One evening, the children are sitting outside their house and Jemmy is polishing the door knocker. Two former passengers, Robert Waters and Chris Carter, walk by and stop to look at the door knocker. Jemmy tells them that the saltwater made spots that he is trying to get off. Master Carter offers to help, but Jemmy declines.

The men walk on, but a while later, Master Waters returns and asks if they like Palmetto berries and tells them where they can find some. The children decide to go in search of the berries. Along the way, Meg begins to skip. They do not find the berries, but they do find a large rock covered in moss that Meg begins to jump on. She takes off her restrictive clothing and jumps up and down, pretending to be a bird. Jemmy begins to play too. Amanda does not join them; she has forgotten how to play.

When they arrive home, they cannot find the door knocker. Anne Hopkins asks what they are looking for, and when they tell her, she suggests that someone might have taken it.

Every night, the village lights a fire at the tip of the island to guide the ship coming from Virginia.