Produced by Jim Ludwig
TITLE: Three Young Pioneers
BY AUTHOR: John Theodore Mueller
SUBTITLE: A Story of the Early Settlement of Our Country
CHAPTERS
I. On the Atlantic
II. The New Home
III. A New Brother
IV. A Happy Surprise
V. A Wonderful Journey
VI. The Curse of Greed
VII. In the Throes of War
VIII. Pequot Indians
IX. The Remains of the Log House
X. Capture and Escape
XI. Back Again and Agnes
XII. Agnes' Story and Hartford
XIII. The Victory Over the Pequots
XIV. Christmas at the Trading Post
"Come to me, children," said Mrs. Bradley invitingly; "I will be a motherto you, my darlings. You shall not be a burden to the community, but Iwill take care of you myself."
Having said this, she seized the little boy and his sister and pressedthem to her heart, while tears trickled down her full, rosy cheeks.
"Now you little sweethearts," she said soothingly, "you must not beafraid of me. Let me wipe your tears, and then you will come with me tomy quarters, and I will give you something very, very good to eat. Butby all means don't cry anymore."
The children snuggled up to her and she took them by their hands, awayfrom the crowd which had frightened them by their curious stares. Therewas a sigh of relief when the woman had promised to take care of them,for all on shipboard were glad that the two orphans had found aprotector.
"God bless thee, Sister Clara," said the minister; "the Lord will rewardthee, after thy goodness, both here and hereafter. Nor will He everforsake or leave thee with the extra burden imposed on thee."
"The children are no burden," the woman replied; "but rather a godsend,for both my husband and I have longed for two little angels like theselong ago. How they will comfort our hearts in those weary hours ofwinter when the days are so short and the nights so long! And, pleaseyou, sir, there will be enough for us to eat, for the good Lord hasblessed us abundantly. But I must not delay to attend to them; sokindly excuse me, I must go."
The minister looked after her with grateful eyes, and then turned tothe men and women standing around him.
"A pious woman she is," he said; "a rich reward will be hers for hergreat kindness."
Then the congregation dispersed, each family departing for the cabinsand quarters where they lodged during the long, long voyage over theAtlantic.
Traveling at that time was not as comfortable as it is now, for theconversation that we just related took place just three hundred yearsago, to be exact in the year of our Lord 1630.
Since that time many and great changes have taken place in the world,and should the people of that time rise from their graves, they wouldbe amazed at the transformation that has taken place.
At that time the voyage across the ocean was slow and dangerous; theships were small and propelled by the wind, so that when the weather wascontrary, it took the emigrants a long time to reach America. Usuallythe food was poor, and quite often the water gave out, so that thepeople on shipboard suffered extremely. At the time of our story therewere many who wished to settle in America, and in consequence thevessels were usually crowded to the utmost of their capacity. Theresult was that sick