The house on Philpot lane

Amanda went straight to the big brick house on Philpot Lane. No one answered her knock. She tried the door, and it opened. She went into a large room where men sat at tables. They were writing, and she could hear the scratch of pens on paper.

She chose the man with the kindest face."If it please you," she said," can you tell me about the ships that sail to Virginia?"

He kept on writing. It looked as if he were setting down figures and adding them up.

" I was here once with my mother," she told him." We wanted to go to Virginia because my father is there. A man said to come back later."

She thought he hadn't heard. She made ready to say it all again. But he had stopped writing.

"Your father's name?" he asked.

"James Freebold."

He opened a book and ran his finger down the pages."Yes, he's here"

"We want to go on the next ship"she said.

"There will be ships going next month, how many are you?"

"Three."

"Your names?"

"Jemmy and Meg, and I'm Amanda."

"Is Meg your mother?"

"No, sir. My mother is dead. Meg is my sister

'How old is your sister?"

"Five"

"And Jemmy?"

"Eight"

"You are only children. That won't do. We might find someone to look after you on the voyage, but that would need money _"

" I have money."

"How much?"

" I don't know, but-_"

"See here, girl, this is a busy place, and I'm a busy man" he dipped his pen into the ink and went back to writing.

"please_" She began, but he didn't speak to her or look at her again.

She went home. The pail was still behind the currant bush. She took it to the pump and filled it.

When she carried it into the kitchen, Cook asked,"What kept you?" Amanda set down the pail of water."You went to that place, didn't you?" asked Cook."Didn't you?"

"Yes," said Amanda

"Wait till I tell Mistress Trippett"

"I will tell her my self:"

She went upstairs and knocked at the door. Mistress Trippett opened the door. Her wig was off.She looked angry. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to tell you - I went to the house where Virginia Company is, There are ships going to the new world next month, Jemmy and Megand I_ We're going."

" I thought you'd put that nonsense out of your head."

"Oh no, ma'am. We have to go where father is."

"You father doesn't want you. He forgot about you long ago. Even if he did want you, you'd be a fool to go. Virginia is a terrible place, full of wild beasts and wild indians. All those tales about the New world- they're lies, all lies."

"But we have to go -"

"Would you go to starve in a strange land where you'd never come out alive?"

"Father---"

"What has your father done for you? Ask yourself. Then ask yourself what I've done for you." And mistress Trippett slammed the door.