ls, gouges, and mallet, was fashioning the bust of a woman. Tom
introduced him as Abraham Duncan. Robert noticed a lighting up of Mr.
Duncan's eyes as he greeted Berinthia.

"Mr. Duncan is one of us. As for that matter, every man in the yard is
a Son of Liberty," Tom said.

"That is me," said Berinthia, pointing to the figurehead. "I am to be
perched beneath the bowsprit to look out upon the ocean and see which
way the ship ought to go. The waves will wet my hair, and the tears
will run down my cheeks when the storms are on. My eyes will behold
strange things. I shall see the whales spout and the porpoises play,
and poke my nose into foreign parts," she said playfully.

[Illustration: In the Shipyard.]

Robert saw that the carver had fashioned the face to look like her.
She had been down to the shop several times, that he might study her
features. On Saturday evenings after work for the week was over he put
on his best coat and called at the Brandon house to look at her as she
sat by the fireside with the light from the hearth illumining her
face. Although Mr. Duncan usually went to hear Reverend Mr. Checkley
preach, he sometimes strayed away to Reverend Doctor Cooper's
meetinghouse in Brattle Street, and took a seat where he could see
Berinthia's features in repose, as she listened to the sermon.
Although the minister was very eloquent, Mr. Duncan was more
interested in looking at her than hearing what was said in the pulpit.
Robert noticed that she seemed to enjoy talking with the carver, and
when he went to the other side of the building to get a portfolio of
drawings to show her how the cabin was to be ornamented her eyes
followed him.

"Father says Mr. Duncan is a very talented young man, and one of the
best artists in town," she said, as they walked back to the house.

After dinner, Robert went to the Green Dragon, obtained a chaise,
harnessed Jenny, took in Berinthia, and crossed the ferry to
Charlestown, for a ride in the country. They drove along a wide street
at the foot of Bunker Hill, and came to a narrow neck of land between
Charles River on the south and Mystic River on the north. The tide was
flowing in and covering the marsh lands. They gained the summit of
Winter Hill, gazed upon the beautiful landscape, then turned southward
toward Cambridge. Reaching the college, they entered the library and
the room containing the philosophical instruments. Robert rubbed his
knife on a magnet so he could pick