The History Series: Book 1 (Old)

Chapter 14

Virginia - A few days later

It has only been a few days sense the raid on the Algonquian. Things have been normal for the most part. I just hope that this won't lead to anything too bad. I sigh, knowing that it will. A sit there for a few more moments, then father comes through the door.

He looked all muddy. Hunting I guessed. He looked pretty happy. He had something in his hands. It looked like... corn?
"Dad, did you steal that corn?" I asked him.
He looked down at the corn in his arms, then looked back at me a laughed, "No! No, I did not steal the corn son."
"Well then how'd you get it?" I asked.
"We figured out how to grow it, meaning we no longer have to steal it."
I nodded, "About time we stopped stealing from them!"
"Also I have more news!" Father added excitedly.
"Well... what is it?" I asked eagerly.
"Well the colonists have decided to expand along what they are now calling the 'James River'!"
"Expanding? All ready, after all that's already happened?"
"Yep, seems so!" Father said, walking over to the table to place the corn.

He looked over to me, "Say, do you remember John Rolfe?"
I nodded, "He was one of the new colonists on the ship that came a while ago, yes?"
"Indeed! And it seems that he found a way to grow tobacco here!"
"What the big deal with that? It's just some smoking tool thing..."
My father chuckled, "Yes, well the people in Europe love it!"
"So...?"
"So, we may have found your new cash crop!"
"Wow! My own cash crop! Uh.... dad..."
Father raised a brow at my sudden change in tone.
"What is a cash crop?"
Father laughed at my question, "Well, it's kind of like your main crop you sell."
"Ahhh...." That made a lot more sense then what I was thinking...

Father walked over to the tiny kitchen area and began preparing lunch. He picked up some meat and threw in into a pot. He began heating it up with. He was making stew. I looked over next to the table, there was already a loaf of bread sitting there.
"Hey, how is it going with the natives?" I asked.
He turned back to look at me, "Honestly I can't tell, they're very confusing..."
"What'd you mean bye that?"
"Well, ya see... You know how we raided the Algonquians a while ago?"
I nodded, it was nearly impossible to forget.
Father continued, "Yeah, well the exact same tribe started helping us with our survival skills!"
I raised my brows. Now that was surprising.
"There is still one problem..." My father said.
"And what would that be?" I asked.
"Well, the Virginia Company is still knee- no, neck deep in debt! Not even the income from selling tobacco could help us now at this point!" He told me, with a grave look on his face.
"Don't worry dad!" I started, "It's like you always say, some solution will show up-"
"It all depends on if you take it," My father said cutting me off, "and frankly I don't know if these colonist will even notice it!"
"Well then all we can do is hope!" I said, trying to sound reassuring. Dad was better at that than me though. Soon enough the stew was done, we both sat down and as we ate we talked some more about the situation and how we could help the colonist. We didn't have many ideas, but maybe eventually we would find something to help pull us out of our debt.