at we were lads well fitted to live
in a new land like Virginia, and that if we would but remain with Master
Hunt, working out our time of apprenticeship, which would be but five
years longer, then might we find ourselves men of importance in the
colony. He doubted not, so he said, but that we would continue, after he
had gone, as we had while he was with us.

What could we lads do other than obey, when his commands were laid upon
us, even though our hearts were so sore that it seemed as if it would no
longer be possible to live when he had departed?

Even amid his suffering, when one might well have believed that he could
give no heed to anything save his own plight, he spoke to us of what we
should do for the bettering of our own condition. He promised that as
soon as he was come to London, and able to walk around, if so be God
permitted him to live, he would seek out Nathaniel's parents to tell
them that the lad who had run away from his home was rapidly making a
man of himself in Virginia, and would one day come back to gladden their
hearts.

CAPTAIN SMITH'S DEPARTURE

It is not well for me to dwell upon our parting with the master whom we
had served more than two years, and who had ever been the most friendly
friend and the most manly man one could ask to meet.

Our hearts were sore, when, after having done what little we might
toward carrying him on board the ship, we came back to his house, which
he had said in the presence of witnesses should be ours, and there took
up our lives with Master Hunt.

But for that good man's prayers, on this first night we would have
abandoned ourselves entirely to grief; but he devoted his time to
soothing us, showing why we had no right to do other than continue in
the course on which we had been started by the man who was gone from us,
until it was, to my mind at least, as if I should be doing some grievous
wrong to my master, if I failed to carry on the work while he was away,
as it would have been done had I known we were to see him again within
the week.

With Captain Smith gone, perhaps to his death; with half a dozen men who
claimed the right to stand at the head of the government until Lord De
la Warr should come; and with the savages menacing us on every hand,
sore indeed was our plight.

With so many in the town, for there were now four hundred and ninety
persons, and while the savages, because of having been so sorely
wronged, were in arms against us, i