nding on the
beach; and here we have Bradford's springs well in range, and this
ascent by which we have clomb thither. Why, it is a little Gibraltar
ready to our hand. Then if the salvages approach by land, from yon fair
hill which Warren advises, our heavier guns will meet them half way,
and our smaller metal mow them down at close quarters. We are well set
forth in gun-metal, Governor, for I saw to it myself; not only minions,
but sakers and falcons and bases, not to mention each man's piece, which
I fain would have had all snaphances like mine own. Ay, we are well
armed, and here is our fortalice."

"But not to my mind our dwelling, Captain," replied Carver pleasantly.
"Mind you, half our company are women and children, and it were hard for
them to be cooped up in a fort or to descend and climb again this shrewd
ascent whenever they were athirst. I say not but that a fortification
here were admirable when we come at it, but methinks our dwellings were
better placed under its protection than within it."

"Along this course we have just trod from the rock," suggested Winslow.

"And tending toward the springs," added Bradford with a smile.

"Nay, man, come and drink since thou 'rt so sore athirst," cried Hopkins
clapping him on the back. "If 't were a spring of Hollands now, or even
a double strike of English ale, I'd race thee for it, but never yet did
I find my stomach clamor for cold water."

"'T is very delicate water for all that," declared Bradford as the two
men, stumbling down the steep descent of Spring Lane, reached and
stooped to drink of the spring at its foot.

"Too delicate for me," retorted Hopkins; "fitter for maids than men."

"Well, beer is brewed of water as well as of barley and hops," declared
Bradford; "and thou 'st only to raise the grain and this fair spring
will turn it into beer for thee at thy pleasure."

"And here be blackberry briers for my dame to brew her wild-berry wines,
and lo you now, this is sassafras whose roots are worth their weight in
gold to the chirurgeons, and these are strawberry leaves."

"And we have seen cherry and plum stocks in abundance the way we came,"
declared Bradford as the rest of the party straggled down the hill.

"Excellent sand and gravel for building," said Warren crumbling the soil
around the spring. "Ay, and here is clay to shape into pots and pans
when the goodwives have broken all they bring."

"Methinks it hath a look of fuller's clay, and so i