“I hab no doubt about de Lo’d bein’ my Shepa’d,” she commented, “an’ I guess He’ll not let me want.  But He hasn’t led me into green past’rs dis time.  I wonder if de Good Lo’d made dis place, anyway,” and she gazed ruefully around.  “It looks to me as if de deb’l had a mighty big hand in it, fo’ sich a mixed up contraption of a hole I nebber set my two eyes on befo’.  An’ to t’ink dat de Cun’l had to leab his nice home in Ol’ Connec., an’ come to a jumpin’-off place like dis.  I hope de ever-lastin’ fire will be seben times hot when it gits dem skunks dat stirred up ructions ’ginst good King George, I sa’tinly do.”

A slight noise startled her, and turning her head, she smiled as she saw a girl standing near her side.

“Land sakes!  Missie Jean, how yo’ did scare me!” she exclaimed.  “I thought mebbe it was a bear or a tager comin’ out ob de woods, fo’ one nebber knows what to ’spect next in dis place.”

“I am sorry I frightened you, Mammy,” the girl smilingly replied, “And it was too bad that I interrupted you in your interesting talk about ‘everlasting fire,’ ‘ructions,’ and ‘King George.’  You seem to be in a fighting mood.”

“I is, Missie Jean, I is in a turrible fightin’ mood.  I’d like jes at dis very minute to hab my two hands on dem rascals dat turned on good King George, an’ den druve us all out ob our homes.  I’d show dem a t’ing or two, I sa’tinly would.”

“I don’t doubt it,” the girl replied, as she stooped and helped herself to a waffle.  “If you could fight as well as you can cook you would be a wonder.”

“I could cook on our stove in Ol’ Connec., Missie Jean, but it’s mighty hard work on dat,” and she looked contemptuously at the rude fire-place.  “To t’ink that we should ebber come to dis!”

“Why, I think it’s great, Mammy.”

“What’ not better’n Ol’ Connec.?”

“Oh, not at all.  But this might be worse.  I miss our dear old home in Connecticut, and yet I have often longed for a life such as this.  I am sure you will like it, too, Mammy, when you get used to it.”

“I kin nebber git used to it, chile.  I’se been torn up by de roots from de ol’ home where I was born an’ bred, an’ I kin nebber take root agin, ’specially in sich a rocky hole as dis.”

“But we’re not going to stay here, Mammy.  We are going up the river, and make a new home in a beautiful place among the trees.”

“Ah, chile, dat’s what makes me tremble.  It’s bad ’nuf here, de Lo’d knows, but up dere!  Why, dere’s bears, an’ tagers dat’ll eat ye up in a jiffy.  An’ dere’s Injuns, too, dat’ll skin ye alive, an’ scalp ye, an’ roast ye fo’ dinner.  No, I kin nebber take root in a place like dat.”

“But we’ll be pioneers, Mammy,” the girl reminded.  “Just think what an honour it will be to take part in holding this land for King George.  People will be proud of what we are doing in years to come.”

“I don’t want to be no pioneers, Missie Jean, an’ I’m not hankerin’ after no honour.  It suits dis ol’ woman better to hab her skin an’ scalp now, even if dey are black, den to hab folks ye don’t know nuffin’ ‘bout blubberin’ over ye a hundred years from now.  Dem’s my solemn sent’ments.”