Page:Barbour--Metipoms Hostage.djvu/70

58 and even Obid was found by David fast asleep one night when he should have been  awake and watchful. By this time June had come in hot and the corn was planted in the  south field, and the kitchen garden was  already showing the green sprouts of carrots and parsnips and turnips and other vegetables which grew, it seemed, fully as well as in England. Then, on a day when there was a lapse of work for him to do, David set  forth for Natick to see Monapikot again,  since, in spite of the Pegan’s promise to come  within the week, David had seen naught of  him. By river the distance to the village of the Praying Indians was nearly twenty miles,  so devious was the stream’s winding course,  whereas on foot it was but a matter of four  or five. And yet David might well hesitate in the choice of routes, for by land the way  led through the Long Marsh, which would  have been more appropriately called bog, and  save for what runways the deer had made  therein there was no sort of trail. It was the thought of having to remain at the village  overnight that finally decided David to take  the land route, and he set out early one  morning with musket across his shoulder  and bread and meat in his pouch, and in his