s clothing for a good day at lumbering allowed
himself a half regretful memory of the sports and revelings with which
he and the other youth of Austerfield had been wont to observe the
Feast; but presently remembering his new beliefs, the Separatist leader
murmured something about "rags of Popery," and went down to his
breakfast.

"Call the men together, Howland," ordered he in some displeasure as
leaving his house axe in hand he found only his older comrades awaiting
him. "Where are the new-comers? I see none of them."

"An' it please you, Governor, Hicks and the rest of them say it goeth
against their conscience to work on Christmas Day," reported Howland
with a grim smile.

For a moment Bradford frowned, but as he caught the gay glint of
Standish's eyes his own softened, and after a brief pause he answered
temperately,--

"We will force no man's conscience. Tell Robert Hicks and the rest that
I excuse them until they be better informed."

At noon the wood-choppers returned to the village weary and hungry, for
already had the entire company been placed upon half rations of food, so
to continue until another cargo should arrive, or the next year's crop
be ripe. Well for their endurance that they could not foresee that no
farther cargo of provisions should ever arrive for them, from those who
had undertaken to support them, and that the next year's crop should
prove a failure. But now as they wearily toiled up the hill from the
brookside, eager for the hour of rest and the scanty meal they were
learning to value so highly, sounds of loud revelry and boisterous mirth
fell upon their ears, sounds alien to their mood, their necessities, and
on this day to their principles.

"Those runagates are holding Christmas revels in spite of you,
Governor," remarked Standish half jeeringly; while Hopkins, whose humor
just now was not far removed from mutiny, muttered that if godless men
were to play, he saw not why good Christians should be forced to work,
call it Christmas Day or any other.

"You are right, Hopkins, although somewhat discourteous in your
rectitude," replied Bradford, and hasting forward he came in sight of
the Town Square, where some fifteen or twenty of the Fortune passengers
were amusing themselves at "stool-ball," a kind of cricket, at pitching
the bar, wrestling, hopping-matches, and various other old English
sports, many of which had been encouraged and even led by the governor
in the late week of Than