d fortune indeed if that be true," replied Mrs. Stoddard,
"for we are not as well provisioned for the winter as usual, and it would
be a worrisome thing to have the Indians bothering us on shore and the
British to fear at sea. But I'll take up your stockings to-day, Anne. The
yarn is a handsome color, and well spun."

"I think I will not leave Martha at the playhouse after this," said Anne
thoughtfully; "something might happen to her."

Mrs. Stoddard nodded approvingly, and Anne brought the wooden doll in.

"Like as not your Uncle Enos will make you a wooden chair for the doll
when the evenings get longer," said Mrs. Stoddard. "He's clever with his
knife, and 'twill give him something to busy his hands with. I'll call his
attention to the doll."

"My!" exclaimed Anne, "I do think an aunt and uncle are nice to have. And
a father is too," she added quickly, for she could not bear that any one
should think that she had forgotten her own father.

"Yes, indeed, child; and there's good news of your own father. He was on
the British ship and escaped and made his way to Wellfleet to join the
American soldiers."

"Oh, Aunt Martha!" and the little girl sprang up from her little stool and
grasped her good friend's gown with eager hands, and then told her the
story of her father's visit. "But I could not tell it before," she said.

"Indeed you are a loyal little maid," replied Mrs. Stoddard approvingly,
"and you must always keep a promise, but see to it that you promise
nothing quickly. I think the better of John Nelson that he took great risk
to make sure his little daughter was safe and well cared for. The captain
will think it good news, too."

"My father will come back some day," declared Anne, and Mrs. Stoddard
agreed cheerfully.

"To be sure he will," she said, "but do not think of that too much, dear
child. See, I have the stitches all cast on, and your scarlet stockings
are really begun."

CHAPTER VI

CAPTURED BY INDIANS

The more Anne thought about Brownie the more fearful she became that some
harm had befallen the pretty brown cow.

"Her foot may have caught in those twisted roots on the hill," thought the
little girl, "or perhaps the Indians have fastened her in the woods. I do
believe I could find her, and save Uncle Enos the trouble," and the more
Anne thought of it the more eager she became to search for Brownie; and,
on the day that the scarlet stockings were begun, Anne resolved to walk up
th