"The women washed and cooked and spun, and made everything as homelike as they could for their husbands and children. The men carried their muskets with them wherever they went. Miles Standish had told them: "'We do not know when the Indians may take us by surprise. We must be always ready.' "The very day when the Pilgrims first stepped on Plymouth Rock they saw Indians peeking at them from over the hilltop. That was all, however. In a few minutes the Red Men were out of sight. It was a long time before any of them were seen again. "One day early in the spring the white men were having a meeting to talk over some plans. Suddenly an Indian came into their midst. He was painted in the best style of his people. He wore a bear-skin over his shoulders. "The men hastily seized their muskets. The Indian calmly looked from one face to another. He seemed in no hurry. Then he slowly said: "'Welcome, welcome, Englishmen!' "How good those words sounded! All were filled with wonder and delight. They were puzzled to think where this savage had learned English words. "'Welcome, welcome, Indian.' "Then they led him to their house and gave him a good dinner. Samoset, for that was his name, seemed in no hurry to leave. He stayed hour after hour. When night came the Pilgrims made up a warm bed by the side of the fireplace. He slept there all night, while the white men kept watch. They were not yet sure whether he meant to be their true friend. When morning came they gave him some presents and he went away proud and happy. "He soon came back, bringing with him his friend Squanto and some other Indians. "Squanto could talk more English than Samoset. He told the Pilgrims he had seen white men before and had lived with them. He had crossed the great ocean with a white captain who came to Plymouth with John Smith. "The white people had treated him kindly and had afterwards brought him back to his old home. It was the very place where the Pilgrims were now living. When Squanto got back he found that his family had all died of a dreadful sickness. Many of his tribe had died from it at the same time. That was why the others had burned their homes and moved away from Plymouth. "Squanto was a good friend to the white men. He came to live with them. He showed them how to plant corn so it would grow well. He put a dead fish in each hill to make the ground rich. He taught them the Indian ways of hunting and fishing. If it had not been for his kindness and knowledge the rest of the Pilgrims might have died for want of food. "'God has sent us this friend,' thought the good people of Plymouth. "Not far away from them lived an Indian chief named Massasoit. Squanto belonged to his tribe. 'We would like to see Massasoit,' said the chief men of the Pilgrims. They thought they would be much safer from attack if they made peace with the Indian chief who lived nearest them.