ey found her high and dry, with
a stiff east wind in her teeth. The next plan was to bestow the
dangerous guest safely on shore, and this was finally done in the loft
of Stephen Hopkins's house, the veteran host grimly promising that he
should not stir so much as a finger-nail but he would know it; and in
spite of goodwife Billington's assurance to her sisters that they should
one and all be murdered in their beds before morning, the sun arose upon
them in peace and safety, and soon after breakfast the Indian was
dismissed with some small gifts, and an agreement that he should come
again the next day, bringing Squanto, and such others as desired to
trade with the white men, and could offer skins of beaver, martin, or
other valuable fur.

"Could not they fetch a few ermine and miniver skins while they are at
it," suggested Priscilla. "Methinks in this wilderness we women might at
least solace ourselves with the show of royalty, sith we are too far
from the throne to have our right disputed."

"Who knows but that we may found a new kingdom here in the New World,"
replied John Alden playfully. "And where should we find a fitter
sovereign than Queen Priscilla?"

But Saturday passed over quietly, and it was not until Sunday morning
that the Pilgrims coming out of the Common house after the morning
service met Samoset stalking into the village followed by five other
tall fellows, powerful but unarmed, Standish having sternly warned
Samoset that neither he nor his companions must bring any weapon into
the white man's settlement without permission. Much to the relief of the
women who encountered these guests, it was at once seen that Samoset had
understood and communicated the hint involved in lending him a cloak to
wear during his previous visit, for all were fully dressed in deerskin
robes with leggings fastened to the girdle and disappearing at the ankle
within moccasons of a style very familiar to our eyes, although a great
marvel to those of the Pilgrims, who, however soon adopted and enjoyed
them highly. Samoset and another savage, who seemed to be his especial
associate, also carried each a finely dressed wild-cat skin as a sort of
shield upon the left arm, and all were profusely decorated with paint,
feathers, strings of shells, and one man with the tail of a fox
gracefully draped across his forehead. All wore the hair in the cavalier
style, long upon the shoulders and cut square across the brow, and all
were comely