d children
streaming after them, the joy of reunion and the flood of loving
greetings sweeping away the conventional barriers wherein the
Separatists attempted to imprison Nature.

"Ah! There are the elder's girls!" said Bradford, as they halted before
his gate and looked back upon the busy street.

"Yes, Fear and Patience, sweet maids both of them," replied Alice.

"And those five merry Warren girls have found their father," said
Barbara. "But he looks not over strong."

"No," replied the governor sadly. "He hath not grudged both to spend and
to be spent for the common weal, and glad am I that his wife hath come
to restrain his zeal. But come in, come in, dear friends, and Mistress
Eaton, who cares for me and my house until I can purvey me another
housekeeper, will make you welcome."

"I would not say nay to some breakfast, nor I think would you, maid
Barbara, eh?" laughed Alice, and the governor's face clouded.

"I fear me there is but sorry cheer to set before you, dear friends,"
said he. "Mistress Eaton warned me last night that a few clams were all
she had, or could compass, in her larder."

"Something was told aboard of a famine in the place," said Barbara
quietly, "and I fancied it could do no harm to put some provant left
over of my stores into a bag and carry it ashore. If none wanted it I
could leave it hid, and--but here it is--the bag, Myles?"

"What, this sack I have tugged up the hill? All this, provision?"

"Ay, for the cook gave me a good bit of boiled beef, and a hen to boot."

"Beef!" exclaimed the captain involuntarily, but in a tone of such
amazed delight that Barbara's eyes dwelt upon him in pity and wonder.

"Myles! Thou dost not mean that thou hast been actually a-hungered!"
said she. "Oh Alice, they are starving."

"Starving!" echoed Alice in the same tone of dismay. "Oh Will!"

"Nay, nay, nay!" protested the governor with a somewhat hollow laugh.
"We have not feasted of late, perhaps, and the word beef hath a strange
sound in our ears, since no meat save a little wild game hath been seen
among us for a year or more, but still, thank God, we are well and
hearty"--

"Well and hearty!" repeated Alice Southworth. "Look at him, Barbara;
look at his cheeks, his temples, look at that hand, all as one with the
skeleton in the museum of Leyden. Oh Barbara, to think that we should
find them starving after all!"

"Better starving than starved," replied Barbara calmly. "And if the
governor