“a little maid of old maine” is a true story of the brave effort of two girls to bring help to a little settlement on the maine coast at the time of the war of the revolution. parson lyon, the father of melvina, was a friend and correspondent of washington, and the capture of the english gunboat by the machias men is often referred to in history as “the lexington of the seas,” being the first naval battle after the lexington encounter.

the story is based on facts, and its readers cannot fail to be interested and touched by the courage and patriotism of rebecca and anna weston as they journeyed through the forest after the powder that was to make possible the conquest of america’s foe.