cause of another. "I was hurt that you should urge me to marry Captain
Miles Standish, even though he is your friend. I must tell you the
truth; your friendship is more to me than all the love he could offer."

Said John: "Of all your friends, let me be the nearest and dearest, and
I promise that I will be true and faithful to you always."

He would not say more than this, for, although he longed to tell
Priscilla of his love for her, he had vowed not to do so. Loyalty to his
absent friend forbade him and he thought to himself: "I will not speak
to Priscilla of this until there is no longer any anger betwixt Miles
Standish and myself."

Meanwhile, Miles Standish was marching steadily northward with a small
troop of soldiers led by their brave Indian guide, Hobomok. After a
three days' march they reached an Indian encampment and saw the women at
work by the tents and the warriors sitting round the fire in full
war-paint.

When the Indians saw the white men approaching, two of the mightiest
warriors sprang up and came to parley with Standish, offering him a
present of furs. Then they spoke through the Indian interpreter, begging
the soldiers for muskets and powder, but when Standish refused and said
he would give them a Bible instead, they changed their tone and began
to boast and bluster.

One of the chiefs cried: "Is this the mighty Captain the white men have
sent to destroy us? He is a little man, let him go and work with the
women!" Standish looked keenly round him and became aware of shadowy
forms of Indians creeping round the bushes in ambush, but he feigned not
to see them and stood his ground undaunted, listening calmly to the
interpreter's words. But when the Indian chief began to taunt him, his
hot blood rose within him, and, snatching the boaster's knife from him,
he stabbed him to the heart. A flight of arrows immediately poured on
the little band from all sides, but they replied with deadly fire from
their guns and after a fierce fight the first victory lay with the white
men.

Month after month passed by and Miles Standish continued to scour the
land with his forces till his name became a terror to all the hostile
Indian tribes. In the little village of Plymouth the time passed
peacefully on. John Alden built himself a new house, dug a well, and
planted an orchard hard by. As he worked he thought ever of Priscilla
and knew that his happiness would not be complete until he might venture
to ask her to