Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel Adventures with Exceptional Americans Read Online Free Page B

William and said, “Thank you very much for your time. I’m Rush Revere, and I look forward to visiting with you more on the Mayflo— ” And then I remembered whatWilliam had said. The ship the Pilgrims were boarding was not the Mayflower. “Is this the ship you’re taking to America?” I pointed to the harbor.
    “It’s one of them,” he said. “We purchased the Speedwell here in Holland. However, we need another. We have friends who are looking into hiring a ship in London. Hopefully, it’ll be bigger and better than this one. We have many families and much to bring to the New World. Both ships are expected to meet in Southampton, England, before we embark for America.”
    I couldn’t remember the fate of the Speedwell. Did it travel with the Mayflower all the way to America? Was it shipwrecked? Did it sink? I know that William Bradford sailed on the Mayflower to America. So he had to survive the trip back to England, but what about the other men, women, and children? I turned my thoughts again to my new Puritan friend and thoughtfully said, “I think it will be best if I meet you in England.”
    Confused, he asked, “Are you not traveling with us on the Speedwell ? Do you have another ship coming for you?”
    I stared at him as I searched for what to say. Finally, I replied, “Yes, well, I, um, I’m waiting for someone. And I have some supplies I still need to gather. And I . . .”
    “No excuses, my friend,” William said, smiling. He firmly put both hands on my shoulders and stared straight into my eyes. With great sincerity he said, “There is no need to fear. Take courage. God will bring us to the New World. Whatever adversity we face will only make us stronger.” He shook my hand. “I hope whoever you’re waiting for comes soon. And I hope our paths cross again. Safe travels, Rush Revere.”

Before leaving for the New World in 1620, the Pilgrims prayed at the Old Church at Delfshaven, Holland.

William Bradford as a young man.

Pilgrim woman with shawl joined by Pilgrim man with musket circa 1620.

As he left to find his wife and board the ship with the other Pilgrims, I marveled at his courage, determination, and faith.I was eager to know what happened to the Speedwell, curious to reach England and meet the other travelers, and eager to experience life upon the Mayflower. First, however, I needed to find Liberty and return to our classroom. I was very curious to know what my students had learned and a little worried to know what Liberty had been up to.
    Fortunately, I didn’t have to look very far to find Liberty. I heard his high-pitched whistle coming from a bright-colored shop at the corner of the street. That’s when I saw his head peeking around the corner. Was he hiding? When I was close enough to speak to him I asked, “Why are you hiding behind this shop?”
    “Funny you should ask,” Liberty said with a grimace. “First things first: I need you to pay the shopkeeper of this store.”
    “You broke something,” I said.
    “No, I did not break something,” Liberty replied. “Just because I’ve broken things before doesn’t mean I can’t be trusted to try on wooden shoes in a small Dutch shop because I want to prove to that doubtful shoemaker that horses are wonderful cloggers!”
    I looked down at Liberty’s hooves only to discover four bright yellow wooden shoes with red tulips painted on each of them. “Liberty, you’re going to have to remove those shoes and return them immediately,” I said.
    “An excellent idea, theoretically,” Liberty replied. “The problem is . . . I can’t. They’re stuck. How I got them on I have no idea. But these wooden babies are wedged on pretty tight.”
    I reached down and tried to pull one off. Sure enough, they stuck like superglue.
    I sighed with frustration and said, “What am I supposed to do, enter you in a horse-clogging competition? Oh, brother. Liberty, I insist that from now on you stay by my side and do exactly what I