CHAPTER XVI
REBBY DECIDES
The next morning dawned bright and tranquil. The fragrance of pine woodsand broad meadows filled the air, and practically all the inhabitants ofMachias 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 whenMr. Weston had told the men of the settlement that the sloops were beingconvoyed by a British war vessel their alarm and consternation can beimagined. Mrs. Horton and Lucia were about the only ones absent from thewharf 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 ashore, greeting his old-time friends cordially, andexplaining that the presence of the gunboat was only to protect him fromattacks by British cruisers. But his explanation was received insilence. The memory of the recent battle in Lexington was fresh in thepeople's hearts, and much as they needed the provisions on the sloopsthey were ready to do without them unless Captains Horton and Jonescould assure their fellow-townsmen of their loyalty and send the Britishgunboat from the harbor.
Finally he received consent to land his goods, and commenced tradingwith 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 therewere two dolls for Melvina, the ones of which Luretta had spoken on theday when she and Anna had led Melvina to the shore to show her a "clam'snest."
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 areward for carrying back those Lucia had given her.
Mrs. Horton now kept Lucia closely at home. Anna and Luretta wereinvited to spend an afternoon with Melvina, and become acquainted withthe new dolls, and Melvina urged Luretta to bring Trit, resolving todress up the rabbit as she and Anna had done before.
Rebecca was more aware of the troubled condition of the settlement thanwere 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 thatthe Machias men ought to capture the British gunboat, and take thesloops, making their captains and crews prisoners. Rebby listenedeagerly.
"But we couldn't capture them, Paul; I heard Father say there was butlittle powder and shot in the settlement," she said.
"We'd get 'em," declared Paul. "If Jones and Horton think they are goingto load up their sloops with lumber for British barracks in Bostonthey'll see trouble."
"And Parson Lyon is not to preach at the liberty pole," said Rebby alittle thoughtfully.
Paul made no response to this. He had come up to the Westons' on anerrand for his mother, and was now eager to get back to the wharveswhere the sloops were being unloaded.
"If the Britisher fires on our liberty pole they'll hear a sermon allright," he called back as he ran down the path.
It was difficult for Rebby to attend to the simple duties that hermother required of her. Whenever her father entered the house shewatched his face anxiously, half-expecting him to say that the Machiasmen 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 tellof dressing up Trit, and that London Atus, coming into the room wherethe little girls were playing and seeing the rabbit wearing a whiteskirt 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 supposeyou and I could find the way to Chandler's River?"
"Of course we could," Anna declared. "Don't you remember that Fathershowed us where the trail began, marked by 'spotted' trees?"
"Yes, I remember. Listen, Anna; there is hardly any powder or shot inMachias; if there were the men could protect the liberty pole."
"Yes, yes," Anna responded quickly. "I heard Parson Lyon tellingCaptain O'Brien that all the men ought to be ready to defend thesettlement."
"Oh, Anna! There are quantities of powder stored at Chandler's Mills.Why couldn't we go after it?" Rebby whispered. "Then indeed we would behelping, 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 webring it back the men can drive off or capture the gunboat," Rebeccaexplained.
"I think Father ought to know," persisted Anna, so that at last Rebbysaid no more, after Anna had promised not to repeat Rebby's plan toanyone.
But Rebby slept but little that night. If the gunboat fired on the townshe felt it would be her fault for having kept Lucia's secret toherself; and yet she dared not break a promise. In some way Rebby feltthat she must do something to make right her foolish act in helpingLucia set the liberty tree adrift.
The next day Captain Jones began his preparations to load the sloopswith lumber for Boston, and the Machias men, doubtful of the Captain'sloyalty, determined that the sloops should not return to Boston. Rebbyand Anna were in the lumber yard filling a basket with chips, when anumber of men talking of this decision passed them.
"If we only had more powder and shot," said one; "but we cannot spare asingle man to go to Chandler's River after supplies."
"There, Anna!" exclaimed Rebby. "Did you hear what those men said? Doyou not see that we can help as much as a real soldier? We can go toChandler's River. We must."
"Perhaps Father would give us permission if we asked him," Annapersisted. But Rebecca shook her head at this suggestion; she dared notrisk the chance of a refusal.
"We ought to go at once," she said earnestly. "'Twill be a long tramp,and the gunboat may come up the harbor and threaten the settlement anyday. Do say you will go, Anna."
