The Puritan Twins | Page 9

broke in the Captain, "if they have souls, they 've either
got to save 'em or lose 'em as I jedge it; and if they never have a chance
to hear the Plan of Salvation, they 're bound to be lost anyway. Bringin'
'em over here gives them their only chance to escape damnation,
according to my notion."
"Hast thou ever brought over a cargo of slaves thyself?" asked the
Goodwife.
"Nay," admitted the Captain, "but I sailed once on a slaver, and I own I
liked not to see the poor critters when they were lured away. It seemed
they could n't rightly sense that 't was for their eternal welfare, and I
never felt called to set their feet in the way of Salvation by that means
myself. I reckon I 'm not more than chicken-hearted, if ye come to
that."
The meal was now over, the dusk had deepened as they lingered about
the table, and Goodwife Pepperell rose to light a bayberry candle and
set it on the chimney-piece.
"Sit ye down by the fire again, while Nancy and I wash the dishes," she
said cordially.
"Thank ye kindly," said the Captain, "but I must budge along. It 's near
dark, and Timothy--that 's my mate--will be wondering if I 've been et
up by a shark. It 's going to be a clear night after the storm."
The children slept so soundly after the adventures of the day that their
mother called them three times from the foot of the ladder in the early
dawn of the following morning without getting any response. Then she
mounted to the loft and shook Daniel gently. "Wake thee," she said. "'T
is long past cock-crow, and Saturday at that."
Daniel opened his eyes feebly and was off to sleep again at once.

"Daniel," she said, shaking him harder, "thy father is minded to take
thee to Plymouth."
Before the words were fairly out of her mouth Daniel had popped out
of bed as if he had been shot from a gun. "Oh, Mother," he shouted,
"am I really to go? Shall I go clear to Providence? Doth Captain
Sanders know? When do we start?"
"Thy father arranged it with the Captain last night," answered his
mother. "He will come for thee in the little boat on Monday morning
and will row thee and thy father to the sloop, which will sail at high
tide. While thy father makes the journey across the Cape thou wilt go
on to Provincetown with the Captain, or mayhap, if visitors are now
permitted in the Colony, my aunt, the Governor's lady, will keep thee
with her until thy father returns. She would like well to see my son, I
know, and I trust thou wilt be a good lad and mind thy manners. Come,
Nancy, child, I need thy help!" Then she disappeared down the ladder
to stir the hasty pudding, which was already bubbling in the pot.
When she was gone, Nancy flung herself upon the mattress and buried
her face in the bed-clothes. "Oh, Daniel," she cried, smothering a sob,
"what if the p-p-pirates should get thee?"
Daniel was at her side in an instant. "Give thyself no concern about
pirates, sister," he said, patting her comfortingly. "I have thought how
to deal with them! I shall stand by the rail with my cutlass in my hand,
and when they seek to board her I will bring down my cutlass
so,"--here he made a terrific sweep with his arm,--"and that will be the
end of them."
"Oh," breathed Nancy, much impressed, "how brave thou art!"
"Well," said Daniel modestly, "there 'd be the Captain and father to
help, of course, and, I suppose, the mate too. There will be four of us
men anyway."
"_Nancy!_--_Daniel!_"--it was their father's voice this time, and the
two children jumped guiltily and began to dress as if the house were on

fire and they had but two minutes to escape. In a surprisingly short time
they were downstairs and attending to their morning tasks. Nancy,
looking very solemn, fed the chickens, and Dan brought water from the
spring, while their father milked the cow; and by six o'clock their
breakfast of hasty pudding and milk had been eaten, prayers were over,
and the whole family was ready for the real work of the day. There was
a great deal of it to do, for nothing but "works of necessity and mercy"
could be performed on the Sabbath, the Sabbath began at sundown
Saturday afternoon, and the travellers were to make an early start on
Monday morning. A fire was built in the brick oven beside the fireplace,
and while it was heating the Goodwife made four pies and six loaves of
brown-bread, and prepared a pot