y kinswoman, and bar Master Allerton from persecuting her
with his most mawkish suit while I am gone?"

"Surely, Myles, we'll care for Mistress Barbara, who is to my wife as
one of her own sisters."

"Yes, the Carpenters are gentlefolk, if not a county family like ours,"
said Standish simply. Bradford stared a little, but only replied,--

"Then I put the command in your hands, Captain, and you will order
matters as suits your own convenience and pleasure. Master Bridges will
welcome you right gladly."

And before the sun, just risen over Manomet, sank behind Captain's Hill,
the Little James had rounded the Gurnet, and was standing on for Cape
Ann, with Myles Standish leaning against her mainmast, and smoking the
pipe Hobomok had bestowed upon him with the assurance that he who used
it carried a charmed life so long as it remained unbroken. The captain's
arms were folded and his eyes fixed upon the fort-crowned hill where lay
his home, but it was not of fort or home that he mused as at the last he
muttered,--

"And yet I glory in thy spirit, thou proud peat!"

Early the next morning Standish was somewhat roughly roused from his
slumbers by Master Bridges, who, shaking his shoulder, cried,--

"Here, Captain, here's gear for thee. Rouse thee, Master!"

"What is 't, Bridges? What's to do, man? Are the savages upon us?"

"Nay, but pirates, or as good."

"Ha! That's well. Send all your small arms on deck, Master Bridges, pipe
to quarters, train your falcon--I'll be on deck anon"--

"Nay, but you do somewhat mistake, Captain. I said indeed pirates, but
that's not sure. There is a little ship anchored within a cable's length
of the James, and her men are busy on shore with the fishing-stage which
Lister saith is yours"--

"And so it is, every sliver of it."

"Mayhap, then, you'll come on deck and tell these merry men as much, for
they do only jeer at me."

"They'll not jeer long when my snaphance joins in the debate," said
Standish grimly as he followed the master up the companion way.

"Hail me yon craft, and ask for her commandant," ordered he, glancing
rapidly over the scene. Bridges obeyed, and got reply that Master Hewes,
captain of the Fisherman out of Southampton, was on shore with all his
men except the ship-keeper, who, however, spared the jibes with which he
had seasoned his reply to Bridges' first informal hail.

"The wind is fair, the tide flood. Carry your craft further in-shore,
Master Bridges,