Johnny Tremain Book Notes

Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

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Author/Context

Esther Forbes was born in Westboro, Massachusetts in 1891, as the youngest of five children. Her family roots can be traced back to 1600s America; one of her great-uncles was the great historical figure and leader of the Sons of Liberty, Sam Adams. Her father was a probate judge in Worcester and her mother, a writer of New England reference books. Both her parents were historical enthusiasts.

Even as a little child, Forbes displayed an affinity for writing. Her academic work, however, was not spectacular, except for a few writing classes. After finishing high school, she took classes at the Worcester Art Museum and Boston University, and later, Bradford Academy, a junior college. She then followed her sister to the University of Wisconsin where Forbes wrote extensively for the Wisconsin Literary Magazine. After developing her writing skills, she returned to Massachusetts where she began working for Boston's Houghton Mifflin. As a reader of manuscripts, Forbes used this experience to advance her own writing career. Her first novel, O Genteel Lady! was published in 1926 to critical praise. With its selection by the newly formed Book-of-the-Month Club, the novel gained popular appeal as well. That year, Forbes also married Albert L. Hoskins, Jr., a Harvard Law School student.

As Forbes continued to write and gain notoriety, her marriage suffered because her husband disapproved of her career. They divorced in 1933. After several other novels, Forbes began her research of Paul Revere with her mother, who was then in her mid-eighties. When the historical biography, Paul Revere and the World He Lived In won the Pulitzer Prize in History, Forbes recognized her mother's immense contributions. During the process of researching Paul Revere, Forbes became fascinated with the large role young apprentices played in the war. Thus, she wrote Johnny Tremain, a historical novel of a young boy growing up in the time of the Revolutionary War. With poignant character development and a keen sense of history, it contained the elements for lasting popularity. It was published as "A Novel for Old and Young." In 1944, it won the Newberry Award, the top award for children's literature and became an instant children's classic. Forbes continued to turn out award winning books, most notably, The Running of the Tide, which was commissioned as a movie but never filmed. While working on a book about witchcraft in seventeenth-century Massachusetts, she died in 1967 of rheumatic heart disease.

Forbes literary achievements, awards, and recognition speak for themselves in regards her place in letters. Johnny Tremain is still read widely in schools and its popularity makes it one of the few lasting classics of American children literature.

Bibliography

Bales, Jack. A Bio-Biliography of the Author of Johnny Tremain. London: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1998.

Forbes, Esther. Johnny Tremain. New York: Dell Publishing, 1987.

Plot Summary

In revolutionary Boston, Johnny Tremain is an apprentice in the household of Mr. Lapham, an old master silversmith who lives with a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Lapham, and his four grandchildren: Madge, Dorcas, Cilla, and Isannah. Johnny serves with two other apprentice boys, Dove and Dusty. Johnny is the most skilled of the three, so he is able to boss the other two around. Old and pious Mr. Lapham tries to teach Johnny to be humble according to the bible, but Johnny is prideful because he knows the shop cannot function without him.

One day, John Hancock, the richest man in Boston, stops by with an order for a silver sugar basin. Johnny is consumed with making the basin handle, even going to Paul Revere for advice. But because he continues to be demanding on the other boys, Mr. Lapham stops work, jeopardizing the timely completion of the project. So Mrs. Lapham arranges for Johnny to work illegally during the Sabbath. But Dove, in order to teach Johnny a lesson, hands him a cracked crucible, which results in a horrible accident where Johnny's thumb becomes attached to his hand, promptly ending his career as a silversmith apprentice.

Mr. Lapham pledges to keep Johnny around, but tells him he must find another line of work. Mrs. Lapham, who once depended so much on Johnny, now finds him to be a burden. Johnny falls out of favor with her and so he no longer feels wanted. Mrs. Lapham even arranges for a journeyman silversmith, Mr. Tweedie, to partner with Mr. Lapham.

Johnny tries to find work in various trades, even going to John Hancock, but no one will take him because of his bad hand. Johnny reaches his emotional bottom when Isannah refuses to be touched by his hand. Johnny heads to his mother's grave and breaks down. There, he decides to go see Jonathan Lyte, a rich merchant and possible kin. Before she died, his mother had told him to go to his rich relative only if there were no other choice. She gives Johnny a silver cup as proof of his claim in the Lyte family (the only person who knows about the cup is Cilla).

