The Puritan Twins | Page 8

one pair of
hands. The neighbors help each other with clearing the land, log-rolling,
building walls, and such as that, but if this country is to be developed
we must do more than make a living. There are a thousand things
calling to be done if there were but the men to do them."
The Captain skillfully balanced a mouthful of beans on his knife as he
considered the problem. Finally he said, "Well, here 's Dan'el, and,

judging by the way he waded right into the tide after his sister, I
calculate he 'd be a smart boy to have round."
"He is," said the Goodman, and Daniel blushed to his eyes, for his
father seldom praised him, "but he is not yet equal to a man's work, and
moreover I want him to get some schooling. The Reverend John
Harvard hath promised his library and quite a sum of money to found a
college for the training of ministers right here in Cambridge. The hand
of the Lord hath surely guided us to this place, where he may receive an
education, and it may even be that Daniel will be a minister, for the
Colony sorely needs such."
"There, now," said the Captain. "Farming ain't such plain sailing; is it?
Have ye thought of getting an Indian slave to help ye?"
"Truly I have thought of that," said the Goodman, "but they are a
treacherous lot and passing lazy. There was a parcel of Pequot women
and girls brought up from beyond Plymouth way last year after the
uprising. The settlers had killed off all the men and sold the boys in the
Bermudas. I might have bought one of the women but I need a man, or
at least a boy that will grow into one. The Pequots are about all gone
now, but the Narragansetts are none too friendly. They helped fight the
Pequots because they hate them worse than they hate the English, but
they are only biding their time, and some day it 's likely we shall have
trouble with them. Nay, I could never trust an Indian slave. Roger
Williams saith they are wolves with men's brains, and he speaks the
truth."
"Well, then," said the Captain, "why don't ye get a black? They are
more docile than Indians, and the woods about are not full of their
friends."
"Aye," agreed the Goodman, "the plan is a good one and well thought
out, but they are hard to come by. There are only a few, even in
Boston."
"There will soon be more, I 'm thinking," said the Captain. "A ship was
built in Marblehead last year on purpose for the trade. Captain Pierce is

a friend of mine, and he 's due at Providence any time now with a cargo
of blacks from Guinea. Ye could sail down the bay with me, and there
's a trail across the neck of the Cape to Providence, where the Desire
will come to port. I expect to spend the Sabbath here, but I lift anchor
on Monday. Ye can tell Captain Pierce ye 're a friend of mine, and 't
will do ye no harm."
[Illustration]
"Oh, Father," breathed Dan, "may I go, too?"
The Captain chuckled. "Art struck with the sea fever, son?" he said,
looking down into the boy's eager face. "Well, there 's room aboard. I
might take ye along if so be thy parents are willing and thou art minded
to see a bit of the world."
Up to this time Goodwife Pepperell had said no word, but now she
spoke. "Are there not dangers enough on land without courting the
dangers of the sea?" she asked.
Her husband looked at her with gentle disapproval. "Hold thy peace,"
he said. "What hath a pioneer lad to do with fear? Moreover, if he goes
I shall be with him."
Nancy leaned forward and gazed imploringly at the Captain. "Dost thou
not need some one to cook on thy boat?" she gasped. "I know well how
to make johnny-cake and I--" then, seeing her father's stern look and
her mother's distress, she wilted like a flower on its stem and was silent.
The Captain smiled at her.
"Ye 're a fine cook, I make no doubt," he said genially, "but ye would
n't go and leave Mother here all alone, now, I 'll be bound!"
"Nay," said Nancy faintly, looking at her mother.
Then the Goodwife spoke. "It pains me," she said, "to think of children
torn from their parents and sold into slavery, even though they be but
Indians or blacks. I doubt not they have souls like ourselves."

"Read thy Bible, Susanna," answered her husband. "Cursed be Canaan.
A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren--thus say the
Scriptures."
"Well, now,"