nk, and Alden in his
heart felt he had done well not to lift a hand against the pretty
creature he had surprised there. But neither the poetic Bradford, the
polished Winslow, nor the meditative Howland paused any more than their
brethren to note the beauty of the spot, but one and all plunging
forward threw themselves upon their knees thrusting their faces into the
water, and only pausing to draw breath and drink again.

"We there drank our first New England water, and with as much delight as
ever we drunk drink in all our lives," wrote Bradford at a later day,
and no doubt the memory of its refreshment lasted all his life.

All but three, and these three were Allerton who could not go, Standish
who would not leave him, and Alden who would not leave Standish until
the latter said,--

"But dost not see, John, that thou 'rt hindering me from quenching my
thirst? Go thou and bring thy steel cap full of water for Master
Allerton, and when I see him revived I'll go right gladly to lap water
out of my hand among my three hundred."

"You are ever right, master," replied Alden briefly, and ran to do as he
was bid.

An hour's rest and the food they had been unable to swallow while
athirst, so refreshed the Pilgrims that even Allerton resumed the march
with fresh courage and pursued it steadily until Billington, suddenly
pausing and pointing down at a narrow path intersecting their own, said
in a low voice to Standish who came close behind him,--

"Men's feet, not beasts. It will lead belike to a village."

"Ay," responded the captain briefly. "Look well to your weapons men, and
light your matches, but let no man fire his piece without command." And
drawing his sword, Standish strode eagerly forward close to Billington,
who with all his faults was no coward, and blithely blew his match to a
fiery glow, while glancing with his ferret eyes behind every tree and
into every covert he passed.

Nothing, however, was to be seen, and suddenly the path came to an end
in a large clearing covered with the stubble of maize recently gathered,
while at the farther side stood several huts formed by a circle of
elastic poles, the butts thrust in the ground and the tops bound
together leaving a hole through which the smoke was invited to escape,
and sometimes did so. The outside was protected by heavy mats of skins
or braided of bark, while a more highly decorated one closed the
doorway. All were evidently deserted, and after some cautio