The storm of war which had been gathering for
some weeks in the north almost unnoticed by the
Americans, now began to roll down upon their frontier
settlements with a rapidity as alarming as it was
unexpected. Although the leaders of the continental
army were aware of the landing of a large British
force at Quebec, in the month of May, from
which an invasion was expected, either by way of
Oswego, as had previously been given out, or through
the valley of lake Champlain; yet, counting on the
same dilatory action, by which all the movements of
the enemy had been characterized ever since the
battle of Bunker Hill, they supposed it might be late
in the summer before the hostile army, should they
take the eastern route, would reach the military posts
on Champlain. But whatever might have been the
errors of other British commanders in the respect

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just named, none of that kind certainly could be
chargeable on General Burgoyne. The navigable
waters of the north had scarcely burst their wintery
fetters before he landed at Montreal. And in another
week he was pouring the disciplined bands of his
proud and numersous army along the western shores
of lake Champlain. The American Generals were,
in a great measure, taken by surprise by this rapid
advance of the enemy, and having delayed to
strengthen their defences, they were but illy prepared
to meet the first shock of so powerful a force.
And if those, whose duty it was to make themselves
early acquainted with the enemy's movements had
thus been kept in the dark respecting the important
one in question, still less, as may well be supposed,
were the inhabitants of the country apprised of the
time and extent of the coming invasion. The settlers
of the New Hampshire Grants, who were directly
in the route of the enemy, were consequently
almost wholly ignorant of the dangers that awaited
them, till the storm was nearly ready to burst on
their defenceless heads. And their surprise, therefore,
was only equalled by their dismay, when the
American scouts, who had been dispatched to gain
intelligence of the reported invasion, returned and
spread the startling news, that a British army of ten
thousand regulars, with several thousand savage foes,
was within a few miles of their borders, ready to
spread death and devastation over their whole settlement.
This information, which many still hoped
might be false, or greatly exaggerated, was fully confirmed
the next morning after it was received by the
scouts, by Burgoyne's proclamations, which, through
the activity of Sherwood's band of tories, had been
left during the night at the door of every house thro'

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all the northern section of the country. This pompous
and gasconading document, however, with all
its promises and threats, had, notwithstanding its author's
anticipations, no other effect on the inhabitants
than to bring them to the determination of
driving off their stock so far into the interior as to
be out of the reach of the enemy, and of commencing
active preparations for fleeing themselves befor
the invading army.

With these general observations on the situation
of affairs at this particular junction, we will now return
to the Hendee family, to follow their fortunes
through the fearful trials which were now shortly
to await them.

It was not till night, after the signal failure of
Sherwood at the cottage, that Miss Hendee had an
opportunity of ascertaining what had passed between
that personage and her father in their recent interview.
That evening Captain Hendee, on his return
from the labors of the day, entered the room where
Alma happened at the moment to be sitting alone,
and silently took a seat at the open window. A
frown was upon his brow. The uneasiness, which
a man of high spirit might be expected to feel from
a sense of obligations to one he secretly despises,
combined, in the present instance, with the mean
advantage taken of such obligations by Sherwood,
had, all the afternoon, been operating upon the old
gentleman's irritable temperament; and he was now
evidently in no very pleasant frame of mind. At
the first glance his daughter detected in his countenance
the unfailing indications of a storm: but
on whom it was to burst, she was unable to determine.
From the circumstances attending the interview
between Sherwood and her father, she felt

[figure description] Page 134.[end figure description]

satisfied, that she, herself, had been the subject of their
discourse; and although extremely anxious to know
the result of that conference, yet she almost feared
the knowledge she wished to obtain. And with
trembling solicitude, therefore, she awaited in silence
the announcement, which she saw from her father's
mood, would not long be withheld. After sitting
some minutes puffing away rapidly at his pipe, and
knitting his brows, with an angry flashing expression
of countenance, he suddenly drew the implement
from his mouth, and, by way of knocking out the
ashes, gave it so spiteful a rap on the window sill as
to shiver it to pieces in his hand. Hastily dashing
the broken fragments out of the window, he turned
abruptly to his daughter, and said,

`Alma, what did Jake Sherwood say to you today?
'

`Why, many things, father,—would you wish me
to repeat all he said?'

`Yes. I don't hold to prying into such matters,
for a general rule, but I have particular reasons for
wishing to know now.'

Still feeling uncertain on whom the resentment of
her father was about to fall, Alma, with some agitation,
proceeded to detail the conversation in question,
giving the words used by Sherwood, and the
substance of her own replies.

“Threats to you, too, hey?' said the Captain,
after listening attentively to his daughter's relation
of the affair. `Why did'nt you drive the pitiful
puppy from the house with your broomstick?'

`You astonish me, father!' replied Alma, looking
up into the face of the other with an expression of
joyful surprise.

The old gentleman made no reply, but again

[figure description] Page 135.[end figure description]

relapsing into moody silence, sat some time without
uttering a word. At length he brought his foot to
the floor with an angry, decisive stamp—and while
the tears, which were brought to his eyes by his
keenly conflicting emotions, were glimmering on the
quickly moving lashes, he again turned suddenly to
his expecting daughter and asked,

`Alma, are you willing to become a slave?'

