Page:Mistress Madcap Surrenders (1926).pdf/85

 mill on yon barge, while it may earn your Tory spy his unworthy fee, will help instead o' hinder our cause! Those barrels be loaded wi' sand instead o' gunpowder, as is Colonel Hathaway's practice, as I happen to be almost the only one to know—I heard him and Major Lindsley talking by chance o' the matter one time when I approached the mill—'tis thus he deceives the enemy! The larger they think our supply o' powder, the less apt they are to attack us here."

Tabitha's voice died away, but the next instant it was her turn to cry out.

"Oh, Hitty"—trembling, she, too, pointed across the little river—"I saw—I saw the face o' a savage!"

This time it was Mehitable's eyes which followed Tabitha's pointing finger. "Gray Hawk! It must be Gray Hawk!" she cried. "Ah, then," her hands flew to her heart and she turned a pale face toward the other girl, "then danger must be lurking near! Ever Gray Hawk appears when danger threatens! Come, we had best depart! Mayhap, danger is threatening e'en while we stand here!" And, hurriedly, she struck back through the thickets toward the rough wagon trail she knew now led from the Lindsley house to the powder mill.

"Who is Gray Hawk?" demanded Tabitha, almost querulously, stumbling after her. "Ye be so queer wi' your 'Hawtrees' and your 'Gray