after the Governor's words. "Lord
love ye!" he cried heartily. "This wa'n't no earthquake to speak of.
'T wa'n't scarcely equal to an ague chill down in the tropics! They
would n't have no respect for it down there. 'T would n't more than
give 'em an appetite for their victuals."

His laugh which followed cheered many hearts, and was echoed in faint
smiles on the pale faces of the colonists. Governor Bradford himself
smiled and, turning to the Captain, held out his hand. "Thou art ever
a tonic, Thomas," he said, "and there is always a welcome for thee in
Plymouth and for thy friends, too," he added, turning to the Goodman.

"Though thou knowest him not, he is haply more thy friend than mine,"
said the Captain, pushing the Goodman and Daniel forward to shake
hands with the Governor, "He is married to Mistress Bradford's niece
and his name is Pepperell."

"Josiah Pepperell, of Cambridge?" said the Governor's lady, coming
forward to welcome him.

"At your service, madam," answered the Goodman, bowing low, "and this
is my son Daniel."

Daniel bowed in a manner to make his mother proud of him if she could
have seen him, and then Mercy and Joseph swarmed up, bringing their
older brother William, a lad of fifteen, to meet his new cousin, and
the four children ran away together, all their tongues wagging briskly
about the exciting event of the day. The earthquake had now completely
passed, and the people, roused from their terror, hastened to their
homes to repair such damage as had been done and to continue the
tasks which it had interrupted. Meanwhile the Captain distributed his
letters and parcels, leaving the Governor to become acquainted with
his new relative, learn his errand, and help him on his journey, while
his wife hastened home to prepare a dinner for company.

It was a wonderful dinner that she set before them. There were
succotash and baked codfish, a good brown loaf, and pies made of
blueberries gathered and dried the summer before. Oh, if only Daniel's
mother could have been there to see his table manners on that
occasion! He sat up as straight as a ramrod, said "please" and "thank
you," ate in the most genteel manner possible, even managing blueberry
pie without disaster, and was altogether such an example of behavior
that Mistress Bradford said before the meal was half over, "Thou
'lt leave the lad with us, Cousin Pepperell, whilst thou art on thy
journey?"

"I fear to trouble thee," said the Goodman.