Before Johnny heads to Merchant Lyte, he enters a printing shop of the Boston Observer, a pro-independence newspaper. Johnny meets an intriguing boy slightly older than him named Rab. Rab, whose uncle runs the printing shop, has a quiet confidence about him that Johnny admires. Johnny tells Rab about his situation, and Rab offers him a job as a rider.

When Johnny goes to Jonathan Lyte, the merchant kicks him out. But when he finds out about Johnny's cup, he asks to see it. Johnny tells Rab about his visit to Merchant Lyte and finds out that Merchant Lyte is crooked. When Johnny takes his cup, Merchant Lyte accuses him of stealing it and has him arrested. With the help of Rab and through Cilla's testimony, Johnny is freed. He then takes up Rab's offer to be a rider for the Boston Observer.

Johnny's new life as a rider of the Boston Observer allows him access to the main leaders of the American Revolution, such as Sam Adams, Paul Revere, John Hancock, Doctor Warren, and James Otis. Johnny takes part in the Boston Tea Party, and uses his skills to spy against the British. And through his friendship with Rab and Cilla, Johnny begins to mature and develop as a person.

As American protest intensifies, Johnny learns from Miss Lavinia Lyte, the daughter of Merchant Lyte, that he is his grandnephew. Although Johnny learns about his past, he realizes he must put it aside and live for the future, just as America seeks to break from its British heritage and forge a new identity.

As war nears, Rab, who is from Lexington, decides to join the Minute Men there. When the first British troops start moving, Johnny is there to relay the message to Paul Revere, who makes his historical midnight ride throughout the countryside to warn the Minute Men. At the Battle of Lexington, Rab is wounded, and eventually dies. Johnny is crushed, but he knows that many young men must die to achieve the goal of liberty and freedom. He learns from Doctor Warren that his thumb can be freed. Johnny agrees to undergo surgery so that he can take up Rab's musket and continue the fight for independence-in order "that a man can stand up."

Major Characters

Mrs. Lapham: A plump, practical woman, Mrs. Lapham is a widow with four daughters: Madge, Dorcas, Cilla, and Isannah. She is the daughter-in-law of Mr. Lapham, the master silversmith and head of the household. Mrs. Lapham's primary interest is to keep the family fed and the house clean, a typical portrait of a working-class woman during the Revolutionary period. After the death of her father-in-law and unsuccessful attempts at matching Mr. Tweedie with her daughters, Mrs. Lapham marries him herself, mainly to keep the silver shop in the family.

Johnny Tremain: The title character of the book, in the beginning, Johnny is a cocky, feisty boy of fourteen who is the top apprentice of Mr. Lapham's silver shop. After a tragic accident that leaves his hand crippled, Johnny starts a new life delivering papers for the Boston Observer, where he encounters an exciting world on the cusp of revolution. In this setting, Johnny comes of age as he interacts with characters and key historical figures of the American Revolutionary era.

Dove: A fat, lazy boy of sixteen in the beginning of the story, Dove is an apprentice in the Lapham household who resents being under the younger Johnny. To teach Johnny a lesson, Dove gives him a cracked crucible for molding silver, which results in an accident that leaves Johnny's hand crippled. Some time after the arrival of Mr. Tweedie, Dove is fired from the Lapham silver shop. He then shows up as a horse boy for Colonel Smith of the British army. Johnny and Rab befriend Dove just so they might someday gain valuable information from him.

Mr. Lapham (Ephraim): A pious, generous silversmith, Mr. Lapham is in charge of the three apprentice boys: Johnny, Dove, and Dusty. At his age, Mr. Lapham cares more about preparing to meet his Maker (God) than about his silver business. Even after Johnny's accident, Mr. Lapham gives him the option to stay. Mr. Lapham is a traditionalist and his household sides with the Tories instead of the Whigs. Mr. Lapham dies before the first battles of the Revolutionary War begin.