`For my own, and your support, I could cheerfully
become one, dear father. But a slave to a
villain I can never be.'

`Nobly said! spoken with the spirit of a Hendee!
would to God I was more worthy of such a daughter!
' exclaimed the passionate old man, choking with
emotion `come here, Alma, I have been wrong,
and you have been right,—come, come to me, my
child, forgive, and kiss me.'

In another instant the father and daughter were
locked in each other's arms, intermingling their tears,
and giving themselves up to the gush of feelings
which was overflowing their hearts at this return of
mutual love and confidence to their long estranged
and distrusting bosoms.

`I did not make any reply to you, Alma, when
you laid open to me the conduct of that base and
intriguing villain,' at length, observed the Captain,
releasing his daughter from his embrace, and regaining
his composure, though the other continued
weeping. `But it was not because I doubted the
truth of what you told me, or because I had it in my
heart to try to restrain you any further. It was because
I felt self-condemned, guilty—guilty for what
I had already done in making war upon the happiness,
and I know not but upon the health, of my
own, and only child. O, don't weep so—don't, my

[figure description] Page 136.[end figure description]

dear daughter! Thank God, we have both now cut
the ties by which we were held in bondage, and are
free. The Sherwood's may have all; and we won't
trouble them neither to drive us off: we will leave
this place, Alma, for the southern part of the settlement.
As old and infirm as I am, I can still work.
Our faithful Neshobee will also stick by us, and
work as much as an Indian will ever work, for you
know the Indians are a lazy race, and we must make
allowance for him. But at all events, as poorly
as we may fare, our poverty will be happiness compared
to the slavery that Jake Sherwood would
now impose on us if we remained. Yes, Alma, we
will go—that is if you are willing. What say you,
my daughter, are you ready to relinquish this pleasant
home, and go with me, penniless, indeed, but
with the proud and happy consciousness that we are
free.'

`O, yes, yes, indeed, my dear father,' eagerly replied
the other, with a look of joy and gratitude,
that beamed brightly through her still fast falling
tears; `and never could an eastern slave leave his
gilded fetters behind him with more pleasure than I
shall quit this place. Yes yes; and, believe me,
my father, however hard my lot—however menial I
had known would be my employment for support,
I have not seen an hour for the last two long and
joyless years, but my heart would have leaped to
hear you make such a proposal. And if such then
were my feelings, judge what must now be my pleasure
to hear your announcement.'

The conversation was here interrupted by a light
rap on the door, and while the Captain and his
daughter were pausing for a repetition of the sound,
uncertain whether it proceeded from some one

[figure description] Page 137.[end figure description]

wishing for admittance, the door was partly opened by a
man without, and the queer visage of our old friend,
Pete Jones, was protruded with a comical, enquiring
look, into the room.

`How are ye?' he said, after glancing from father
to daughter a moment, with a half sheepish, half roguish
expression, indicating his consciousness of having,
on a former occasion, played a little upon the
credulity of the old gentleman, of which he felt
slightly ashamed, though still inwardly tickled at the
recollection of the trick: `how are ye, Captain?
Sarvant, marm!'

`It is Mr. Jones of the army, father, the person
who gave me the news I imparted to you respecting
the expected invasion,' observed Miss Hendee, noticing
that her father did not recognise the scout.

`Ah! the tall gentleman that called here once—
I recollect—did you try my remedy—but no matter,
now—walk in, walk in, sir,' said the Captain.

`Why, no, thankee,' replied Jones, leaning his
long body on his arm, and swaying it to and fro, by
the play of the door on it its hinges, as he grasped
the handle, `I guess I'm rather too much in a hurry
about these times.'

`You called on some errand, then?—to give us
some news, perhaps?' rejoined the Captain, expectingly.

`Why, yes—that is, if you would like to hear it—
that is, if you han't heard it already.'

`Speak on, sir.'

`Well, I thought I'd just pop in my countenance,
as I came along back, to see, that in case the devil
was at your heels, whether you would like to know
it?'

[figure description] Page 138.[end figure description]

`You speak in riddles—how shall I understand
you, sir?'

`Well, I an't particular, how.'

`You said the devil?'

`Yes, and his name is Legion. Why, to be plain
about it, Captain, a British army of ten thousand,
with as many red skins as one would wish to see,
will most likely be here before to-morrow night.'

`You astonish me, sir! Has any news of this
reached the other settlers in this quarter?'

`I have just sent a brother scout up the road here,
to tell them they may as well be driving off their
cattle, and jogging along south themselves in course
of to-morrow. I just come from the fort over here,
and they've pretty much concluded to pack up there,
and be off for Old Ti to night; so the red coats and
Indians will have full play along the shores till they
get to Ti, where there will be something of a brush,
likely.'

`You would advise us women and cripples, then,
to beat a retreat, would you?'

`Why, yes, that's rather my notion, considering.
Though Burgoyne says—haven't you seen his proclamation?
'

`No.'

