Standish of Standish | Page 7

whale or
griffin belike, though he has hid himself again," and the girl affected to
shade her eyes and scan the sparkling waters, while Alden strode
moodily away. Priscilla glanced after his retreating figure, and spoke
again to her brother in a voice whose cooing softness poor John had
never heard.
"Thou poor dripping lad! And such a cough as thou hast already! Come
with me sweetheart, and I'll set thee between two fires, and put my
duffle cloak about thee, and heat some soup scalding hot. I would I had
a sup of strong waters for thee--ah yes, I see!"
And hurriedly leading her brother to a sheltered nook between two
great fires, she cast her cloak over his shoulders, and then sprang up the
sand-hill with the graceful strength of an antelope to the spot where
Doctor Fuller stood talking with a man whose appearance demands a
word of description. Short and square built, the figure bespoke strength
and long training in athletic exercises, while the haughty set of the head,
the well-shaped hands and feet, and the clear cut of the features told of
gentle blood and the habit of predominance. The bare head was covered
with thick chestnut hair, worn at the temples by pressure of a steel cap,
and well matched in color by eyes whose strong, stern glances carried
defeat to the hearts of his savage foes even before his quick blows fell.
The mouth, firmly closed beneath its drooping moustache, was like the
eyes, stern and terrible in anger, but like them it was capable of a
winning sweetness and charm only known to those he loved, those he
pitied, and to the life-long friends whose loving description has come
down to us; for this was Myles Standish, the soldier and hero of the
Pilgrims; their dauntless defender in battle, their gentle nurse in illness,
their councilor and envoy and shining example in peace; the right arm
of the colony, its modest commander, and its intelligent servant.
As Priscilla approached, the two men ceased their conversation and
turned toward her, neither of them unconscious of the beauty, grace,

and vigor which clothed her as a garment, yet each restrained by inborn
chivalry and respect from expressing his opinion.
"Oh, Doctor, or you, Captain Standish, have either of you a flask of
strong waters about you? My poor Joseph has fallen in the water, and it
is so cold, and he has already a cough."
"Yes, we saw him fall. He was overloaded for such a stripling," said the
doctor, with his dry smile, while Standish, hastily pulling a flask from
his pocket, said,--
"Here is some well-approved Hollands gin, Mistress Priscilla; and I
would advise a good draught as soon as may be, and have it heated if it
may be."
"Here, hand it me. I will go and give my friend Joseph a rating for
undertaking tasks beyond his strength, though belike the fault was none
of his!" And the doctor seizing the flask strode down the hill, while
Priscilla lingered to ask,--
"How doth Mistress Standish find herself to-day? I heard she was but
poorly."
"Ay, poorly enough," replied the Captain with a shadow chasing the
smile from his eyes. "She is hardly strong enough for these shrewd
winds and rough adventures. I had done better to leave her in England
until we are established somewhere."
"There's more than one in our company, I fear me, that has adventured
beyond their strength," replied Priscilla sadly, as she remembered her
mother's hectic flush and wasting strength and her brother's cough.
"A forlorn hope, perhaps, set to garrison this by-corner of the world,
but not forgotten by the Commander-in-chief, remember that, maid
Priscilla," said the captain kindly and cheerily. "There in the Low
Countries our worst trouble was that the home government never
backed us as they should, and more than once we felt we were forgot
and neglected; but in the warfare we have to wage here in the

wilderness we can never fear that."
"Yet soldiers may die at their post here as well as there," said Priscilla,
turning to go down the hill.
"So long as the work is done it matters little what becomes of the
soldier," replied Myles briefly, and the two rejoined the group around
the fires.
Before nightfall the clothes, dried and sweet with the sunshine and pure
air, were carefully folded into the tubs and kettles, the dinner was
neatly cleared away, and the whole company in several trips of the
boats conveyed on board, while the carpenters and their volunteer aids
remained to work while daylight lasted upon the pinnace, the Pilgrims'
own craft, intended for exploration along the shore, and for fishing
when they should have made a settlement.
But Joseph Molines had not shaken