Dulcibel: A Tale of Old Salem

by Henry Peterson

  CHAPTER XXVI.

  Considering New Plans.

  "Well, what now?" said Master Joseph Putnam to his guest, as they rodehomeward. "You might give up the sea-route and try a push through thewilderness to the Hudson River."

  "Rather dangerous that."

  "Yes, unless you could secure the services of some heathen savages topilot you through."

  "Could we trust them?"

  "Twenty years ago, according to my father's old stories, we could; butthey are very bitter now--they do not keep much faith with white men.

  "Perhaps the white men have not kept much faith with them."

  "Of course not. You know they are the heathen; and we have a Biblecommunion to exterminate them, and drive them out of our promised land."

  "Do you believe that?"

  "Well, not exactly," and Master Joseph laughed. "Besides, I think theQuaker plan both cheaper in the end and a great deal safer. Not that Ibelieve they have any more right to the land than we have."

  "Penn and the Quakers think differently."

  "I know they do--but they are a set of crazy enthusiasts."

  "What is your view? That of your ministers? The earth is the Lord's. Hehas given it to His saints. We are the saints."

  Master Joseph laughed again. "Well, something like that. The earth isthe Lord's. He has intended it for the use of His children. We are Hischildren quite as much as the savages. Therefore we have as much rightto it as they have."

  "Only they happen to be in possession," replied Master Raymond, drily.

  "Are they in possession? So far as they are actually in possession, Iadmit their right. But do you seriously mean that a few hundred orthousand of wild heathen, have a right to prior occupancy to the wholeNorth American continent? It seems to me absurd?"

  "A relative of mine has ten square miles in Scotland that he neveroccupies, in your sense of the word any more than your red-men do; andyet he is held to have a valid right to it, against the hundreds ofpeasants who would like to enter in and take possession."

  "Oh, plenty of things are done wrong in the old world," replied MasterPutnam; "that is why we Puritans are over here. But still the factremains that the earth is the Lord's and that He intended it for Hischildren's use; and no merely legal or personal right can be above that.If ever the time comes that your relative's land is really needed by thepeople at large, why then some way will have to be contrived to get holdof it for them."

  "The Putnam family have a good many broad acres too," said MasterRaymond, with a smile, looking around him.

  "Oh, you cannot scare me," replied his friend, also smiling. "What issauce for the Campbell goose is sauce for the Putnam gander. If the timeever comes when the public good requires that the broad lands of thePutnams--if there be any Putnams at that time--have to be appropriatedto meet the wants of their fellow men, then the broad Putnam lands willhave to go like the rest, I imagine. We have taken them from theIndians, just as the Normans took them from the Saxons--and as theSaxons took them from the Danes and the ancient inhabitants--by thestrong hand. But the sword can give no right--save as the claim of thepublic good is behind it. Show me that the public good requires it, andI am willing that the title-deeds for my own share of the broad Putnamlands shall be burnt up tomorrow."

  "I believe you, my dear friend," said Master Raymond, gazing withadmiration upon the manly, glowing face of this nature's nobleman. "AndI am inclined to think that your whole view of the matter is correct.But, coming back to our first point, do you know of any savage that wecould trust to guide us safely to the settlements on the Hudson?"

  "If old king Philip, whose head has been savagely exposed to allweathers on the gibbet at Plymouth for the last sixteen years, werealive, something perhaps might be done. His safeguard would have carriedyou through."

  "Is there not another chief, called Nucas?"

  "Oh, old Nucas, of the Mohegans. He was a character! But he died tenyears ago. Lassacus, too, was killed. There are a couple of Pequodsettlements down near New Haven I believe; but they are too far off."

  "And then you could not tell me where to put my hand on some dozen or soof the Indians, whom I might engage as a convoy."

  "Not now. A roving party may pass in the woods at any time. But theywould not be very reliable. If they could make more by selling yourscalps than by keeping them safely on your heads, they would be prettysure to sell them."

  "Then I see nothing to do, but to go again to Boston, and arrangeanother scheme on the old plan."

  "You ought not to travel long in Dulcibel's company without beingmarried," said Master Putnam bluntly.

  "Very true--but we can not well be married without giving our names tothe minister; and to do that, would be to deliver ourselves up to theauthorities."

  "Mistress Putnam and myself might accompany you to New York--we shouldnot mind a little trip."

  "And thus make yourselves parties to Dulcibel's escape? No, no, my goodfriend--that would be to put you both in prison in her place."

  "It is not likely there would be any other woman on board thevessel--that is of any reputation. You must try to get some one to gowith you."

  "And incur the certainty of punishment when she returns?"

  "Perhaps you could find some one who would like to settle permanently inNew York. I should like to go myself if I could, and get out of thisden of wild beasts."

  "Yes, I may be able to do that--though I shall not dare to try thatuntil the last day almost--for the women always have some man toconsult, and thus our secret plan would get blown about, to our greatperil."

  "I have a scheme!" cried Master Joseph in exultation. "It is the verything," and he burst out laughing. "Kidnap Cotton Mather, or one of theother Boston ministers, and take him with you."

  "That would be a bold stroke," replied Master Raymond, also laughingheartily. "But, like belling the cat, it is easier said than done.Ministers are apt to be cautious and wary. They are timid folk."

  "Not when a wedding is to be solemnized, and a purse of gold-pieces isshaken before them," returned Master Putnam. "Have everything ready tosail. Then decoy the minister on board, to marry a wealthy foreigngentleman, a friend of the skipper's--and do not let him go again. Payhim enough and the skipper will think it a first rate joke."

  "But he might be so angry that he would refuse to marry us after all ourtrouble."

  "Oh, do not you believe that--if you make the fee large enough. Treathim kindly, represent to him the absolute necessity of the case, saythat you never would have thought of such a thing if it could in any wayhave been avoided, and I'll warrant he will do the job before you reachNew York."

  "I wish I felt as certain as you do."

  "Well, suppose he will not be mollified. What then? Your end isattained. He has acted as chaperon, and involuntary master of proprietywhether he would or not. A minister is just as good as a matron tochaperon the maiden. Of course he will have his action for damagesagainst you, and you will be willing to pay him fairly, but if he bringsyou before a jury of New Yorkers, and you simply relate the facts, andthe necessity of the case, little will he get of damages beyond aplentiful supply of jokes and laughter. You know there is very littlelove lost between the people of the two colonies; and that the Manhattanpeople have no more respect for all the witchcraft business, than youand I have."

  Master Raymond made no reply. He did not want to kidnap a minister, ifit could be in any way avoided. With Master Putnam, however, thatseemed to be one of the most desirable features of the proposed plan,only he was tenfold more sorry now than ever, that such weightyprudential reasons prevented his taking any active share in theenterprise. To kidnap a minister--especially if it could be the ReverendCotton Mather--seemed to him something which was worth almost therisking of his liberty and property in which to take a hand.