Newbery award book. Nat picked up the paper and held it in front of his face. Nine years! Until he was twenty-one! For nine years he would belong to the Ship Chandlery Ropes and Hodges. For nine years! Nathaniel Bowditch could hardly believe his eyes as he read his indenture papers. At the age of twelve he would have to abandon his dreams of a formal education in order to accept a bookkeeping position with Ropes and Hodges. Joe could this have happened? What could be more devastating?