risp "spider-cake" she went toward Lucia.

Neither of the little girls spoke, and Rebby did not look at her former
friend who had led her into such sad mischief. Then suddenly there was a
crash, a loud cry from Lucia and from Rebby as the lustre mug fell to
the ground, and the contents of the frail plate streamed over the
delicate yellow muslin of Lucia's fine dress.

"Oh! She has spoiled my dress! She did it on purpose! She did! She did!"
wailed Lucia, while Rebecca stood looking at the pieces of her cherished
mug that had been brought from Boston when the Westons moved to Machias.

"She dropped it on purpose," Rebby said, but no one seemed to think of
her mug. Mrs. Lyon and Mrs. Weston were both endeavoring to comfort
Lucia, and to repair the harm done to the yellow muslin. But the honey
and water were not easily removed from the delicate fabric.

"I am going home. It's a cheap, foolish party anyway. Honey and water,
and corn-bread!" sobbed Lucia angrily, pulling away from the friendly
women, and running down the path.

Mrs. Lyon and Mrs. Weston looked after her in amazed disapproval.

"I begin to think there is something in the rumors that Captain Horton
and his wife are not trustworthy," Mrs. Lyon said. "The child is so
ill-bred she can be but indulged and spoiled at home," and Mrs. Weston
agreed. But neither of them imagined that Lucia's mother and father were
disloyal to the American cause, and only waiting a profitable
opportunity to betray the little settlement to its enemies.

Lucia's angry words cast but a brief shadow over the gathering, and no
one noticed that Rebecca had disappeared. At the moment Lucia started
for home Rebby had run toward the house. She hurried up the stairs to
the little room under the roof where she and Anna slept, and from the
closet she drew out the square wooden box that her father had made for
her. Her initials R. F. W. were carved inside a small square on the
cover, and it had a lock and key. Rebby was very proud of this box, and
in it she kept her most treasured possessions: a handkerchief of fine
lawn with a lace edge, a pin made from a silver sixpence, and the
prayer-book her Grandmother Weston had given her. When Lucia gave her
the silk mitts for a birthday present Rebby had put them carefully away
with these other treasures. Now she pulled them out hurriedly, and,
without waiting to close the box, she ran down the stairs through the
kitchen, keeping carefully out of sigh