hasten
back and tell me, so that we may start some one off at once to warn our
American soldiers."

"Might I go?" asked Ruth.

"How could a small girl like thee cross the Schuylkill?" questioned
Aunt Deborah. "'Tis most likely I should have to go myself."

Ruth now felt that she could really be of use if she kept watch from the
top of Barren Hill, and she ran through the garden, and climbed up the
rough slope to the little square church, from whose steps she could
watch the quiet road which curved along by the woods to the riverside.
She thought of Hero, and wished it had been possible to bring him with
her. "Just for company," she whispered to herself, for she began to feel
that she was a long way from home.

"Unless Father or Lafayette comes to-day I must go to Valley Forge
to-morrow," she resolved.

But the day passed without a sign of any advancing troops, and at
supper-time Ruth was so quiet and sober that Aunt Deborah began to fear
that her little niece was homesick, and tried to amuse her by telling
her of a tame squirrel who lived in the wood-shed and had made friends
with a family of kittens. But the little girl did not seem interested;
she wanted to know if the water was very deep at Matson's ford, and how
long it would take to walk to Valley Forge; until Aunt Deborah wondered
if Ruth really thought such a journey possible for a little girl. She
recalled the visit Ruth had made to the English General in order to
rescue Hero, and said to herself that she was sure Ruth would not again
undertake any plan without asking permission.

"I'll wait until to-morrow," Ruth resolved, as she went to bed that
night. "I mustn't wait any longer," and comforted by that resolution she
was soon fast asleep.

She awoke before daylight, to find Aunt Deborah standing beside the bed.

"Get up, my dear child. Lose no time. General Lafayette is below, and I
am preparing his breakfast," she said.

"Oh, Aunt Deborah!" exclaimed Ruth, sure that this was a dream from
which she would soon awake.

"Hasten, child, if thou wouldst see him," and Aunt Deborah, candle in
hand, disappeared from the shadowy room.

Ruth dressed more quickly than ever before, but she did not neglect to
brush her hair neatly, but not until she opened the kitchen door did she
realize that the strings to her stout leather shoes were unfastened.

It was broad daylight now, and the morning sunshine was all about the
Marquis de Lafayette as he looked up wi