ptains
invaded the kitchen itself, declaring that it being Monday in the
week, every householder had been short of provisions for the
emergency--that every inn on the way and many a private house had been
unable to provide enough for so many men, and what could they have at
the Porter Inn?

Polly disappeared. Before her father had considered the matter she
had, assisted by her Aunt Melicent and Polly Lewis, seized from the
pantry shelves all that they could carry, and going by a rear way, had
hidden on the garret stairs a big roast of veal, one of lamb, and
enough bread and pies for family requirements, and still the pantry
shelves seemed amply filled. "I'm not going to have Ethel come home in
the night and find nothing left for him I know, and the hungry boys
fast asleep and tired out on the kitchen settle will come to life
ravenous. Wonder if I hadn't better be missing just now and go fetch
the cows down. Father would have asthma all night if he tried it,"
said Polly to her aunt; and up the hill Polly went accompanied by
little Polly--while Mrs. Porter stood by and saw the fruits of her
hard day's work vanish out of sight.

"Pray leave something for your own household," she ventured to
intercede at last. "Don't forget that we have four guests of our own
for the night;" but Mr. Porter, rather proud to show that, however
remiss others had been, the Porter Inn was prepared for emergencies,
had already bidden Nancy and Phyllis fetch forth the last loaf.

"Like one for supper," ventured Nancy, as her master carefully
examined the empty larder, hoping to find something more. As the last
captain from Northbury started on the night journey for New Haven, Mr.
Porter faced his wife. "Now Thomas Porter," she said, "you can go
hungry to bed, but what can I do for my guests and the children and
the rest of the household?"

Mr. Porter scratched his head--a habit when profoundly in doubt--and
said: "I must fetch the cows! It's most dark now," and set forth, to
find that Polly had them all safely in the cattle yard.

"I suppose, father," said Polly, "that we've got to live on milk
to-night. I thought so when I heard you parleying with the captains.
So I thought I'd get the cows down." As Polly entered the house, she
saw a lady and two girls of about her own age, to whom her mother was
saying: "We will give you shelter, gladly, but my husband has just let
the militia you met just below have the last morsel of cooked food in
our