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"I'll make a corn-cake to take with us," Rebby added, "and since we start early I had best bake it to-night," and she went into the kitchen followed by Anna singing: "We'll go to the forest of liberty trees, Where there are rabbits and birds and bees." Mrs. Weston smiled as she listened.
Anna danced along the path in her old fashion, quite forgetting Melvina's measured steps. Everything was all right now. She and Luretta were friends; Mrs. Foster had pardoned her; and the liberty pole was found. So she was smiling and happy as she pushed open the door and entered the pleasant kitchen, expecting to see her mother and Rebby; but no one was there. The room looked deserted.
She looked up, but the sky was clear; there was no bird flying low, as she had imagined; but as she walked along the murmur became louder, and Rebby began to look about her more carefully. A short distance from the flat rock was a huge stump of a broken tree, and Rebby soon realized that the noise came from the stump, and she approached it cautiously. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "It's a honey-tree!
There were robins singing in the trees, bluebirds flitting about with gay little notes, and the spring day was full of beauty, but Rebby was not conscious of it as she went slowly along the path. Very soon she was again standing in front of the Hortons' door, and summoning all her courage she rapped loudly.
Weston sat down to the breakfast table; therefore Rebby and Danna were well on their way before their father took his hat from its accustomed place and discovered the strip of birch-bark with its surprising message. Mr. Weston read the note, and stood for a moment silent, thinking what could be done. His first impulse was to hasten after his girls and bring them safely home.
The sun was now directly overhead, and as they came out from the shade of the forest to the open space along the river's bank Rebby sank down on the grass with a long breath of relief. "I never was so tired in all my life," she declared. "We will take a good rest and eat our corn-bread," responded Anna.
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.
"That is what we will hope to do," replied Mr. Weston. "And, Rebby, why do you not come with us? 'Tis but a few miles, and a day in the woods will do you good." "Why, perhaps I shall, if Mother does not need me," Rebby answered. She so seldom cared for woodland tramps that Anna gave a little exclamation of surprised delight.
"'Twould indeed be fine if you could find a store of wild honey in the woods; 'twould be a great help," she said, measuring out the golden meal for Rebby to use for her corn-cake. There was no butter or eggs to use in its making, for all food was getting scarce in most of the loyal households.
Rebby, take Anna back to the house and stay there until I come." The two little girls walked silently back to the house. The battle that had been so feared was over; the enemy was conquered, and Rebecca and Anna knew that by their bringing the powder from Chandler's River they had helped to win the conflict. But just then they did not think of that.
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