our Colonel Butler favors that; but others, and among them
myself and Ben, favor marching out and meeting them."

"That's it," added the lad, shaking his head. "I believe in showing
them we are not scared. Colonel Butler got leave of absence to come to
Wyoming; he has some regulars with him, and with all our men and boys
we'll teach the other Colonel Butler a lesson he won't forget as long as
he lives."

"Well, if you think it best, we will move into the fort with the other
people until the danger is past."

"Yes, mother; I will fight better knowing that you and Alice are safe.
There's Linna! What about her?"

"Who's Linna?" asked the visitor.

"She is the little child of Omas, the Delaware warrior. He brought her
here this afternoon to make Alice a visit, and promised to call tomorrow
for her. Will it be safe to wait until he comes?"

The neighbor shook his head.

"You mustn't take any chances. Why don't you turn her loose to take care
of herself? She can do it."

"I couldn't," the mother hastened to say; "Omas left her in our care,
and I must not neglect her. She will go with us."

"I don't think it will be safe for her father to come after her, when
the flurry is over."

"Why not?"

"He will be with the Iroquois, even though his tribe doesn't like them
any too well; for the Iroquois are the conquerors of the Delawares, and
drove them off their hunting grounds."

"Well," said Mrs. Ripley, with a sigh; "even if he never comes for her,
she will always have a home with us."

The dwelling of the Ripleys was on the eastern shore of the Susquehanna.
On the other side stood Fort Wintermoot and Forty Fort, the former being
at the upper end of the valley. That would be the first one reached by
the invaders, and the expectation was that it would give up whenever
ordered to do so, for nearly all in it were friends of the Tories.

It was evident that when Omas left his child with her friends, and spoke
of returning the next day, or soon thereafter, he did not know how near
the invasion was. Mrs. Ripley expected that when he did learn it, he
would hasten back for her.

The night, however, passed without his appearance, and the hot July sun
came up over the forests on the eastern bank of the river, and still
he remained away. It looked as if he had decided to let her take her
chances while he joined the invaders in their work of destruction and
woe.

Mrs. Ripley would have been willing to wait longer, but she