in reason but they are
burned."

"You're right, Fuller, and I'm but a froward child," said Brewster, a
sudden smile replacing the frown of pain upon his face, and obediently
opening out his burned and bleeding palms. "Come to the Common house, so
as not to fright my wife within there, and do them up with some of your
wonderful balsam."

"And were it not for thought of your work, you would not have let me see
them," said Fuller glancing from under his penthouse brows with a look
of cynical admiration.

"One cannot give thought to every pin-prick with such deadly sickness on
all sides," replied Brewster simply. "Best go into the hospital and see
if thy poor dying folk have taken any harm of the fright before thou
lookest after me."

"The Captain has gone into the sick-house. I'll hold on to you,"
returned the Doctor curtly, and Brewster yielded with his ever gracious
smile.

That evening as the Elder with his bandaged hands, Carver, gaunt and
pale from an attack of fever, Standish, Winslow, John Howland, and
Doctor Fuller sat at supper in the Common house, Master Jones, followed
by a sailor heavily laden, presented himself at the door.

"Good e'en, Masters, and how are your sick folk?" demanded he, in a
would-be cordial voice.

"Thanks for your courtesy, Master Jones," replied the governor with
grave politeness. "They are doing reasonably well, except some few who
do not seem like to mend in this world."

"And Master Bradford? Sure he is not going to die?" pursued Jones in a
voice of strange anxiety, as he sank into the great arm-chair Carver had
proffered him.

"He is as low as a man can be and live," broke in the doctor gruffly, as
he fixed Jones with a glance of angry reproach, beneath which even that
rough companion quailed.

"He sent aboard yesterday begging a can of beer," blurted he, his brown
face reddening a little.

"Yes," replied the governor sternly, "and you made answer that though it
were your own father needing it, you would not stint yourself."

"I said it, and I don't deny it," retorted Jones with a feeble attempt
at bluster. "But any man has a right to change his mind if he find
cause, and I've changed mine as you will see, for I've brought not a
can, but a runlet of beer for Bradford, and any others who crave it and
are like to die wanting it; and when that is gone if Master Carver will
send on board asking it for the sick folk, he shall have it though I be
forced to drink water myself