determination of others, who left to themselves would have scattered
like sheep without a leader.

"Let each man arm and harness himself and report for inspection in the
Town Square," was the first order, and while it was obeyed the Captain
climbed the hill carrying the "perspective glass" made by Galileo
himself during his exile in Holland, and brought to the new world by
Governor Carver, whose widow bequeathed it to the colony as one of its
chief treasures.

He was followed by William Trevor, one of the seamen hired by the colony
for a year, a fellow of quick eyesight and undaunted courage. The
Captain silently and carefully adjusted his lenses, and then handed the
glass to Trevor.

"Now you, Bill, clap your eye to that and get it on yon headland,
Farther Manomet, d' ye see?"

"Ay, Captain, I have it, and can count the squirrels on the tree tops."

"Canst tell a ship's topmast from a squirrel if one should heave in
sight?"

"Mayhap I could, master."

"Well, then, watch for it, and so soon as any craft of any color, be it
one of your squirrels on a chip, an Indian in a canoe, or a French
man-of-war, send this boy Cooke tumbling down the hill to bring the
news. Now, man, show thy discretion and thy wit."

"Ay, ay, Captain, you may trust Bill Trevor for a keen lookout. When I
sailed aboard a whaler"--

But already the Captain was out of hearing, and presently was inspecting
his little army, mustered in the Town Square, each man armed and
armored.

Drawn up in two ranks the twenty men presented a striking array, for in
the forefront stood the governor, the elder, the surgeon, Winslow,
Allerton, Warren, Hopkins, Howland, Alden, and Peter Browne, ancestor of
John Brown of Ossawatomie; while the file closers, if not men of equal
note in affairs, were each one a sturdy and determined Englishman, ready
to fight till the death and never guess that he could be conquered.

The inspection over, the train band was dismissed with orders to stand
ready to reassemble at a moment's warning, and meantime to make such
dispositions of private property as seemed good to each man.

Hardly was this order obeyed when from the Fort came Trevor's sonorous
hail,--

"Sail ho!" and presently young Cooke came pelting down the hill
reporting with a military salute to the captain.

"Trevor saith, sir, that a ship of not over sixty ton is drawing around
Manomet, and that she flieth no colors as yet."

"Ha! Let us see then, let us