Nancy, looking over the Bay in a vain search for the schooner
which had brought them, said; "I wonder how we really shall get home,
and when?"

"As General Pepperell promised us," answered her mistress. "And probably
we shall leave to-morrow. I expect to hear from him about it then. So
does my father; he was speaking of it this morning."

They were right; the next day the General told them that the
"Smithhurst" would sail that afternoon with prisoners of war from the
"Vigilant," a captured French vessel. "She is one of the ships that
Governor Shirley has sent for to guard the coast," he said to Elizabeth
speaking of the "Smithhurst." "She goes to Boston first to report and
discharge her prisoners. Be ready at four o'clock. If I can, I will take
you to the vessel myself; but if that is impossible, everything is
arranged for your comfort. Your father is at the battery, I have just
left him there. He is undeniably fond of powder. I've told him about
this." Elizabeth was in one of the hospital tents when Pepperell came to
her with this news. She staid there with Nancy all the morning, and at
noon when her father came and took her away for awhile to rest, she had
an earnest talk with him upon some subject that left her grave and
pleased.

After a time she went back to the hospitals again. At the last moment
the General sent an escort with word that he had been detained. Just
before this message arrived, Elizabeth called her maid aside.

"Nancy," she said, "you see how many of our soldiers are here, hundreds
of them, almost thousands. They are fighting for our homes, even if the
battle-ground is so far away. And see how many have been sent in, in the
short time we have been here. Do you want to desert them? Tell me how
you feel? Shall we go back to our comfortable home, and leave all this
suffering behind us, when we might do our little to help? Shall we,
Nancy? I have no right to insist upon your staying; but don't you think
we ought to stay? and won't you stay with me?"

"Indeed I will," was the quick answer. "I hated to leave the poor
fellows, but I did not see what else to do. The General won't like it
one bit though. And your father, Mistress Elizabeth?"

"The General has no authority over me. I'm not one of his soldiers. And
as to my father, it's all right with him."

Yet she felt very desolate when the ship which was to have carried them
had gone with its companion vessel, and from the door of one of the
hospi