s as big a fardel as my shoulders will bear. Tell me what Barbara's
silence meant to thee?"

"It meant that it was her doings that thou hadst gone, and that thy
going both angered and grieved her, Captain."

"Angered, mayhap."

"Yea, and grieved. She ate no supper, although I prayed her to taste a
new confection of mine own invention."

"Priscilla, dost think Master Allerton would be--would make a"--

"Would be the right goodman for Barbara? No, and no again, I think
naught of the kind."

"Ah! You women are so quick upon the trigger, Priscilla. I would my
snaphance went to the aim as lightly and as surely as your or Barbara's
thought."

"Come now, Captain, the manchets are done, and the fish is broiled, and
the porridge made. Wait but till I call the goodman and open a pottle of
my summer beer; 't is dear Dame Brewster's diet-drink, with a thought
more flavor to it, and John says--ah, here thou art, thou big sluggard.
We need no horn to call thee to thy meat."

Entering the cottage with a grin upon his lips and the promise of a kiss
in his eyes, Alden started joyfully at sight of the Captain, and at
Priscilla's impatient summons he bashfully took the head of the table
and asked the blessing upon his family and their daily bread, which was
then the undisputed duty of every head of a household. The captain ate
well, as Priscilla slyly noted; and as she rose from the table and began
rapidly to carry the few pewter and wooden dishes to the scullery John
had added to the two rooms and loft comprising the cottage, she
muttered,--

"What fools we women be! When they care for us the most, a savory dish
will comfort them, and we must pule, and pine, and pale--ah!"

For the captain had followed and stood at the housewife's elbow with a
confused and somewhat foolish smile upon his face.

"Wilt do me a favour, Priscilla?"

"Gladly, as thou knowest, sir."

"Nay, sir me no sirs, Priscilla! Take me for thine own familiar friend
as already I am Alden's."

"'T is an ill-advised quotation, Captain, for the 'own familiar friend'
of the Psalmist proved a false one. But ne'ertheless I'll wear the cap,
and haply prove as true as another to my promise. What can I do for
thee, Captain?"

"Why--as thou dost seem to surmise, Priscilla, there is a question
between Barbara and me--truth to tell I gave her just matter of offense,
and now I've thought better on 't and fain would tell her so, and yet I
fear me if I ask outright sh