ch admired and greatly beloved in the region.

"What is Ethel about so long this morning, that I have his work to do,
I wonder!" exclaimed Mr. Thomas Porter, as he lifted himself from the
capacious fire-place in which he had been piling birch-wood under the
crane--from which hung in a row three big iron pots.

"It is a pretty hot morning, and the sun is powerful on the hill,
father," said Mrs. Mehitable Porter in reply--not seeing Polly, who
stood panting and glowing with all the importance of having great news
to tell.

"Father," cried Polly, "where is Truman and the men? Send 'em! send
'em everywhere!"

"What's the matter? what's the matter, child?" exclaimed Mr. Porter,
while his wife and Sybil stood in alarm.

At that instant Ethel sprang in, crying out, "The militia! The
militia! They want the militia."

"What for, and _who_ wants the men?" asked his father.

"I don't know. He didn't stop to tell. He said: 'Get out the militia!
Don't lose a minute!' and then rode on."

"Father, _I know_," said Polly. "He told _me_. The British ships, more
than forty of them, are landing soldiers at New Haven. President
Stiles saw them at daybreak from the college tower with his
spy-glass."

Before Polly had ceased to speak, Ethel was off. Within the next ten
minutes six horses had set forth from the Porter house--each rider for
a special destination.

"I'll give the alarm to the Hopkinses," cried back Polly from her
pony, as she disappeared in the direction of Hopkins Hill.

"And I'll stir up Deacon Gideon and all the Hotchkisses from the
Captain over and down," said ten-year-old Stephen, as he mounted.

"You'd better make sure that Sergeant Calkins and Roswell hear the
news. Tell Captain Terrell to get out his Ring-bone company, and don't
forget Captain John and Abraham Lewis, Lieutenant Beebe, and all the
rest. It isn't much use to go over the river--not much help _we'd_
get, however much the British might, on that side," advised Mr.
Porter, as the fourth messenger departed.

When the last courier had set forth, leaving only Mr. and Mrs. Porter,
Sybil and two servants in the house, Mr. Porter said to his wife: "I
believe, mother, that I'll go up town and see what I can do for
Colonel Baldwin and Phineas." Major Phineas Porter was his brother,
who six months earlier had married Melicent, daughter of Colonel
Baldwin and widow of Isaac Booth Lewis (the lady whose name has been
chosen for the Waterbury, Connecticut,