Always watchful and brave, Captain John Smith worked zealously to make the colony a success. One day, while returning from treating with the Indians for a new and better site for Jamestown, he was seriously injured by the accidental explosion of a bag of gunpowder in his boat. His clothes were set on fire and he had to throw himself into the river to escape being burned to death. His wounds were so grievous that he could no longer govern the colony, and was forced to sail for England, in a ship just leaving, to seek the help of a surgeon. On that day Pocahontas, having heard of the accident, came to the town with Nantaquaus, to see him. They were only in time to watch the ship bearing Captain John sail away toward the open sea. Pocahontas little dreamed that years would pass before they should meet again. [Illustration] 18. POCAHONTAS IS CAPTURED BY ARGALL From this day, having lost their leader, things went badly with the Jamestown colonists, for the dissatisfied Indians, no longer fearing the heavy hand of Captain John Smith, attacked the settlers, and caused them serious losses. And Pocahontas came no more, but waited for his coming again, and waited in vain. So time passed, and at last she heard that he was dead, for this was the rumor in the land. And she grieved deeply, and sat often alone thinking of him, for she had grown to love her warrior Captain. Some two years after Captain John's departure, came Argall, an unscrupulous man, who plotted to capture Pocahontas and hold her as a hostage, to keep the fighting savages quiet. With the help of two treacherous Indians she was induced to come on board his ship, and once there was seized and held prisoner. Powhatan mourned his daughter's loss, and tried to ransom her, but the crafty Argall would not give her up. [Illustration] 19. THE MARRIAGE OF POCAHONTAS She was never allowed to go back to her people, though Nantaquaus came often to see her at Jamestown. And here she grew to be a woman, and learned the ways of the English women, and dressed as they did. At last a young Englishman, John Rolfe, captivated by her dark beauty and gentle ways, wooed the Indian maid, and as years had passed since Captain John had gone away, and she had long since thought him dead, she listened to Rolfe, and consented to marry him, that peace might reign between her people and the white men. So they were married in the Jamestown church, and Nantaquaus and a body of chiefs from her tribe, as well as all the settlers, came to the wedding. There was great joy in the town, for now the colonists felt that a good understanding with the Indians was at last established. And Pocahontas, as before, was the tie that bound them. [Illustration] 20. THE LANDING OF POCAHONTAS IN ENGLAND