"Nay," said Nancy faintly, looking at her mother.

Then the Goodwife spoke. "It pains me," she said, "to think of
children torn from their parents and sold into slavery, even though
they be but Indians or blacks. I doubt not they have souls like
ourselves."

"Read thy Bible, Susanna," answered her husband. "Cursed be Canaan.
A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren--thus say the
Scriptures."

"Well, now," broke in the Captain, "if they have souls, they 've
either got to save 'em or lose 'em as I jedge it; and if they never
have a chance to hear the Plan of Salvation, they 're bound to be lost
anyway. Bringin' 'em over here gives them their only chance to escape
damnation, according to my notion."

"Hast thou ever brought over a cargo of slaves thyself?" asked the
Goodwife.

"Nay," admitted the Captain, "but I sailed once on a slaver, and I own
I liked not to see the poor critters when they were lured away. It
seemed they could n't rightly sense that 't was for their eternal
welfare, and I never felt called to set their feet in the way
of Salvation by that means myself. I reckon I 'm not more than
chicken-hearted, if ye come to that."

The meal was now over, the dusk had deepened as they lingered about
the table, and Goodwife Pepperell rose to light a bayberry candle and