e. It was a dismal one. The sun had
reached the tops of the pines, and already the water lay in black shadow
at their feet, rippled by the small, bitter breeze creeping in from
seaward, and stirring the sedge into faint whisperings and moanings;
night birds, awaking in the depths of the forest, uttered querulous
cries, and strange, vague sounds within the covert suggested prowling
beast or savage creeping near and nearer.

"Ugh! 't is a grewsome spot as ever I saw," said Margeson as softly as
if he feared to be overheard. "Certes the men have gone home some other
way, and the sun is setting. Let us be after them, say I."

"And say I," replied Britteridge readily, and without more words the two
men hurried away, and in a brief half hour presented themselves before
the governor with news that their comrades were not to be found, either
in the field or the town, and doubtless were lost in the forest or
captured by the Indians.

Carver, ever as ready to act as to command, armed himself at once, and
summoning such men as were on shore led them to the wood, where by
calling, firing their pieces, and kindling torches they protracted the
search far into the night, and when forced to give it up until daylight
returned to the Common house for united and fervent prayers and
supplications.

Early in the morning another search party, headed by Stephen Hopkins,
with Billington as scout, entered the woods, but having traversed a
radius of seven or eight miles returned at night weary, footsore, and
with no tidings.

News of the loss was carried on board the Mayflower, and a heavy sense
of misfortune and danger settled upon the little community already
depressed by disease and want.

The men thus mourned were meantime in nearly as evil case as was feared.

Just before arriving at the pond, while munching their frugal lunch and
discussing the prospect of game, they espied a splendid stag who had
evidently been disturbed while drinking, and stood with head erect and
dilated eyes gazing upon the first white men he had ever seen, and
perhaps foreboding the war of extermination they had come to wage on him
and his.

"Oh for a piece!" cried Browne raising an imaginary gun to his shoulder.
"Seize him, Nero! Take him, good dog! Hi! Away, away!"

Nero needing no second invitation uttered a deep bay and set off,
followed by the spaniel, yelping to the extent of her powers, while the
two men, reckless of the fact that they were unarmed