Rebby knew that Anna's knowledge of the forest, her strength andcourage, would be all that could enable her to undertake the task.Without Anna she feared that she might fail in finding her way, andnever reach Chandler's River.
"Think, Danna! The gunboat will shoot down our liberty pole! Perhapsburn the church and our houses, and they may carry off our father aprisoner! 'Tis what they try to do whenever Americans resist; and if theMachias men have powder and shot they'll not let the gunboat come near.And we can get the powder and save the settlement. Oh, Danna----"
Rebby's petition ended in a wail.
And now Anna was as eager to start as Rebby herself. The thought of herfather being taken a prisoner and that she and Rebby could prevent sogreat a misfortune made her no longer hesitate.
"We will start to-morrow morning, early," she said. "We must make surethat our moccasins are in good shape, Rebby; and we must take somecorn-bread, for 'twill be a good journey. How early can we start,Rebby?"
"Before sunrise, surely," responded Rebby, "and I will write on a stripof birch-bark what we are going to do, and pin it to Father's hat. Thenthey will not worry about us."
"Worry! Why, Father will think it a brave deed," declared Anna. "I wishwe had started this morning."
That day seemed very long to the sisters. They made their preparationscarefully for the next day's journey, and at an early hour went to bed,so that they might awaken in good season.
The next morning dawned clear. Before the sun was up Anna was wideawake, and at her whispered "Rebby," her sister's eyes opened quickly,and they slipped quietly out of bed. In a few moments they were fullydressed for their tramp through the forest. Very cautiously they madetheir way down the stairs. The house was silent. Neither Mr. nor Mrs.Weston heard the faintest sound to disturb their slumbers.
On the piece of smooth birch-bark that Rebby had made ready on theprevious day, with a bit of charcoal from the fireplace she wrote:
"Dear Mother and dear Father: Anna and I are going to Chandler's Riverto bring home powder and shot for
Machias men to use to save thesettlement. We will be home to-morrow. Your loving Rebby and Danna."
They slipped this under the deerskin thong that was twisted about Mr.Weston's hat, opened the kitchen door gently, and moved noiselesslyalong in the shadow of the house, then ran swiftly up the path, and in ashort time were out of sight of the houses of the settlement.
"Now we must walk slowly for a time," cautioned Anna, remembering herfather's warnings against hurrying at the beginning of a tramp. "We mustgo on steadily for a time, and rest before we begin to feel tired. Thatis the way Indians do, and Father says it is why they can travel dayafter day and not be exhausted."
Rebby looked at her little sister admiringly. In woodland lore sherealized that Danna was much wiser than herself, and she was quite readyto be guided by her.
When Mrs. Weston called the girls the next morning and received noresponse she was not greatly surprised, as they often slept a littlelater than their parents. "The extra sleep will do them no harm," shesaid smilingly, as she and Mr. Weston sat down to the breakfast table;therefore Rebby and Danna were well on their way before their fathertook his hat from its accustomed place and discovered the strip ofbirch-bark with its surprising message.
Mr. Weston read the note, and stood for a moment silent, thinking whatcould be done. His first impulse was to hasten after his girls andbring them safely home. Then came the thought of the peril of thesettlement. At any moment he might be called upon to help in itsdefense. Every man would be needed. He recalled Danna's strength andfearlessness, and her knowledge of the forest, and Rebby's quiet goodjudgment. If there were dangers he believed his girls could meet themfearlessly. Then, too, what a blessing it would be to have them bringhome a store of powder and shot. It would mean the salvation of thesettlement. Mr. Weston began to feel very proud of his little daughtersand to feel sure they would return safely.
"What is the trouble with your hat, Father?" questioned his wife. "Youstand looking at it as if it had some message for you."
"Indeed it has," Mr. Weston replied smilingly. "It tells me that we havetwo of the bravest girls in America. Listen," and he read Rebby's notealoud.
"'Tis a deed to make us proud," he said, "and 'twill give new courage toevery man in the settlement to know that a supply of powder will be hereto-morrow."
But it was a long and anxious day for Mrs. Weston. She knew the perilsof the forest, and her thoughts centered about lurking bears that mightspring out upon Rebby and Danna as they went through the wilderness. Sheendeavored to find comfort by remembering that their errand was for thecause of justice and freedom, and that a love stronger than her own wasabout them.