"It was in November when they sailed around the end of Cape Cod. The Pilgrims had not meant to come so far north of Virginia.
"Some of the men left the ship and went on shore. They found a place where the earth looked as though it had been lately dug up. Perhaps something was buried in this spot. Sure enough! It was some dried corn which the Indians had put there for safe keeping.
"The men were pleased at the goodly sight. They carried the corn to the ship. 'We may have need of it,' they said. They were honest people, so when they afterwards found out what Indians had stored the corn there, they paid for it quite willingly.
"A brave man named Miles Standish had come with the Pilgrims. He was English, like themselves. They first met him while they were living in Holland. He had gone there to help the Dutch in a war against Spain.
"Miles Standish did not belong to the same church as the Pilgrims, yet the more he knew them, the better he liked them. When they spoke of coming to America he said:
"'I will go with you to your new home.'
"They were much pleased, for he was a brave and able soldier. He could help them if they had trouble with the Indians.
"After they found the corn, some one proposed to go along the coast in a small boat. It would be the best way of finding a place to settle. As they moved along, they saw some huts covered with mats. They thought these must be the homes of Indians.
"They went back to the ship without finding a place to settle. Some days after that they started out again. It was a very cold day in December. The spray froze as it fell on their clothing.