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"With all of our flashlights and lanterns turned on, the small room lit up quite nicely. We found a rotting cot standing in the middle, and just beneath the hole we came through. It was this that had actually caught my dropped lantern. There were tattered blankets and clothes scattered about a dusty floor. The room and its contents smelled of old harsh times.

"'Hey look,' Sally called out, pulling a shiny metal box from under the cot. In spite of her earlier fear, curiosity was boldening her. It often happened that way with her.

"Sally was always good at finding things," Emily said. "I think it was because she was particularly good at hiding them to begin with, and you're right, she would often start out rather scared, and then gather strength from the rest of you."

"Now that's the truth," Nancy agreed.

"What was in the box?" Emily asked.

"We couldn't tell at first because it had a lock on the front, but there was a key still wedged in it. Sally turned it carefully, and then gasped when the lid flew open with a swishing sound. Seemingly startled, she dropped it on the bed, and backed up like she thought it might bite her. Intrigued, the rest of us gathered around."


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"Inside was a single piece of parchment etched with what looked like India ink. I knelt on the floor beside the cot and gently removed the paper, spreading it on the bed for all to see. On it was a scrawled a message. Time had faded the writing so much as to make the contents almost illegible. Struggling to see the washed-out words, I read the letter out loud.

I have done all I can to help mankind from this current evil, slavery, which seeks to destroy humanity. I cannot think of anything worse than what my people have done to their fellow human beings. But I have lived long enough to realize that cruelty is not unique to my generation; each has its own evil to face. You, who read this message now, will have yours, and it will be just as revolting. I wish you success on your quest to end it. We cannot stop evil from arising, but we can do our part to fight it back. We have only truly lost our mission when we stop trying.

Sincerely,
Drake Settler
December 2, 1853

"For a moment, no one spoke. We didn't even breathe loudly. The lights in the room seemed to grow brighter, and I could hear my own heart beating like the sound of a snare drum.

"'What do you suppose it means?" Becky finally asked out-loud.

"'I'm not sure, but I think Settler is the name of the family my father bought this land from,' Tabby said, kneeling on the floor and leaning her elbows on the dirty covers. 'Maybe this is a message from one of their ancestors.'

"'It sounds like this guy Drake helped free slaves," Elizabeth said; "just like the legend about this barn says. He probably hid them down here in this very room."

"'But why do you suppose he left a note behind?' Becky asked, twirling a braid around her finger like she always did when she was thinking hard.

"'I think he was trying to say he had done his part to make the world a better place,' Tabby offered, 'and now it's someone else's turn to take up the mission.'

"'To free slaves?' Sally asked, her young eyes wide with shock. 'Are people still being held as slaves?'

"'There will always be slaves," Tabby offered grimly, "as long as there are people who like to control others, but I don't think that's what Drake is referring to."

"'I agree,' I said. 'Drake Settler said that every generation has its own evils. Maybe he wants us to figure out what ours is and do something about it.'

"'But, why us?" Sally asked. "We're just kids. What can we do to fight evil? I don't think we were the right ones to find the letter. Maybe we should put it back in the box and take it to someone older."

"'You may be right,' I said, 'but I don't think so. Somehow, I think we were meant to find it -- us, this group.'

"I agree," Elizabeth said. "Don't underestimate kids. Just because we're young and inexperienced doesn't mean that we can't make a difference."

"'Look around the room,' I said, standing up. 'We may have a lot of weaknesses, our ages being one of them, but we have some important strengths, too. Take Tabby for instance. She's a fast and a strong runner. She's also level-headed, smart, and popular at school. Becky knows plants and animals like a scientist, and simply can't get lost in the woods. Elizabeth is strong and agile like a panther. She has courage, and the traditions of her people. Sally, you are small, and talented in the arts of secrecy. These are all important traits.'

"'And you,' Elizabeth added, looking at me and grinning, 'are known to never give up. You can always be counted on to finish what you start.'

"'Yeah, and you are, what my father calls, discerning,' Tabby added.

"'What does that mean?' Sally asked.

"'It means she has a way of understanding what a person is thinking beyond what they are saying,' Tabby explained.

"'You mean, like she can't be tricked?' Sally asked.

"'Sort of,' Tabby nodded, 'but more like she looks beyond the surface of things for true meaning.'

"'Wow, that's deep,' I said, 'but, I think my mother just calls it stubborn.'

"'Sometimes you're both,' Tabby laughed, joining her friends on their feet, 'but you're more than any of that to us. You're our leader, and the glue that holds us together.'

"'You, also, know how to bring out the best in each of us,' Sally added thoughtfully. 'To be honest, I think you have a lot of what Daddy calls, hidden talents.'

"'I think we've all got that,' Elizabeth agreed, 'and I'm pretty sure that whoever guided us here to this letter knows that.'

"'Do you think it was Drake Settler's ghost?' Sally asked, wide-eyed.

"'I don't know,' Elizabeth answered, 'but something let out a scream and then started mewing like a cat. I don't know about y'all, but I don't see a cat anywhere down here.'

"All five of us fell silent as we looked around at each other and weighed the importance of all that had transpired. We could still hear the beating of the rain on the metal roof of the clubhouse, its fresh fragrance clearing the mustiness out of the cellar room.

"I carefully folded the parchment to replace it in the box. As I did so, it crumbled in my hand and turned to dust. An eerie breeze stirred the air and blew the powder from my hand into the surrounding room.