`Well, you will soon, I guess. The tories have
scattered 'em as thick as bumblebees along north of
here. Burgoyne says, as nigh as I can English the
high flown concern, “stay at home, sell him your
cattle, and he will protect you. But if you budge
an inch, he will let loose the red skins to act at their
pleasure upon you.” And what that will be, you
know as well as any man, they say, Captain.'

`Yes, I know enough of their tender mercies.
And I know also that Burgoyne, whatever he may

[figure description] Page 139.[end figure description]

promise, can no more restrain the hell-hounds, after
he has once let them from their slips, than he can
crupper the whirlwinds. Montcalm tried that experiment,
on that dreadful day of blood and horror, at
Fort William Henry—at least, I think he tried to
avert the catastrophe: for Montcalm, though an enemy
that troubled us much, was yet a brave man;
and as a general rule, my friend, you will never find
a truly brave man either cruel or treacherous. The
great sin is in employing the Indians. And this circumstance
will do much, in the present case, to hasten
the destruction of Burgoyne. Even the dead,
almost, will rise up to bear arms against him. All
New England in a week, will be in motion. In
another week, as he passes along up the lake, they
will be hanging like an angry thunder cloud on his
flank. And, mark my word, sir, this general will
find, before he reaches Albany, that neither his numbers
nor his proclamations will save him.'

`The Lord grant you may prove a true prophet;
and I think, upon the whole, you will. Howsomever,
Captain, it will be considerable of a chore to
bring it all to pass. And while we are fixing for it,
I rather guess you, along the northern parts here,
may as well make yourselves scarce a little.'

`We intend it, sir. Indeed, as regards my family,
we had already determined on a removal soon.
And now we shall follow your advice immediately,
with many thanks to you for calling. Let me see—
our first move shall be for Rutland, where we can
probably safely remain a few days, to conclude on a
place for a more permanent residence.'

`Will you, sir,' said Miss Hendee, with a slight
blush, as she perceived the scout was about to

[figure description] Page 140.[end figure description]

depart, `will you apprise our friends in the army of
the destination we think of taking?'

`Will you take this, sir, to the person to whom it
is addressed?' said Miss Reed, who, during the latter
part of the conversation, had been nimbly plying
her fingers over the blank leaf of a little volume
which she had been reading in an adjoining apartment,
when the scout's voice and anticipated errand
brought her into the room. `You see, Alma, I am
not afraid to write to my beau; now I will leave it
to the Captain to say, who is the bravest?' she added,
turning to the latter with an expression in
which roguish defiance, and fear of disapprobation,
were queerly blended.

`Ah, girls,' said the Captain in reply, after a moment's
hesitation, which seemed to end in a conclusion
to treat the matter good naturedly, `you may
be setting your caps for men that will be swinging
on the gallows in three months: for you know, in
attempted revolutions, men are only patriots and heroes
when they succeed, and are but rebels and traitors
when they don't.'

`We prefer, however,' replied Alma, with spirit,
`to set our caps for men who may be hung on
that principle, rather than for those who should be
hung on every other.'

`Is not there a law, Captain Hendee,' asked Jessy,
archly, `that a man may be pardoned on the
gallows, if a lady can be found who will step up and
marry him on the spot?'

`Why, I have heard such stories,' replied the Captain,
laughing, `but supposing there was such a provision,
in this country, you little quiz?'

`Why, in that case,' replied Jessy, casting a roguish
look at Alma, `I think there are certain

[figure description] Page 141.[end figure description]

officers in our army who need not be under any great
apprehensions of being hung at present.'

`Now, that is what I call grit,' observed Jones,
who had been looking on the two beautiful and spirited
creatures before him, with an admiration equalled
only by his surprise. `The Colonel and Captain
know considerable well what they have been
about, after all, I see. Well, I must be jogging, I
guess, Captain, so good nighty. And you, galls, may
the Lord bless ye, and keep you steadfast in your
resolution! If I had a hogshead of blood, it should
all be shed for ye, and the like of ye. Trol, lol,
lol, lol de larly!'

During that night and the following day, all was
bustle and commotion throughout the northern part
of the settlement. “To arms! to arms!” resounded
in every direction. And nearly all the able bodied
men, promptly responding to the call of General
Schuyler, whose expresses were seen furiously
dashing along the roads to rally the hitherto slumbering
settlement, seized their rifles or muskets and
hastened off to join their countrymen in arms, leaving
the old men, invalids and boys, to take charge
of their families, in removing from the scene of danger.
The stock was collected in droves, marked
with the initials of the owner's name and started off
for the south; while the inhabitants, taking with
them all the articles of value, which their respective
modes of travelling would permit, collected in
small companies, and soon followed. The party
whose destinies more immediately concern our story,
consisting of Captain Hendee, Neshobee, the
two young ladies, and their respective female domestics,
in the course of the day, bade adieu to
their pleasant cottage, and mingled in the general

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flight, which, by night fall, brought them in safety
to the house of a hospitable friend, nearly twenty
miles distant from the home, to which, as they supposed,
they were never more to return.