Summary

Conversation between the men seen by Lizzie in the previous chapter (some of whom are here identified as Reverend Buckminster, Deacon Hurd, Mr. Stonecrop, and Sheriff Elwell) reveals that Lizzie is “colored” (i.e. black, African-American). Conversation also reveals that Lizzie belongs to a small community of poor black people living on Malaga Island, and that the white citizens of Phippsburg (led by the wealthy Mr. Stonecrop) want that community to move so the town can build a resort to generate tourist income for the community. Turner (who is the boy in the white shirt referred to at the end of the previous chapter) makes a perceptive comment about the local tides that triggers both grudging admiration and a pointedly judgmental comment from Deacon Hurd, which leads Reverend Buckminster to tell Turner to go for a walk, which he does: narration describes his walk...