton and Jones could a.s.sure their fellow-townsmen of their loyalty and send the British gunboat from the harbor.

Finally he received consent to land his goods, and commenced trading with the people as usual, while the _Margaretta_, the British gunboat, lay at anchor off White's Point, some distance below the town.

Mrs. Lyon received many packages from her Boston relatives, and there were two dolls for Melvina, the ones of which Luretta had spoken on the day when she and Anna had led Melvina to the sh.o.r.e to show her a "clam's nest."

Rebecca's gold beads, intended for her birthday, were safely delivered; and beside the beads was a pair of silk mitts for both Rebby and Anna.

To Rebby this seemed a very wonderful thing, and she felt it almost a reward for carrying back those Lucia had given her.

Mrs. Horton now kept Lucia closely at home. Anna and Luretta were invited to spend an afternoon with Melvina, and become acquainted with the new dolls, and Melvina urged Luretta to bring Trit, resolving to dress up the rabbit as she and Anna had done before.

Rebecca was more aware of the troubled condition of the settlement than were these younger girls. Paul Foster told her that his Uncle Benjamin, a bold and energetic man who had served in the old French War, said that the Machias men ought to capture the British gunboat, and take the sloops, making their captains and crews prisoners. Rebby listened eagerly.

"But we couldn't capture them, Paul; I heard Father say there was but little powder and shot in the settlement," she said.

"We'd get 'em," declared Paul. "If Jones and Horton think they are going to load up their sloops with lumber for British barracks in Boston they'll see trouble."

"And Parson Lyon is not to preach at the liberty pole," said Rebby a little thoughtfully.

Paul made no response to this. He had come up to the Westons' on an errand for his mother, and was now eager to get back to the wharves where the sloops were being unloaded.

"If the Britisher fires on our liberty pole they'll hear a sermon all right," he called back as he ran down the path.

It was difficult for Rebby to attend to the simple duties that her mother required of her. Whenever her father entered the house she watched his face anxiously, half-expecting him to say that the Machias men were ready to capture the gunboat before it could attack the town.

When Anna came home eager to describe Melvina's new dolls, and to tell of dressing up Trit, and that London Atus, coming into the room where the little girls were playing and seeing the rabbit wearing a white skirt and bonnet, had turned and run out muttering something about "witches," Rebby listened, but with little interest.

"Danna," she said, as soon as the sisters were alone, "do you suppose you and I could find the way to Chandler's River?"

"Of course we could," Anna declared. "Don't you remember that Father showed us where the trail began, marked by 'spotted' trees?"

"Yes, I remember. Listen, Anna; there is hardly any powder or shot in Machias; if there were the men could protect the liberty pole."

"Yes, yes," Anna responded quickly. "I heard Parson Lyon telling Captain O'Brien that all the men ought to be ready to defend the settlement."

"Oh, Anna! There are quant.i.ties of powder stored at Chandler's Mills.

Why couldn't we go after it?" Rebby whispered. "Then indeed we would be helping, and perhaps 'twould save the liberty pole."

"Would Father let us?" Anna asked doubtfully.

"Don't you see? We must go after it without telling anyone; then when we bring it back the men can drive off or capture the gunboat," Rebecca explained.

"I think Father ought to know," persisted Anna, so that at last Rebby said no more, after Anna had promised not to repeat Rebby's plan to anyone.

But Rebby slept but little that night. If the gunboat fired on the town she felt it would be her fault for having kept Lucia's secret to herself; and yet she dared not break a promise. In some way Rebby felt that she must do something to make right her foolish act in helping Lucia set the liberty tree adrift.

The next day Captain Jones began his preparations to load the sloops with lumber for Boston, and the Machias men, doubtful of the Captain's loyalty, determined that the sloops should not return to Boston. Rebby and Anna were in the lumber yard filling a basket with chips, when a number of men talking of this decision pa.s.sed them.

"If we only had more powder and shot," said one; "but we cannot spare a single man to go to Chandler's River after supplies."

"There, Anna!" exclaimed Rebby. "Did you hear what those men said? Do you not see that we can help as much as a real soldier? We can go to Chandler's River. We must."