e washbowl, opened a
clothespress, got down on their knees and looked at the floor, to see
if they could find any tea.

"Here is another chamber, my sister's; she spoke to you from the
window. You will hardly think of entering the room till she has had
time to put on her dress."

"Oh, no; we would not be so rude as to enter her chamber. We do not
suppose she had anything to do with it," said the officers.

"Will you not take a look at the garret?" Tom asked.

"No. You have covered your tracks so well, I do not suppose we should
find anything."

"Thank you. If, as you say, I had a hand in it, I regard it quite a
compliment that I have covered my tracks so well," Tom replied, as the
officers took their departure. He went upstairs and opened the door to
Berinthia's chamber a little.

"'Rinth, you are the best girl that ever lived," he said.

"Oh, Tom, you did that splendidly," she replied.

There was merry laughter from her lips as he closed the door and
returned to his chamber.

XIV.

BENEVOLENCE AND BROTHERHOOD.

The summer of 1774 was waning. Once more Robert Walden was on his way
to Boston. The wagon which Jenny and Paul were dragging was loaded
with bags filled with corn and rye, not to be sold in the market, but
a gift from Joshua Walden and his fellow-citizens of Rumford to the
people of Boston. Parliament, in retaliation for the destruction of
the tea, had passed an act closing the port to commerce.[50] After the
first day of June, no vessels other than those of the navy could enter
or depart from the harbor. Fishermen could no longer catch cod or
mackerel for the market. Farmers on the banks of the Mystic could not
dig potatoes from their fields and transport them down the river on
the ebbing tide to the town dock. The people of Charlestown could not
gather cabbages from their gardens, take them across the ferry, and
peddle them in Boston. Only by the road leading to Roxbury could the
suffering people be supplied with food. Besides closing the port,
Parliament had abolished the charter of Massachusetts. The people no
longer could elect thirty-six councilors; they were to be appointed by
the king, instead. No more could they lawfully assemble in town
meeting to elect representatives to the legislature. All rights and
privileges were swept away.

[Footnote 50: It is known in history as the Boston Port Bill. It was
passed as a retaliatory measure. No possible advantage could accrue to
governm