Free The Landing of the Pilgrims by James Daugherty

was given a knife. A few trinkets to Aspinet restored peace.
    Sitting about the campfire, the boy told of his adventures among the Indians. He had had a goodtime with the Indian children and was well treated. He would be the hero of the hour in Plymouth when they returned. No wonder he was so pleased with himself!
    Squanto returned to camp from the Nausets with alarming news. He had heard that the terrible Narragansetts were on the war path. Massasoit had been captured and some of his people killed. Plymouth was in danger, with only twenty-two men to defend her. Standish decided to return to the threatened settlement at once, for it was a forty-eight-hour journey by sea. The wind was contrary but they started back without further delay. After a rough voyage they came to Plymouth at last and found all things well.
    An Indian named Hobomok came running in from the woods with more alarming news. He and Squanto had gone in search of their Chief, Massasoit. They learned that he had been betrayed by one of his sachems, named Corbitant. This Indian was stirring up Massasoit’s own people in revolt against him, and was speaking against the English.
    Corbitant had taken Hobomok and Squanto prisoner, but Hobomok had managed to escape. The last he had seen of Squanto, he was being threatened by Corbitant with his knife. Corbitant had said that if Squanto were dead, the English would lose their tongue. Hobomok was sure that by this time Squanto had been killed.
    Captain Standish determined this insolencemust be punished at once. If Squanto were dead, he must be avenged. At the head of his army of ten musketeers, Standish started out for Corbitant’s village.
    All day Standish and his men marched in the rain. At nightfall, Hobomok said they were approaching the Indian village. They halted for supper, left their heavy knapsacks behind, and advanced stealthily through the darkness.
    Pressing on, they surrounded the village. Standish burst into Corbitant’s lodge with his drawn sword, shouting, “Let no one move till we have taken Corbitant.”
    Several Indians who attempted escape were wounded in the scuffle. The soldiers fired their muskets. The whole town was in an uproar. The Indian women surrounded Hobomok and hung on his neck, seeking protection and calling him “towam,” or friend. Seeing that the women were being spared, the Indian boys began crying out that they were girls.
    Captain Standish was told that Squanto was still alive. He ordered the campfires to be lighted and the lodges searched. Hobomok climbed atop a lodge and began calling for Squanto. He suddenly appeared in the circle of firelight. All the Indians then were disarmed.
    In the morning it was found that Corbitant and his warriors were not there. The Indians were told that the English intended to destroy only Corbitantand would punish any who should attack Squanto or Massasoit.
    The party then marched home with Squanto. Several friendly Indians followed with the baggage. Three wounded Indians were brought back with them for treatment.
    “So that, by God’s good Providence, we safely returned home, the morrow night after we set forth.”
    It had been a wild night of shouting and drawn swords and the gleam of armor against the darkness of the forest. Fortunately no one had been seriously hurt. Although Corbitant had not been captured or punished, the power of the fiery little Captain and his army had struck terror into the hearts of the Indians.

Of the Arrival of the Ship
Fortune
    (November 1621)

    It was almost a year to a day from the time that the
Mayflower
had anchored in Cape Cod Bay. Seven houses stood on the hillside overlooking Plymouth Harbor and more were being built. The common storehouse was full of corn. The Pilgrims had fought starvation and won. No Indian attacks had been made on them from the threatening forests. By God’s grace the savages were their friends.
    For all this there was a price. Half of their company lay in unmarked graves. Each day