doughty arm," replied Bradford. "But sith both are gone, we had better
leave the Elder in charge of the settlement along with Master Allerton,
John Howland, who is a stout man-at-arms, John Alden, Gilbert Winslow,
Dotey, and Cooke."

"Seven men in all."

"Yes, and with Winslow and Hopkins away, that leaves ten of us to go on
this expedition, and I shall take Lister lest he brawl with Dotey, and
Billington not only that he is the boy's father, but lest he raise a
sedition in the camp."

"Well thought on. I tell thee thou hast a head-piece of thine own, Will,
though thou art so mild spoken."

Bradford laughed with a glance of affectionate recognition of the
soldier's compliment, and then the two arranged the details of the
proposed expedition, while Alden standing straight and still as a statue
watched the gloom of night blotting all the color from sky, and sea, and
shore, even as the fog crept stealthily in swallowing all before it, and
a great dumb wave of sorrow and dismay surged up from his own heart, and
swallowed all the brightness of his life.

Suddenly from the Town Square at the foot of the hill rose the sound of
a drum not inartistically touched, and both the governor and the captain
rose to their feet.

"Bart Allerton hath learned to use the drumsticks as if he had served
with us in Flanders," said the soldier complacently, as they turned down
the little sinuous footpath.

"Yes," replied the governor gravely. "He does credit to thy teaching,
Captain, and yet methinks there may be danger that a vain delight in
his own performance may cause the lad, and haply others, to forget that
this, for lack of a bell, is our call to prayer. Couldst thou find it in
thy heart, Myles, to direct that in future the drum shall sound but
three heavy and unmodulated beats?"

"Oh ay, if it will please thee better, Will. Didst ever read of the
tyrant Procrustes?"

"What of him?"

"Only that he would force all men to fit to one measure, though he
dragged the life out of them. Dost fancy the God to whom we shall
presently pray is better pleased with a dreary noise than with some hint
at melody? Alden, come on, lad, 't is time for prayers, and thy woesome
face suits the occasion. What's amiss, lad?"

"Naught's amiss, master," replied the youth more briefly than his wont,
and with a sudden spring from a projecting bowlder he passed the two
elder men and arrived first at the Common house.

"That younker's face and voice a