page-boy to his wife," demanded the voice that had
interrupted Mistress Hopkins, and turning toward it, Howland confronted
a short, square woman, not without a certain vulgar comeliness of her
own, although now her buxom complexion was florid with anger and her
black eyes snapping angrily, while the arms akimbo, the swaying figure,
and raised voice betrayed Helena Billington for precisely what she was,
a common scold and shrew. Howland was a brave man; he had already showed
both strength and prowess when, washed overboard in a "seel" of the
ship, and carried fathoms deep in mid-ocean, he caught the
topsail-halyards swept over with him and clung to them until he was
rescued in spite of the raging wind and waves that repeatedly dragged
him under; nor in the face of savage foe, or savage beast, or peril by
land or sea, was John Howland ever known less than the foremost; but now
in face of this angry woman he found naught to say, and blushing and
stammering and half laughing fairly turned and ran away, springing up
the stairs to the elevated deck cabins, in one of which Elder Brewster
and his family had their lodging.

Mistress Brewster, a pale, sweet-faced woman, already at fifty-four
dressing and behaving as the venerable mother in Israel, came forward to
meet him, and smiling indulgently asked,--

"Now what hast thou done to goodwife Billington, thou naughty lad? I
hear thy name in her complaint, and indeed all the company can hear it,
if they will."

"I did but say I would none of her boys in my party, dear Mistress
Brewster, and I hope you'll say so too," replied Howland, uncovering
his yellow head. "They are the greatest marplots and scapegraces"--

"Nay, nay, John! Say no evil, or thou 'lt make me think thou hast
'scaped grace thyself," suggested the elder's wife with her gentle
smile. "And prithee, what is thy party? Are my boys bidden, or must they
e'en bide with the Billingtons?"

"The party is your party, dear dame, for the governor sent me to ask
your commands upon it, and if Love and Wrestling will give us such aid
as their years allow, I shall be most grateful."

And then in simple phrase Howland repeated the governor's instructions,
and requested those of the dame, who at once convened an informal
council of matrons, and so well advised them that in a scant hour the
clumsy boat, rolling and bumping against the side of the brig, was laden
with bales of clothing, tubs whose hoops John Alden, a cooper by