Cilla (Priscilla): The third child of Mrs. Lapham, Cilla is the same age as Johnny and is his only friend in the house. Cilla adores her youngest sister Isannah and is always taking care of her. Before Johnny's accident, he was to marry Cilla and inherit the family shop. Even after Johnny moves out of the house, Cilla continues to be a loyal and trusted friend. When Miss Lavinia Lyte takes custody of Isannah, Cilla moves into the Lyte household as a servant. Rab takes an interest in her, which makes Johnny jealous.

Isannah: The youngest child of Mrs. Lapham, Isannah is an extremely pretty, yet sickly child who seeks constant attention, which Cilla provides. Because of her prettiness, Isannah is sassy and self-absorbed. Miss Lavinia Lyte takes an interest in her and eventually adopts her. When the Lyte family flees Boston, Miss Lyte takes her to London to be her protégé.

(Johnny's) mother: Named Lavinia Lyte just like Merchant Lyte's daughter, Johnny's mother dies soon after entrusting her son to be an apprentice under Mr. Lapham. She teaches Johnny how to read, and before her death, gives Johnny a silver cup, telling him to go to Merchant Lyte only if he has no other recourse. Johnny finds out that his mother was disowned because she married a French (Catholic) naval surgeon and prisoner of war, Charles Latour. After his death, her husband's family sent her to a convent so she can convert to Catholicism, but she made her way to America. Johnny's mother was a cousin to Miss Lavinia Lyte; Johnny is Merchant Lyte's grandnephew.

Mr. John Hancock: Said to be the richest man in New England, Mr. Hancock owns Hancock's Wharf as well as many other establishments in the town of Boston. Mr. Hancock is one of the top leaders of the revolutionary movement. He comes to the Lapham shop to request a silver basin for his tea set that Mr. Lapham had made years before. Johnny maims his hand trying to fulfill the order in time.

Mr. Sam Adams: A tough, street-wise politician, Sam Adams is the leading figure in the fight for American independence. During the meetings of the secret group, the Observers, Sam Adams is always seen whispering in Mr. Hancock's ears. Sam Adams is also Boston's delegate at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Sam Adams is famous for letting it be known that the colonists have tried everything and that the only option left is war.

Merchant Lyte (Johnathan) : A rich merchant to whom Johnny goes to see when he reaches the lowest point in his life, Merchant Lyte, instead of welcoming Johnny, accuses him of stealing one of his silver cups. Merchant Lyte even goes to court against Johnny, but due to Cilla's testimony, loses the case. He does, however, trick Johnny into getting the silver cup. Merchant Lyte is one of the despised businessmen who made money by playing both sides of the conflict. Because of this, he is tarred and feathered by the rebels, his house raided, and his family forced out of Boston. Johnny finds out from a book of his family genealogy that he is Merchant Lyte's grandnephew.

Miss Lavinia Lyte: The daughter of Merchant Lyte, Miss Lavinia Lyte is known for her striking beauty and fashionable style. She has many suitors from American Tories as well as British officers. Miss Lyte is extremely loyal to her father. Johnny learns from her that his mother was disowned by the family because of her marriage to his father, a French prisoner of war. Before the Lyte family flees Boston, Miss Lyte takes Isannah to be her protégé.

Paul Revere: A skilled silversmith in Boston, Paul Revere is a leading figure in the American fight for independence. Paul Revere gives Johnny advice on how to mold the sugar basin handle. Paul Revere sets up a spy system to keep track of the movement of British troops. But he is best known for his nighttime ride, warning the Colonists of an impending war.

Rab (Silsbee): A young boy two years older than Johnny, Rab works for his Uncle Lorne at the Boston Observer office. Rab is an ardent Whig who wants to fight for American independence. Johnny has never seen a boy like Rab, so mature, assured, and consistent. Rab is from Lexington where the Silsbee men are known to be tall, stone-faced, and dependable. Johnny develops a friendship with Rab that offers him support and companionship as he comes of age. Rab goes off to fight at the Battle of Lexington and Concord. He gets shot and dies.

Mr. Lorne: The printer of the Boston Observer, Mr. Lorne is Rab's uncle-in-law. He is a quiet, thoughtful, and scholarly man. Although timid by nature, Mr. Lorne has the resolve to keep printing the pro-independence paper even though it can mean imprisonment or possibly death.

