But the captain had small patience with the delay, and called out that ’twas best to sink the sloop rather than lose a fair wind out of harbor.
“I cannot be leaving two helpless maids adrift,” William Trull called back. “They are from the Province Town settlement.”
“Take them back to it, if you like, and find your way across the Atlantic as best you may,” retorted the English captain angrily. “We can’t stand by for such folly.”
Poor William Trull looked at the little girls in dismay. To be left stranded on American territory was the last thing he desired.
“Can’t you tow our boat down to Province Town?” pleaded Anne. “We won’t hurt you.”
“Ha! ha!” laughed the captain, and even William Trull joined in the laughter of the crew, while Anne and Amanda wondered why the sailors laughed. “Well,” and the captain’s voice was more friendly as he leaned over his ship’s railing and gazed down at the little girls, “if you won’t run us down we’ll take you along that far. You can stay on the sloop, Trull, till we get near the tip of the cape. ’Tis plain American children are not easily frighted.”
The sloop was now taken in tow, and although the little girls pleaded that a boat be sent to find Amos, William Trull shook his head.
“’twill not do,” he declared, “to ask it of the captain; and if the boy be a smart boy he’ll make his way home, never fear.”
It was some comfort to Amanda to declare that Amos was the smartest boy in the settlement; that he could make fire as Indians did, and that he knew many ways of snaring birds and fish.
“Never fear for a boy like that,” said the sailor.