hulking lad of ten years should have more pride than to beg his way from
door to door.

It is with shame I here set down the fact, that many weeks passed before
I came to understand, in ever so slight a degree, what a milksop I must
be, thus eating the bread of idleness when I should have won the right,
by labor, to a livelihood in this world.

This last thought had just begun to take root in my heart when Nathaniel
Peacock, whose mother had been a good friend of mine during a certain
time after I was made an orphan, and I, heard that a remarkably brave
soldier was in the city of London, making ready to go into the new
world, with the intent to build there a town for the king.

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH COMES TO LONDON

This man was no other than Captain John Smith, who, although at this
time not above six and twenty years of age, had already served in the
French, in the Dutch, and in the Transylvanian armies, where he had met
and overcome many dangers.

He had been robbed and beaten and thrown into the sea because of not
believing in the religion of the men who attacked him; he had been a
slave among the Turks; he had fought, one after another, three of the
bravest in the Turkish army, and had cut off the head of each in turn.

Can it be wondered at that Nathaniel Peacock and I were filled to
overflowing with admiration for this wonderful soldier, or that we
desired above all things to see him?

We loitered about the streets of London town from daylight until night
had come again, hoping to feast our eyes upon this same John Smith, who
was to us one of the wonders of the world, because in so short a time he
had made his name as a soldier famous in all countries, and yet we saw
him not.

We had searched London town over and over for mayhap a full month, doing
nothing else save hunt for the man whose life had been so filled with
adventure, and each time we returned home, Mistress Peacock reproached
me with being an idle good for nothing, and Nathaniel but little better.

I believe it was her harsh words which caused to spring up in my heart
a desire to venture into the new world, where it was said gold could be
found in abundance, and even the smallest lad might pick up whatsoever
of wealth he desired, if so be his heart was strong enough to brave the
journey across the great ocean.

The more I thought of what could be found in that land, which was called
Virginia, the stronger grew my desire, until the time