Finally he was taken up river for change of air, and, for lack of
worthier substitute, the Governor and Captain West constrained
me to remain and minister to the shepherdless flock. Where will
you lodge, good sir?"
"I do not know," I said. "The town will be full, and the guest house
is not yet finished."
"Why not come to me?" he asked. "There are none in the minister's
house but me and Goodwife Allen who keeps it. There are five fair
large rooms and a goodly garden, though the trees do too much
shadow the house. If you will come and let the sunshine in," - a
bow and smile for madam, - "I shall be your debtor."
His plea pleased me well. Except the Governor's and Captain
West's, the minister's house was the best in the town. It was retired,
too, being set in its own grounds, and not upon the street, and I
desired privacy. Goodwife Allen was stolid and incurious.
Moreover, I liked Master Jeremy Sparrow.
I accepted his hospitality and gave him thanks. He waved them
away, and fell to complimenting Mistress Percy, who was pleased
to be gracious to us both. Well content for the moment with the
world and ourselves, we fared on through the alternating sunshine
and shade, and were happy with the careless inhabitants of the
forest. Oversoon we came to the peninsula, and crossed the neck
of land. Before us lay the town: to the outer eye a poor and mean
village, indeed, but to the inner the stronghold and capital of our
race in the western world, the germ from which might spring
stately cities, the newborn babe which might in time equal its
parent in stature, strength, and comeliness.
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