CHAPTER XII.

OMINOUS PREPARATIONS.


Happily there are few little girls in this favored land who are called
upon to go through such trials as fell to the lot of little Nellie
Ribsam when she was but eight years old.

It created much talk in the neighborhood, and she was complimented on
the bravery she had shown, while the glad father became more confirmed
than ever in his favorite belief that God helps them that help
themselves.

"'Spose dot she didn't try to helps herself some," he said, in talking
the matter over with Mr. Marston, "don't you not sees dot she would get
eat up doo, dree times by dot bear dot vos bigger as nefer vos?"

"It is a good thing for one, even though he be a child, to be able to do
his utmost when overtaken by danger--there can be no question about
_that_; but it would require a great deal of training to bring some
children to that point, even when they are double the years of your
little girl."

"Dot's becos dere folks don't not begins right; we starts mit Nick and
Nellie when dey was so small dot dey didn't know nuffin, which is why it
happens dey knows so much now."