The week following Faith’s visit to the fort proved rather a difficult one for her at school. Caroline and Catherine seemed to think they had played a fine joke, and accused her of running home when they were waiting for her. Faith had resolved not to quarrel with them, but apparently¹ the sisters meant to force her into trouble, if sneering² words and ridicule³ could do it.  
“You’re an American, so you don’t dare talk back,” sneered⁴ Catherine one day when Faith made no reply to the assertion that Faith had meant to run home from the fort alone.
 
“Americans are not afraid,” replied Faith quickly.
 
Catherine jumped up and down with delight at having made Faith angry.
 
[Pg 130]“Oh, yes they are. My father says so. Another summer the English soldiers are going to take all the farms, and all you rebels will be our servants,” declared Catherine.
 
“Another summer the Green Mountain Boys will send the English soldiers where they will behave themselves,” declared Faith. “Ethan Allen is braver than all the men in that fort.”
 
“I don’t care what you say. We’re not going to play with you any more, are we, Caroline?” said Catherine. “You play with that horrid⁵ little lame⁶ girl.”
 
“She isn’t horrid. She is much better than you are. She wouldn’t say or do the things you do!” responded Faith, now too angry to care what she said, “and she is my very best friend. I wouldn’t play with you anyway. You’re only Tory children,” and Faith walked off with her head lifted very proudly, feeling she had won the battle; as indeed she had, for the sisters looked after her in silent horror.
 
To be called “only” Tory children was a new point of view, and for several days they let Faith wholly alone. Then one morning they appeared at school with the news that it would be their last appearance there.
 
[Pg 131]“We’re going to Albany, and never coming back to this rough common place,” Catherine said.
 
“I am glad of it,” Faith replied sharply; “perhaps you will learn to be polite in Albany.”
 
Some of the other children overheard these remarks, and a little titter of amusement and satisfaction followed Faith’s words. For the sisters had made no effort to be friendly with their schoolmates, and not one was sorry to see the last of them.
 
Faith awoke each morning hoping that her father would come that day, but it was toward the last of November before he appeared. There had been several light falls of snow; the ground was frozen and ice formed along the shores of the lake. The days were growing shorter, and Mrs. Scott had decided⁷ that it was best for Faith to come straight home from school at night, instead of stopping in to help Louise with her lessons. But both the little girls were pleased with the new plan that Mrs. Scott suggested, for Louise to come home with Faith on Tuesdays and Fridays and stay all night. Louise was learning a good deal more than to read and write. Mrs. Scott was teaching her to sew neatly⁸, and Faith had taught her to knit. She [Pg 132]was always warmly welcomed by Donald and the two younger boys, and these visits were the bright days of the week for Louise.
 
At last, when Faith had begun to think her father might not come after all, she returned from school one night to find him waiting for her. It was difficult to tell which of the two, father or daughter, was the happier in the joy of seeing each other. Mr. Carew had arrived in the early afternoon, and Aunt Prissy was now busy preparing the evening meal and Faith and her father had the sitting-room⁹ to themselves. There was so much to say that Faith hardly knew where to begin, after she had listened to all her father had to tell her of her mother.
 
“I would have come before, but I have been waiting for Kashaqua to come and stay with your mother,” said Mr. Carew. “She appeared last night, and will stay until I return. And your mother could have no better protector. Kashaqua is proud enough since we proved our confidence in her by sending you here in her charge.”
 
Faith told him about Louise, and was surprised to see her father’s face grave and troubled. For Mr. Carew had heard of the shoemaker, and [Pg 133]was sure that he was an English spy, and feared that his daughter’s friendship with Faith might get the Scotts into some trouble.
 
“She is my dearest friend. I tell her everything,” went on Faith.
 
“I’m afraid her father is not a friend to the settlers about here,” replied Mr. Carew. “Be careful, dear child, that you do not mention any of the visitors who come to your uncle’s house. Your friend would mean no harm, but if she told her father great harm might come of it,” for Mr. Scott was doing his best to help the Americans. Messengers from Connecticut and Massachusetts with news for the settlers came to his house, and Mr. Scott found ways to forward their important communications to the men on the other side of Lake Champlain.
 
“Aunt Prissy likes Louise; we all do,” pleaded Faith; so her father said no more, thinking that perhaps he had been overanxious.
 
“Your mother sent your blue beads¹⁰. I expect you would have been scolded a little for being a careless child if you had been at home, for she found them under the settle cushion the very day you left home,” said Mr. Carew, handing [Pg 134]Faith two small packages. “The larger package is one that came from Esther Eldridge a few weeks ago,” he added, in answer to Faith’s questioning look.
 
“I wonder what it can be,” said Faith; but before she opened Esth............