daughter, Ruth; his
majesty's receiver-general, Nathaniel Coffin, and his two sons, Isaac
and John; Reverend Doctor Samuel Cooper, minister of the church in
Brattle Street; Doctor Warren, physician to the family of the
shipmaster; Lieutenant-Colonel Dalrymple, commanding the king's
troops,--for Mr. Brandon, though deprecating the presence of the
troops in Boston, determined to be courteous to the representatives of
his majesty; Admiral Montague, who came in his gig rowed by six
sailors from his flagship, Romney; William Molineux[33] and John Rowe,
merchants; Richard Dana and Edmund Quincy, magistrates; John Adams, a
young lawyer; honored citizens and their wives; Master Lovell; and
Tom's classmate, Roger Stanley, who had walked from Lexington in the
early morning. Among the many ladies, most attractive was Ruth
Newville, wearing a close-fitting hood of soft lamb's wool, trimmed
with bright ribbon, all her friends admiring it.

[Footnote 33: William Molineux was a prominent merchant who gave his
sympathies to the cause of the people. He was one of the committee who
demanded the removal of the troops after the Massacre of March 5,
1770. He was one of the "Indians" composing the "Tea-party." He was
also one of the promoters of the spinning-school in Long Acre. He died
before the outbreak of hostilities.]

Berinthia introduced Rachel and Robert to Mrs. Adams. They found her a
very charming lady; she had brought her little boy, John Quincy, to
see the launching of the ship.

Picturesque the scene: gentlemen wearing white wigs, blue, crimson,
and scarlet cloaks, carrying gold-headed canes, taking pinches of
snuff from silver-mounted boxes; young gentlemen with handsome figures
and manly faces; ladies with tippets and muffs; girls in hoods,--all
congratulating Berinthia, admiring the beauty and tidiness of the
ship, and the lovely figure of herself. All praised Abraham Duncan,
who blushed like a schoolboy.

They could hear the clattering of mallets and axes beneath them, and
knew the carpenters were knocking away the props. The ways had been
slushed with grease. The tide was at the flood. Ruth Newville was to
break the bottle of wine. She had shaken hands with Robert Walden, and
given expression of her pleasure at meeting him once more. Her eyes
had followed him; even when not looking towards him she had seen him.
Once more she thanked Rachel for her gift. Her mates were asking her
where she had found a hood so beautiful