your youth up. But there is Hobamock nodding in the corner, and Alexander fast asleep on a bench yonder. The boy seems wearied by his long march yesterday; and, in truth, his young legs have never executed so much in one day before.'

And I had forgotten,' said Atherton, rising, 'that you had been travelling so lately, and must need repose; indeed, the evening has passed so pleasantly, that I scarcely thought of returning.'

'Oh, we think lightly of a walk through the woods, once or twice a year, to the Massachusetts,' said the Captain, and should be half ashamed to acknowledge ourselves fatigued by it. But you must not leave me to night, cousin Atherton; I have a bed ready for you, such as it is, and you will not forsake the house of your kinsman, for a stranger's roof.'

I scarcely feel that any are strangers here,' returned Atherton; I have been treated with so much kindness and attention; but the Governor expects me to return, and I cannot leave his hospitable family with so little ceremony.'

"Yes, you must, indeed, go home with me,' said Peregrine White, or you will disappoint us all; to-morrow, you know, we are to have some sport in the shooting way, and the next day

Oh your endless plans,' interrupted the Captain,' I tell you, young man, they will some day bring you into mischief."

"Well, I know, Captain, you will do your best to get me out of it.'

'Not I, at least, till you have suffered enough for your folly to cure you of it, which will be no brief period. An't now, Major Atherton, promise to come back, to-morrow, and take up your abode with me.'

To-morrow, then," said Atherton, 'I will see you again.' And cordially shaking hands, they parted.

Peregrine White lingered a moment behind while Captain Standish attended Atherton to the outer door; and, feeling his habitual love of mischief prevail, adroitly contrived to roll the sleeping Alexander upon the floor. He fell with a dead weight on one of the surly mastiffs, which set up a howl that awakened his companion, who instantly joined in the chorus, producing a confusion of sounds, that speedily recalled the Captain and Atherton to the room. They entered, just as the lad was scrambling up, with a somniferous growling, and the Indian, roused by the noise, was starting on his feet, and instinctively seizing his fowling piece. His straight black hair, which had been discomposed by his recumbent posture, stood almost erect, and his dark eyes rolled wildly round, as if seeking the cause of the unusual commotion. Captain Standish quickly discovered the author of the bustle; but his intention of rebuking the culprit vanished, the moment he saw him, and his gravity yielded to a fit of laughter, in the midst of which, Peregrine White made his escape.

CHAPTER V.

From the crown of his head, to the sole of his foot, he is all mirth; he hath a heart as sound as a bell, and his tongue is the clapper; for what his heart thinks, his tongue speaks.

SHAKSPEARE.

THE broad disk of the sun was just visible above the horizon, when Major Atherton and Peregrine White, with their fowling pieces and dogs, left the house to engage in the projected sports of the day.

They were accompanied, a short distance, by the Governor, whose agricultural pursuits often required his early attendance in the field of labour ; for like the Roman Cincinnatus, the primitive rulers of New-England were accustomed to mingle the useful arts of husbandry with the higher duties of their office. Elected by a grateful people, not from the prejudices of party spirit, or the paltry attractions of outward state; but for sterling qualities of the mind, piety of heart, and rectitude and uprightness of character, they presided with dignity, and commanded respect, alike in the council chamber, and in the more humble duties, and familiar intercourse of life. Ambition had not then assumed the mask of patriotism, nor were the unprincipled and licentious, elevated to the high places' of the land.

As Mr. Winslow and his companions pursued their walk, they were continually greeted by the

inhabitants of the village, who were scattering abroad on their daily vocations; and Atherton remarked with pleasure, the cordial salute of the Governor, equally removed from pride and meanness, and the respect and hearty good-will with which it was returned. He involuntarily compared it with the fatiguing splendours of royalty, and the often heartless shouts of applause, which follow the steps of a monarch; and his already favourable prepossessions of the country were augmented by the comparison. They rested a few moments, on the summit of a hill beyond the town; and while Peregrine White amused himself with training his dogs to perform various feats of dexterity and cunning, the Governor and Major Atherton regarded in silence the varied and beautiful scenery, which was stretched around them.

I love to rest on this spot,' said the Governor, at length, nor can I look round upon this goodly prospect, without emotions of gratitude to Him, who has so wonderfully prospered the work of our hands, who "remembered us in our low estate," "brought us out of our afflictions," and, in the latter end, has "blessed us in our basket, and in our store.",

I regard, with surprise,' replied Atherton, the astonishing success of your exertions; how dreary must this place have been when you first arrived here!"

'Nor is it possible, now, to form an idea of it,' returned the Governor. 6 Expecting to reach a

fruitful and temperate climate, we found ourselves treacherously cast on an icy and barren coast, obliged to struggle with disease and famine; while those, whom we most loved, were perishing miserably before our eyes, through excess of hardship and fatigue. Some were at times well nigh discouraged; but the Lord gave us "strength, according to our day," and when our "staff of bread" failed, the earth yield us ground nuts, and we eat of "the abundance of the seas, and of the treasures hid in the sand.” '

6

How,' asked Atherton, did you escape destruction from the savages, who so greatly exceeded you in numbers, and always viewed you with dislike.'

'They seemed filled with dread of us, feeble as we then were,' said Mr. Winslow; we seldom saw them, except in small numbers, as we sailed along the coast, and they always fled at the report of our fire-arms. We were informed by a friendly Indian, who came to us, in the spring, that four years previous to that time, a dreadful sickness had almost depopulated this part of the country; and we could not but regard it as a signal interposition of Providence, which had thus "cast out the heathen" before us, to make way for a people, who would spread the true religion throughout the land. Had they fallen upon us, when we were sick and defenceless we could have opposed but little resistance to their savage ferocity.'

"I understand,' said Atherton, that many of their