Mrs. Lorne: Rab's aunt and Mr. Lorne's wife, Mrs. Lorne is small, warm-hearted woman with red hair, very un-Silsbee. She says she takes after her mother, who is a Wheeler. She tells Johnny that all Silsbee men do not show what hurts them. Mrs. Lorne treats Johnny kindly because she knows he is motherless.

Doctor Warren: A young, competent doctor and one of the leaders of the Independence movement, Doctor Warren is Johnny's contact in reporting important information about the British. Near the end of the story, Doctor Warren surgically repairs Johnny's hand.

James Otis: An old lawyer who was once the most respected senior spokesmen, James Otis is the founder of the Observers, but because he has been speaking as one losing his mind, he is ignored by the younger leaders, especially Sam Adams. At the last meeting of the Observers, however, Otis gives a rousing speech saying that they are fighting for freedom everywhere, so that a man can stand up.

Minor Characters

Dusty (Miller): In the beginning, Dusty is an eleven year-old apprentice in the Lapham household. Before Johnny's accident, Dusty is taken to idolizing him. After Mr. Tweedie takes over the silver shop, Johnny finds out that Dusty ran off to be a cabin boy on a ship.

Madge: Mrs. Lapham's eldest daughter, in the beginning, Madge is a plump eighteen year old with a merry personality. Later on, she refuses to be married to Mr. Tweedie, and instead gets engaged to a tough British soldier, Sergeant Gale.

Dorcas: Mrs. Lapham's second daughter, Dorcas is two years younger than Madge, similarly built, but more into being refined and elegant. Later on, when Mr. Tweedie picks her as his intended bride, Dorcas runs off to marry Frizel, Junior.

Jehu: Mr. John Hancock's horse boy of African descent, Jehu twice gives coins to Johnny--first, when John Hancock leaves the Lapham silver shop and second, when Johnny is denied a job from Hancock's office.

Mr. Tweedie: A journeyman silversmith from Baltimore, Mr. Percival Tweedie is nearly forty years old and a bachelor. After Johnny's injury, Mrs. Lapham takes in Mr. Tweedie as a partner in the silver shop, with a promise to give him one of her daughters for marriage. Mr. Tweedie picks Dorcas over Madge, but after Dorcas runs off with Frizel, Junior, he wants to wait for Cilla to become of age. Not happy with that arrangement, Mrs. Lapham ends up marrying Mr. Tweedie herself. Johnny thinks that Mr. Tweedie is cowardly.

Webb twins: Young boys who work for Mr. Lorne at the Boston Observer office, the Webb twins are timid, and usually keep to themselves. One day at the butcher shop, the butcher's son picks on them. This causes Rab and Johnny to come to their rescue, ensuing in a big brawl. Johnny is surprised that Rab can fight so well.

Frizel, Junior: A young leather-dresser, Frizel, Junior is an accepted suitor for Mrs. Lapham's two eldest girls, Madge and Dorcas. Refusing to marry Mr. Tweedie, Dorcas runs off to get engaged with Frizel, Junior.

Sewall: A clerk in Merchant Lyte's office and also his nephew, Sewall is always taking orders from his uncle. He seems to have a peculiar interest in his cousin, Miss Lavinia Lyte.

Governor Hutchinson: The conservative governor of Massachusetts, Governor Hutchinson is a Tory who is afraid of disobeying the King's orders by sending the tea ships back to England, and is afraid of confronting the colonists. His relaxed rule over the colonists leads to his removal.

Josiah Quincy: Considered the best young lawyer in Boston, Josiah Quincy represents Johnny in court. Josiah Quincy offers his services for free because he is a member of the Sons of Liberty. They take delight in humbling notorious Tories like Merchant Lyte.

Lorne baby: Mr. and Mrs. Lorne's infant child, the baby boy is a regular Silsbee--long, strong, and does not complain. Johnny takes a liking to the baby and calls him Rabbit (probably because he is so much like Rab).

Major Silsbee: Rab's grandfather, Major Silsbee, or Grandshire, raised young Rab. Major Silsbee is an old war veteran of the French and Indian War and is mostly resigned to a chair because of his war wound. Later, he leads a group of Minute Men to battle.

