"Please, sir," Agnes replied, "there are no lions in the Colony, but if there were they would soon fall dead before my trusty musket."
With mock dignity she took down the heavy musket and aiming it at the man, said, "And, sir, here is how the women of America defend their honor. Hold on, sir, or you will be a dead man." They all laughed, but Mrs. Bradley urged Agnes to put away the gun, which was a fine specimen that Mr. Bradley had especially imported from England for the girl.
"You are going to teach me a trick or two," the old man said laughing boisterously. "I surely must guard my tongue, or the days of my earthly pilgrimage will be cut short."
It was a lovely evening, and never for a long time was there so much jollity In the house. However, when finally Mr. Bradley took down the large family Bible to read the evening chapter, all were serious and listened to the Word of God with devotion.
The service was closed with a hymn of praise, which Agnes accompanied on her lute.
Tears crept over the rough cheeks of the old man, and as he bade his friends good-night, he said, "Never was the heart of John Rawlins so happy as tonight. The Lord has verily blessed my pilgrimage to America, nor is it altogether a rough country, but one where there is much piety and delight."
CHAPTER V
A WONDERFUL JOURNEY
Mr. Bradley was glad that he had his old reliable clerk with him in America, for he was anxious to leave the colony, and establish trading posts along the Connecticut River, west of the Massachusetts Colony.
Already the year before, in the summer of 1685, many settlers had left the Boston Colony and gone west through the unbroken wilderness to the Connecticut River. They were courageous men and women, for the journey was very tedious and dangerous, and by no means inviting.