rain the boy soon orphaned and left entirely to his charge, that
Thomas Cushman became successor of William Brewster as Ruling Elder of
the Pilgrim Church, and now lies on Burying Hill beneath a goodly
monument erected by his numerous descendants.

But little on that bleak November day recked the boy of future honors or
proud posterities, for he and his friend Thomas Prence, future governor
of the colony, but then a merry youth of nineteen, were hand and glove
with a gay company of lads and young men who had accepted the adventure
of Pilgrimage as they would have sailed with Drake, or Hawkins, or
Captain Cooke,--any leader who promised novelty, excitement, and the
chance of hard knocks and treasure.

So little responsible for their own welfare were many of these younkers
that, although fairly fitted out for the voyage, they had while
weather-bound in the British Channel gone ashore at Old Plymouth and
"brushed away" even their cloaks and extra doublets, in some cases their
very bedding and such cooking utensils as passengers were then expected
to provide themselves with. So far from bringing fresh supplies of food
to the colony, these runagates had devoured perforce the provisions that
should have victualed the Fortune on her return voyage, and the
colonists were forced for humanity's sake, to supply her out of their
own scanty stock.

Among these young fellows was a slight, dark-eyed lad of about nineteen,
who so soon as he had landed asked for the Demoiselle Molines.

"Priscilla Molines? Dost thou know her then?" inquired Alden who heard
the question, although addressed to Billington, who only grinned at the
lad's French accent and made no reply.

"Certainly, yes. My sister is of her closest friends."

"Ay? Is thy name De la Noye?"

"Truly!" exclaimed the boy, his face lighting vivaciously. "I am Philip
de la Noye."

"Hm, and your brother Jacques--is he in the company, or coming in the
next ship?" asked Alden grimly; but at that moment Priscilla coming
swiftly forward, held out both hands to the new-comer exclaiming
joyously in French,--

"Philip, dear lad! Glad am I to see thee."

"She will have news now from her lover," muttered Alden bitterly, but
just then the captain hailed,--

"Here Jack, put thy long legs and brawny thews to service in bringing
some of these budgets up the hill. Here's a poor soul with three little
children tugging at her skirts and she a widow, and fit to be put to bed
herself."