e family's best garments, for the flames had not gotten at them. But
everything was sadly smoked. And the house would have to be torn down
and rebuilt with new timber throughout. It was a sad spectacle indeed
for Enoch and Bryce to look upon. "I wish I had shot them all!" cried
the latter in a rage. But Enoch said nothing. He would not whisper how
his anger had made him aim to kill Simon Halpen. Now, in cool blood, he
was glad that the bullet had not sped true.

But the condition of the house filled him with despair. Winter was at
hand and it would be next to impossible to build a good house before
spring, although the timbers could be drawn and squared while the snow
was on the ground. What would they do for a shelter until then? "We'll
make yonder hovel that you boys play in, all tight and warm for the
winter, Nuck," Bolderwood observed, seeing the tears running down the
boy's cheeks. "Don't cry about it. And we'll have up a better house than
this in the spring, lad. The neighbors will all help ye."

Meanwhile, however, Bolderwood had kept his eye upon the surveyor. The
latter, seeing that the family had been so miraculously saved from the
fire, sought to get away while the men were saving those goods which
were unconsumed. But Bolderwood was after him with mighty strides and
dragged him back, a prisoner. "Nay, friend, you'll be needed here as a
witness," he said, grimly. "We don't allow such gentry as you in the
Hampshire Grants without presenting you with a token of our respect and
consideration. Ha!" he added, suddenly, "whom have we here?"

A horseman rode quickly out of the wood and approached the burned cabin.
Before he pulled in his steed the men welcomed him vociferously, for it
was Captain Baker. "Look at this, 'Member!" cried Bolderwood, dragging
the trembling surveyor forward. "What a sight this is to blister the
eyes of decent men! A poor widder's house burned about her ears and only
by the mercy of God were she and her youngsters saved."

"The villains!" roared Baker. "And is that one of them?"

"He was with the party. But I truly believe that he had little to do
with this dastardly work. He's only a poor surveyor body."

"We'll find shelter with some neighbor for Mistress Harding and the
little ones," said Baker, "and then attend to his case without delay."

But the widow was not minded to leave her homestead. It was not yet very
cold and the hovel in which the children had had their frolic a
fortn