Nat is lying still in the dark, trying to stay awake until his older brother Hab falls asleep. Nat has found a silver shilling. It is supposed to be good luck to jingle silver in your pocket under a full moon, and the moon is full tonight. To amuse himself, Nat does math in his head. Unfortunately, Nat falls asleep before he has a chance to try his spell.

The next day, Nat’s family is moving from Danvers to Salem. Nat’s father used to be a ship’s captain, but he lost his ship (the second ship he had lost) and the experience “took the tuck” (13) out of him as Nat’s grandmother says, by which she means that he lost his spirit. He intends to become a cooper (barrel-maker). As they enter Salem, Nat’s grandmother points out a house near the water that was built by Nat’s great-great-great grandfather Captain Turner. The house is the only one in the town of Salem that has seven gables.

Nat tells his sister Lizza (Elizabeth) about his good luck spell. He intends to try again to work the charm, but a storm comes up and covers the moon. Nat realizes he'll have to wait a whole month till another new moon.