EBENEZER.

They are gone but to plan new mischief.

We must be ready for their return.

MAN (at loophole).-Here they come on this side. Watch, every one! (Much firing.)

MAN. See them run! I hope they have enough! SILAS. They will come again. Elizabeth, bring us some more powder.

ELIZABETH.—There is but little left here. Where can we find more?

COLONEL SHEPPARD (looking at the emptied powder cask). There is not enough left to withstand another attack, and this is all we have in the stockade. Is there any in the village?

SILAS. A newly opened cask stands in my cottage. It should have been brought to the fort. Shall I fetch it? EBENEZER. Let me go. Silas is a better marksman than I, and is needed here.

ELIZABETH.-You are both needed here. There are plenty of women to do the women's work. I can better be spared than either of you. Let me go.

SILAS.—No, no, Elizabeth! This is no woman's work. Stay within. I'll fetch the powder.

EBENEZER.-The Indians might capture you. You can not go!

ELIZABETH.—If they come near enough to take me,

you can shoot them-or me. Go I must, for no man can be spared. (Many protest.)

ELIZABETH.-No! Open the gate! I must go. (She unbolts the gate and runs out.)

At last the

SILAS.-Let us protect her with our rifles. There she runs down the street. The Indians are watching her, but they do not know what to make of it. It is only a woman, they think. There she has entered the house! Now she comes, carrying the powder in her apron. Indians understand. They rush forward! drive them back. (Several shots. Elizabeth reaches the gate and is drawn in.) She is safe! (Shouts and rejoicing in the fort.)

But we will

COLONEL SHEPPARD.-Now we surely can hold the fort till help comes. The Indians will not be able to get near us as long as we have ammunition and brave men to use it. The alarm has been sent out to the neighboring settlements and soon troops will be sent to relieve us. ALL. Hurrah for Elizabeth Zane!

Exercises

1. Read the story and tell it orally.

2. Make a list of the more difficult words using them

in sentences, as, skirmish, mischief, Colonel, stockade, scout, trail, ammunition, persuade, etc.

3. Learn the parts and act the whole story.

4. Write sentences for the following words:

Give an oral description of a palisaded fort. Tell how

it is constructed.

What forts of this kind have you

learned about?

STUDY 12

DIVISION OF WORDS INTO SYLLABLES

1. Sometimes in writing a story or a letter we find that there is room enough at the end of a line to write one or two syllables of a word, but not enough to write the whole word. For example, we wish to write the word attention, and there is just space for one syllable at the end of the line. We should write at- (the little mark is called a hyphen) and at the beginning of the next line

finish the word, tention. If there is room for two syllables, write atten- and on the next line tion. Never divide a syllable at the end of a line.

Write receiving as it should be written when there is space for only one syllable at the end of a line. Write receiving as it should be written when there is space for two syllables at the end of the line.

Divide the following words, using the hyphen between syllables:

2. How to divide words into syllables is sometimes difficult to decide.

First of all be careful to pronounce words distinctly and to notice how good talkers pronounce them. When in doubt use the dictionary.

There are a few simple rules that are helpful, as follows:

a. Never divide a word of one syllable, as, thought, bright, laugh.

b. A prefix or a suffix is usually separated from the rest of the word, as, in-form, ex-plore, lov-ing, judgment, opin-ion.

c. When the final syllable is a single letter do not drop it to the next line, as, trick-er-y, tan-ner-y.

STUDY 13

THE OAK AND THE REED

A tall oak tree grew on the bank of a river. It stood with its roots firm in the ground and its head high in the air. It thought, "I am very strong. I look down upon the other trees."

A storm came one day, and a powerful wind uprooted the proud tree and threw it into the river. As the water bore it along, it passed a tall, slender reed that grew on the bank.

"How did it happen, Reed," asked the Tree, “that the wind did not blow you, down? You are slender and weak, while I was tall and strong."

"Ah! poor Tree," said the Reed, "I bent low until the wind passed by. You stood stiff and stubborn, and tried to stop it. No one can stop the wind. It must go where it is sent."