With an inarticulate growl the master of the Mayflower did as he was bid, and by the time goodwife Billington had cleared and wiped the benches and table, the men he had requested to see, along with Winslow, Allerton, Bradford, and Doctor Fuller, came in together, for the hour was just past noon, and the people collected for dinner had not yet dispersed.
"Good-morrow, Captain Jones," said Carver courteously; "John Alden tells me thou wouldst have speech of all of us together."
"Yes, Master Governor, and glad am I that peevish boy did my errand so largely, for what I have to say concerns every man, ay, and woman and child, in your settlement."
"In truth! And what may it be, Master Jones? Sit you down, and goodwife Billington set on some beer for our guest."
"Well thought on, and I'll not forget to send you another can or so before I sail."
"Is the sailing day fixed as yet?"
"To-morrow's flood will see me off, wind and weather permitting."
"And God willing," sternly interposed the elder; but Jones fixing his twinkling eyes upon Brewster's face over the edge of the pewter pot covering the lower half of his face answered scoffingly as he set the flagon down,—
"If as you say God guides the wind and weather, reverend sir, fair weather speaks His willingness for me to sail, doth it not?"
"Sith thy time is so short, Jones, mayhap thou 'lt spare it, and tell thine errand at once," interposed Standish sharply, and Jones turned upon him with a leer.