son, at the risk of their lives, saved from complete destruction. In an
hour the little band of early settlers was reduced from comfortable
circumstances to a misery beyond the power of words to express. Darkness
would soon cover the spot of desolation. But five hours of daylight were
left in which escape could be made. They knew not in which direction to
flee for shelter. The Captain consulted with his brave partner, but all
seemed dark; no way of escape presented itself. To remain where they
were during the coming night meant death. There were only two log houses
in the district and they were miles away. Finally Mrs. Godfrey
assembled her shivering children about her and read aloud the
twenty-third psalm, and closing the old service book she said to her
husband, let us no longer tarry here, let us make haste towards the
sloop. As they were about to start, it suddenly occurred to Mrs Godfrey
that Old Mag was missing. The Captain had not seen her since he placed
the musket in her lap. The children had not seen her since the burning
of the house, and Mrs. Godfrey had not seen her after she had taken the
musket off her lap. The old squaw's absence caused a delay in setting
out for the sloop. As no trace of Old Mag could be found, it was the
opinion of both the Captain and his wife, that she had either perished
in the flames or had slipped out of the kitchen before the smoke had
cleared away and followed the Indians in their retreat.

Neither the Captain nor his wife would leave the locality without making
a search for Old Mag. During the search, Captain Godfrey, whose strength
had been severely tested since his arrival at Grimross in July, sank to
the ground in a swoon. At this crisis his wife displayed the greatness
of her character. As troubles thickened about her she seemed to develop
qualities that only woman cast in an heroic mould are capable of
exhibiting. She whispered to her husband, "We cannot find Mag, I must
save you." These words appeared to have a magic effect on the Captain.