uaw, with
a pappoose strapped to her back. Without a word the woman turned and
Rebecca followed, for she had recognized a squaw of the neighboring camp.
It was a long walk home. As they passed the Newichewannock Camp, four
forlorn shivering little Indians who had been huddling over the dying
coals caught her attention.

Rebecca was stirred by the misery of their cold and hunger, quite
forgetting how near her own household were to this same misery. On
reaching home, determined to show her thanks for this safe return, the
little girl hunted out her fishing pole and started for the river. She
hoped to make a catch for these hungry people. She reached the rocks and
cast her line like a true fisherman.

"Captain Neal will feel mean enough when he gets here and finds us all
starved to death," she murmured as she jerked her pole only to find her
line had caught and broken. Finally, with the disappointment of no fish,
she was turning toward the house when a white gleam on the water caught
her eye. It was from the sail of the Pide-Cowe, the English vessel just
rounding the bend.

Rebecca dashed home with the news. That afternoon cornmeal, salt, beef,
butter, sweet oil, oatmeal, and candles were landed within the palisade.
There were men's coats, waistcoats, and children's coats, stockings,
blankets, rugs, flannel and cotton cloth, as well as fish hooks and
lines, lead, hammers, pewter dishes, and iron kettles.

Indians, gay in fringes and beads, arrived on the scene with loads of
fur: otter, mink, fox, and beaver for trade. Ragged squaws and shivering
pappooses followed. Captain Neal and his sailors mingled with hearty good
cheer among them, while the white settlers acted as tradesmen, happy in
the relief which this vessel had brought them.

Rebecca was wild with excitement. She knew this meant food for everybody.
Each box and barrel was turned and inspected by Miss Becky. She poked
over the piles of clothing and tried on the children's coats and even the
men's coats, anything in fact that struck her fancy. Some bright beaded
things caught her eye. Pulling at the English shag, she drew from the
bottom of a pile a queer little garment labeled "Pappoose coat." After
searching and tugging, she produced five of different sizes. Then her eye
fell on the group of timid little creatures still clinging to their
mother.

Rebecca knew that at this trading all the furs would go to buy food. Her
wise little head thought, "These coats