This beautifully told romantic tale takes place at the end of the 19th century, and is based on the life of John Cling, tinker, as recorded in the annals of Sullivan, Maine. Inevitable changes are altering the lives of the inhabitants of this seacoast town. Their orderly ways, set by the tides and the seasons, are disturbed by the arrival of a mysterious stranger from England. Two adolescent girls, just becoming aware of adult concerns, observe him through the seasons as he tries to find a place for himself. (SLJ)