ear by.

"I think it is great, daddy," was the enthusiastic reply. "This is the
happiest and most peaceful time I have known for years. It is like a
perfect calm after a terrible storm."

"I am very thankful, Jean, that our wanderings are at last ended. Here
we shall stay for a time until we can choose a suitable place for our
future home. When we get our house built we should be quite
comfortable. We are on English soil, at any rate, and that is a great
satisfaction. We are not likely to be molested here."

"Not if the Indians and rebels leave us alone, daddy."

"You must not worry about them, dear. We have had no quarrel with
them, so why should they molest us? I feel that we are perfectly safe."

Night at length shut down slowly over the land, and a deep silence
reigned on all sides. The weary children were asleep in the tents, and
men and women were gathered upon the shore. A fire of drift-wood had
been built, and around the bright cheerful blaze all were gathered.
The small crew of the schooner had come ashore, and were taking part in
the general conversation. For some time they sat there, talking of
bygone days and plans for the future.

Colonel Sterling took little part in the talk. He sat upon a block of
wood, with Jean seated on the ground by his side, her right arm resting
upon his knee as she gazed dreamily into the fire. He was much
interested in studying the flame-illumined faces of that little circle
of men and women. He knew the history of their lives, what they had
suffered during the war, and how much they had sacrificed for
conscience's sake. A few were bowed with age, and their late trials
had deepened the furrows upon their faces, and increased the whiteness
of their hoary heads. Upon them the removal from their old homes had
been the hardest. There were others, middle-aged men and women, whose
eyes glowed with the light of a high resolve. Their features expressed
determination which nothing could daunt. These said but little,
leaving the younger ones to do most of the talking. There were youths
and maidens, more free from care than their elders, who chatted and
laughed in the most animated manner.

As the evening wore on and the conversation gradually died down, Simon
Winters brought forth his fife and began to play an old familiar tune.
At once all talking ceased, and hearts thrilled with memories of other
days. Several tunes did Simon play, and when he had ended, the Co