“But how can you make safe landing there, Enos?” asked his wife anxiously.
“I’ll manage,” replied the captain smilingly, “and it may be I can get some news of Anne’s father.”
“’Twould be a brave cruise,” said Mrs. Stoddard. “I should like well to go with thee, Enos.”
Captain Enos laughed heartily. “And so would Anne, I dare say,” he replied. “Maybe when spring comes and the British have been sent home I’ll take you and Anne to Boston on a pleasure trip. If I get a good price for my fish, I’ll bring you home a warm shawl, Martha.”
“Mind not about me, Enos, but get some good wool cloth, if you see the chance, to make Anne a dress. She likes bright colors, and the Freemans will tell you where to purchase, and you may see some plaid or figured stuff that has good wearing in it. Three yards of good width will be a plenty.”
“There’s but little trading in Boston these days,” replied Captain Enos; “there’s a blight on the land, until we can make England give us fairer treatment. I do believe ’twill come to open war in Boston.”
As they talked, Captain Enos was busy shaping the wooden doll which Anne was to give Amanda.
“I must finish this before I begin to plan for Boston,” he said. “What did we do for pleasure, Martha, before Anne came to live with us? Why, we had not even a white kitten. And ’twas little enough I thought of whittling out dolls.”
“Or I of knitting scarlet stockings,” answered his wife. “Anne knits her stint each day, and will soon have hers done, but her second pair I am knitting for the child. November is close at hand, and then she must be warmly clad.”
“Her leather shoes are ready,” said Captain Enos, with a satisfied nod.