you remember that Father
showed us where the trail began, marked by 'spotted' trees?"

"Yes, I remember. Listen, Anna; there is hardly any powder or shot in
Machias; if there were the men could protect the liberty pole."

"Yes, yes," Anna responded quickly. "I heard Parson Lyon telling
Captain O'Brien that all the men ought to be ready to defend the
settlement."

"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 be
helping, 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 we
bring it back the men can drive off or capture the gunboat," Rebecca
explained.

"I think Father ought to know," persisted Anna, so that at last Rebby
said no more, after Anna had promised not to repeat Rebby's plan to
anyone.

But Rebby slept but little that night. If the gunboat fired on the town
she felt it would be her fault for having kept Lucia's secret to
herself; and yet she dared not break a promise. In some way Rebby felt
that she must do something to make right her foolish act in helping
Lucia set the liberty tree adrift.

The next day Captain Jones began his preparations to load the sloops
with lumber for Boston, and the Machias men, doubtful of the Captain's
loyalty, determined that the sloops should not return to Boston. Rebby
and Anna were in the lumber yard filling a basket with chips, when a
number of men talking of this decision passed them.

"If we only had more powder and shot," said one; "but we cannot spare a
single man to go to Chandler's River after supplies."

"There, Anna!" exclaimed Rebby. "Did you hear what those men said? Do
you not see that we can help as much as a real soldier? We can go to
Chandler's River. We must."

"Perhaps Father would give us permission if we asked him," Anna
persisted. But Rebecca shook her head at this suggestion; she dared not
risk 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 any
day. Do say you will go, Anna."

Rebby knew that Anna's knowledge of the forest, her strength and
courage, would be all that could enable her to undertake the task.
Without Anna she feared that she might fail in finding her way, and
never reach Chandler's River.

"Think, Danna! The g