One day business called all the Patterson family to the village,
except Helen. She was busily engaged in spinning, when the house
was surrounded by nine Indians. Resistance was useless. She did
not attempt to escape or even cry out for help; for one of the
savages who spoke English gave her to understand that she would
be killed if she did so.
She was told that she must follow the Indians. They took such
things as they could conveniently carry, and with their captive
set off on foot through the forest, in a northwestern direction.
The shrewd girl had brought a ball of yarn with her, and from
this she occasionally broke off a bit and dropped it at the side
of the path, as a guide to her father and friends, who she knew
would soon be in pursuit.
This came very near being fatal to Helen, for one of the Indians
observed what she was doing, and raised his hatchet to brain her.
The others interceded, but the ball of yarn was taken from her,
and she was closely watched lest she might resort to some other
device for marking a trail.
It was early in the morning when Helen was captured.
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