"'Looks like we have our answer,' Tabby said.

"'And it seems we've got no choice but to take the challenge,' Elizabeth added, her usual boisterous voice barely above a whisper.

"'No,' I disagreed, 'we always have a choice, but I think Drake Settler feels he has done what he needed to do. He has tagged us.'

"'You mean, like you're it kind of tagged?' Sally asked.

"'No,' Tabby interrupted, her eyes alight with understanding. 'It's like in relay racing. When one person finishes their run, they pass the baton to the next runner, which is called tagging. Drake Settler ran his part. Now, for whatever reason, we are tagged. It is our turn to fight the evils of our generation.'

"'What are those?' Becky asked.

"'I don't know,' I said, 'but I have a sneaky suspicion we'll soon find out. Thing is, will we be ready to take them on?'

"'I'm ready now,' Elizabeth insisted, her dark eyes glowing with an ancient light. In that moment, she really did look like a warrior princess.

"'I'm in, too,' Becky decided, catching on as she always did in the end.

"All eyes turned towards little Sally, who sat up straight, fire burning in her young eyes. She seemed to have aged years in a single evening.

"'Youngest member checks in,' she announced saluting. 'You aren't going to get anything accomplished without a first class sneak on board.'

"'Good for you,' I said, giving my sister a hug. 'I knew you had it in you.'

"And so it happened the five of us, who met in an old barn in Bunker Hill, took our first feeble steps towards becoming, the Daredevil Girls from Bunker Hill."

Nancy took a deep breath as she finished relaying the memory to her mother. 

"You've done a good job, as usual, of telling your memories in 'storyteller' form," Emily said. "It helps to get inside the memories when you include dialogue."

"Well, I kind of get in a 'zone' where I try to add my thoughts and memories to what I remember being said. It makes it sound more like a story and less like a dissertation."

"And that's why your boss wants you to tell your stories. I'm afraid you've earned quite the reputation for keeping your students interested by making as many stories out of your lessons as you can."

"Maybe I missed my calling in life."

"No, I think you are perfect at what you do, but let's get back to the lesson at hand. What do you understand from the story you just told me?"

"That we were carrying a torch that was passed to us," Nancy reluctantly agreed, "but, Mama, we took a lot of risks; some seriously dangerous. I can't ask anyone else to do that, and I am too old to continue it myself."

"Too old?" Emily repeated. "Once you were too young and that didn't stop you. Besides, Drake Settler wasn't afraid to ask you to do it. He wasn't scared of bringing down danger on others. He knew, like you, that someone has to fight evil."

"When Drake left that letter, he didn't know for sure who would find it. When I tell my stories, I know who will be listening. I am a teacher. I have responsibilities."

"Your responsibility is to light someone else's torch with your own, the one that still lies buried deep within your grown-up teacher's heart, and deep beneath your pain."

"But why me? I never understood that. There were four other girls, and later a boy, who were Daredevils. Why can't they pass on the torch?"

"Because the flame does not reside with them. You were, and still are, their leader. What did Tabby say? You are their glue? Sweetheart, I don't understand it all, either. I never did, not like your father, but the world grows more wicked every day. Either join the fight against it, or at the very least, enable someone else to do so."

"Okay, Mama," Nancy agreed after a long pause, "but I can't believe you are the one encouraging me. You always worried so much about my adventures."

"True, I did, but if you recall, I always supported you. I figured that if I couldn't stop a wildfire, I could at least direct its path."

"First I am a torch bearer, now the fire. Which am I?"

"Both, now don't argue with your mother. I'm always right."

"So far you have been," Nancy laughed, "and you have won this round. I will do the story thing, and I will put my heart into it, but don't expect much."

"That's all I ask," Emily stated, and then paused and took in an uncertain breath. "Your father would have been proud."

Nancy gasped. No one had spoken to her about her father since the funeral. She had been so angry. Maybe it was time. After-all, this was her mother, and she had the right to talk to her about him if anyone did.

"I know he would have," she finally admitted, a catch in her voice the only indication of her hesitancy. It didn't go unnoticed by Emily, who let out the breath she had been holding.

"I can't remember a time when he wasn't proud of me and Sally for what we did with the Girls," Nancy went on, "and I miss him so much."

"I know you do," Emily sympathized, her own voice full of emotion. "I do, too, but, just maybe, it's time to let him and what happened go."

"I'm not sure I can," Nancy acknowledged, taking in a huge ragged breath. "I risked my life helping other people so many times, and I couldn't even save my own father. Where were the Daredevil Girls when he needed us most?"

"Out saving lives, and fighting evil," Emily responded quickly, as though she had spent a lot of time rehearsing this conversation, "just as you always did, and just what he would have wanted you to do. What happened to Lawrence was not your fault, and it wasn't mine, either."

"But it still hurts. It was so unfair."

"Whoever told you that the world was fair?"

"You?"

"Not even when you were a child," Emily corrected gently. "What happened to him hurt us all, but, sweetheart, we can only help who or what is in our power to help. The crime is to not try, just like Drake Settler said in his letter. I hate to sound common, but really, your father wouldn't have wanted you to quit. He was your biggest supporter. I have never said that to you before, but it has been nine years."

"I know, and I promise I am going to try to get past it to tell my stories." Nancy agreed, her hazel eyes beginning to shine with the first faint ember of the fire of her youth. "Just be there for me if I fall."

"I always have been."