Two years after leaving Japan, the John Howland arrives in New Bedford, Massachusetts, with 2,761 barrels of whale oil. Manjiro is overwhelmed by the new sights (and smells) of the American city and realizes he has nobody waiting for him. The captain, who also has nobody waiting for him, tells Manjiro that they are a family. Manjiro is delighted when they set foot on land but is at once teased and mocked by boys his age; an older man promptly corrects them, to Manjiro’s surprise.

Manjiro and Whitfield return to his home, but it is in disarray, covered in cobwebs and weeds. They stay with the Akens, close friends of Whitfield. Mrs. Aken feeds them chowder and puts Manjiro to bed. The next morning, he eavesdrops on Whitfield talking to the Akens about his desire to run a farm with Manjiro. He decides that he needs a wife, and Manjiro needs a mother, and he leaves for New York to propose to Albertina, a woman he is fond of.

Life changes drastically for Manjiro. Whitfield and Albertina marry and start a farm, and Manjiro gets a horse and plenty of farm chores alongside his new mother. His horse, Plum Duff, becomes his best friend, but he cannot seem to stay on her back.