tell you," answered her
husband; "but," added he, laughing, "I had no fear on thy account, for
thou art a match for a man any day."

"When I took him in his supper," said the woman, "there was poor
Philip rubbing his ankles to get the swelling out. Truly I pitied him,
for he is a proper young man."

"Oh! goody, the women always pity proper young men. I warrant me now
if it had been a grizzled old wolf like me, you would not have thought
so much of his ankles."

"Say not so, Sam," replied the woman, affectionately, "nor liken
thyself to a wolf. O, how they used to howl every night when we first
came to this wilderness; but the Lord protected his people. I dare say
now, it was thy kind heart made thee take off the irons."

"That it was not, wife. They were put on by order of one I am bound to
obey; nor durst I take them off but by command of a higher authority."

"Why do you talk as though you were giving me riddles to guess? Am I
not bone of thy bone?"

"A big heap of bones we make together," muttered Sam, glancing at the
large frame of his wife, not much excelled by his own, "but she's a
good soul, amiss only in her tongue at whiles; howbeit, saith not
Paul, it is an unruly member? Well, Margery, an thou must know, it was
by order of the Governor's own mouth to me they were taken off, and
what is more, I am to let Philip go free in the morning."

"Bless his sweet face," cried the woman, "I always said the worshipful
Governor was the sweetest; and virtuousest and excellentest man in the
whole country."

"There be them among the elders and magistrates who be of a different
opinion. Beshrew me! (may the Lord forgive me," he added, looking
round in alarm. "I hope no one hears me,) but, according to my
thinking, it is only because Master Winthrop asks for no pay, and
spends so much out of his own purse for other folk, that they choose
him Governor."

"What can anybody have against so sweet-tempered and liberal a
gentleman?" inquired Margery.

"Well, then, the elders complain that he is not so zealous, even unto
slaying, as becomes a leader of the Lord's host, which he is, like
Moses and Joshua; and some of the deputies pretend that he takes too
much state on him, and means to make himself a king, or least-wise, a
lord."

"And I trow, good man, I know no reason why, when the Commonwealth, as
they call it, gets big enough, we should not have a king as well as
the folk on the other side of the water. It was alway