"They went away, as I said, but they returned with great numbers of their own people. The Vikings said that they were now like a rushing torrent. They came to fight and to drive the white men from their shores. "It would have been a sad day for the Norsemen if it had not been for one brave woman. They were fleeing from the Eskimos when she rushed out and faced the savages. She did not try to attack them, but began to strike at herself with a sword. They were so startled that they turned and fled to their boats. "This was only one of the many adventures the Vikings had in Vinland. They had so many troubles that after a few years they made up their minds to remain in Greenland." "How do you know all these things are true, Uncle Sam? Did the Norse people write books about them?" "Those are good questions, Joe. The Norsemen did not write any history of themselves at that time. They did not know how to write. They were great story-tellers, however, and during the long winter evenings they used to tell, over and over again, the things that had happened to them. They made songs about their adventures. Their children learned these songs and when they grew up they taught them to their children. Hundreds of years afterwards Roman priests came among them and told them of the Christian God. At the same time the priests taught them to read and write. They now began to write down the history of their people. "But, dear me, children, I have been so busy talking I never thought how late it is growing. There is your father at the gate. He must be coming for you." "Thank you, Uncle Sam," said Lucy, as she kissed the old man good-night, "I enjoyed what you told us ever so much." "I am glad you started with the Norsemen," said Joe. "I always like to hear the first part of anything. So, of course, as you are going to tell us the story of America, we ought to know the very beginning of it." "My dear boy," said Uncle Sam, "no one knows the real beginning. All I could do was to start with the coming of the white men to this country." CHAPTER II THE GENOESE SAILOR "Here we are, Uncle Sam. We came early so there would be time for a good long story." The old man sat reading his newspaper in the soft light of the setting sun. He looked up with a pleasant smile to greet the twins as they came arm in arm down the path. "So you did not get too tired last night, Joe?" he replied. "I didn't know but that you would beg me to go back to fairy stories and leave true ones till you get older." "Fairy stories indeed!" exclaimed the boy with a look of scorn. "Lucy and I both want to hear about real people. Don't we Lucy?" "Of course; we said so last night, and we think so more than ever now. Have you made up your mind what to tell us next, Uncle Sam? But perhaps you want to finish your newspaper."