The Puritan Twins | Page 7

here water 's just
alive with money! Any boy could go out and haul up a shilling on his
own hook any time he liked."
Daniel, his eyes shining and his lips parted, was just making up his
mind that he would rather be the captain of a fishing-smack than
anything else in the world, since he knew he could n't be a pirate, when
his mother came to the fireplace with a layer of corn-meal dough
spread on a baking-board. She placed the board in a slanting position
against an iron trivet before the glowing bed of coals, and set a pot of
beans in the ashes to warm. "Keep an eye on that johnny-cake," she
said to Daniel, "and don't let it burn." Then she turned away to set the
table.
[Illustration]

This task took but little time, for in those days there were few things to
put on it. She spread a snowy cloth of homespun linen on the plank
which served as a table, and laid a knife and spoon at each place; there
were no forks, and for plates only a square of wood with a shallow
depression in the middle. Beside each of these trenchers she placed a
napkin and a mug, and at the Captain's place, as a special honor, she set
a beautiful tankard of wrought silver. It was one of the few valuable
things she had brought with her from her English home, and it was used
only on great occasions.
When these preparations were complete, she took the lobsters from the
pot, poured the beans into a pewter dish, heaped the golden
johnny-cake high upon a trencher, and, sending Dan to fetch Nancy,
called the men to supper. The storm was over by this time, the last rays
of the setting sun were throwing long shadows over the fields, and the
robins were singing their evening song. The Goodwife stepped to the
window and threw open the wooden shutters. "See," she said. "There 's
a rainbow."
"The sign of promise," murmured Goodman Pepperell, rising and
looking over his wife's shoulder.
"Fine day to-morrow," said the Captain. "Maybe I can plant my
lobster-pots after all."
Nancy, looking pale and a little subdued, crept down the ladder and
took her place with Daniel at the foot of the board. Then they all stood,
while Goodman Pepperell asked a blessing on the food, and thanked
God for his mercy in delivering them from danger and bringing them
together in health and safety to partake of his bounty.
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II
TWO DAYS

The grace finished (it was a very long one and the beans were nearly
cold before he said amen), Goodman Pepperell broke open the lobsters
and piled the trenchers with johnny-cake and beans, and the whole
family fell to with a right good will. All but Nancy. She was still a bit
upset and did not feel hungry.
"Thou hast not told me, Captain, what voyage thou art about to
undertake next," said the Goodman, sucking a lobster-claw with relish.
The Captain loved to talk quite as well as he loved to eat, but his mouth
was full at this moment, and he paused before replying. "I 'm getting
too old for long voyages, Josiah," he said at last with a sigh. "Kind o'
losing my taste for adventure. Pirates is pretty plentiful yet, and for all I
'm a sailor I 'd like to die in my bed, so I have settled at Marblehead.
They 're partial to fishermen along this coast. The town gives 'em land
for drying their fish and exempts 'em from military dooty. But I can't
stay ashore a great while before my sea legs begin to hanker for the feel
of the deck rolling under 'em, so I 'm doing a coasting trade all up and
down the length of Massachusetts Bay. I keep a parcel of lobster-pots
going, some here and some Plymouth way, and sell them and fish,
besides doing a carrying trade for all the towns along-shore. It 's a tame
kind o' life. There, now," he finished, "that 's all there is to say about
me, and I 'll just take a turn at these beans and give ye a chance to tell
about yourself, Josiah."
"'T is but a short tale," answered the Goodman, "God hath prospered
me. I have an hundred acres of good farm land along this river, and I
have a cow, and a flock of sheep to keep us in wool for the Good wife
to spin. I have set out apple trees, and there is wood for the cutting; the
forest furnishes game and the sea is stored with food for our use; but
the truth is there is more to do than can be compassed with