General Gage: A general that replaces Governor Hutchinson as the person in charge of Boston, General Gage, to the surprise of the townspeople, is not as strict as they expected him to be.

King George III: King George III of England is considered by the Whigs to be a tyrant. The King orders the colonists to pay taxes to the British Crown, and sends troops to enforce his laws.

Colonel Smith: An unimpressive commander, Colonel Smith stations his troops near the Afric Queen. Dove is his horse boy and Lieutenant Stranger is his orderly. Colonel Smith goes on one of the first raids against the Minute Men.

Lieutenant Stranger: A young, impressive soldier under Colonel Smith, Lieutenant Stranger befriends Johnny after riding Goblin. He teaches Johnny how to jump horses. Lieutenant Stranger writes letters of affection to Miss Lavinia Lyte, which tips off Johnny about when the troops will march.

Lydia: A handsome, black washerwoman at the Afric Queen, Lydia helps Johnny flap a sheet that scares Goblin into throwing Lieutenant Stranger. Later, Lydia finds the contents of Lieutenant Stranger's letters in a wastebasket and shows them to Johnny.

Sergeant Gale: A small, but tough British soldier, Sergeant Gale is engaged to Madge. Johnny thinks about Sergeant Gale when he sees the first battle-wounded soldiers come back.

Miss Bessie: A cook at the Lyte's mansion, Miss Bessie is a long time Whig who is known to have helped Sam Adams gain valuable information about Merchant Lyte.

Charles Latour: Johnny's father who was a French naval surgeon and prisoner of war, Charles Latour, or Charles Tremain, died of cholera before Johnny was born.

Mr. Pumpkin: A British foot soldier that works part time at the Lyte mansion, Mr. Pumkin is a secret Whig whose dream is to be a farmer in America. He makes a deal with Johnny to get some farmer's clothes and a way out to the countryside in exchange for his musket. Later, Johnny sees a firing squad, and realizes that it is Mr. Pumpkin whom they are executing.

Objects/Places

Boston: The town where much of the story takes place, Boston is the center of pre-Revolutionary activity. Many important figures of the American Revolution lived in Boston. The first battles of the War of Independence takes place near Boston.

Hancock's Wharf: The wharf where the Lapham's silver shop is located, Hancock's Wharf is owned by John Hancock.

Fish Street: The street on Hancock's Wharf where the Lapham's silver shop is located, Fish Street is busy with many stores and shops.

sugar basin: Mr. Hancock orders a sugar basin from Mr. Lapham, who had made the tea set years earlier. Johnny is confident that they can make it in time. But in order to meet the deadline, Johnny breaks the Sabbath law by working that day. He ends up burning his hand trying to cast silver.

(Johnny's) cup: A silver cup with the crest of the Lyte family logo, Johnny's mother gives him the cup before she dies, telling him to go to Merchant Lyte as proof of his family identity, but only if he is desperate.

(Lyte's) crest: Engraved on almost everything owned by the Lytes, the crest shows an eye rising up from the sea, with rays of light streaming out from it. The motto on the crest reads: Let there be Lyte.

Sabbath: The Sabbath, or Sunday, is the day when most people attend church. Law forbids any work from being done, even firing up a hearth.

Boston Observer: The pro-Whig, anti-British newspaper, the Boston Observer is printed by Rab's uncle, Mr. Lorne. Johnny gets a job delivering the paper to the outer edges of town. Rab and Johnny live in the attic of the Boston Observer office, where the secret society of Whig leaders, the Boston Observers, gathers to meet.

Afric Queen: A tavern where Johnny goes to eat with the silver coin he receives from John Hancock, the Afric Queen is located near the Boston Observer office. It is a popular hangout of Whigs. Later on, British soldiers take over the Afric Queen because it has a stable where they can keep horses. Johnny tends his horse, Goblin, at the Afric Queen stables.

Boston Common: A large area at the center of the town of Boston, British soldiers make their encampment on the Boston Common.

Copp's Hill: A hill with a graveyard, Copp's Hill is where Johnny's mother is buried. When Johnny feels there is nowhere to go, he heads to Copp's Hill, falls before his mother's grave, and cries himself to sleep before deciding to take his chances with Merchant Lyte.

Stamp Act: A law from the King of England, the Stamp Act is a tax on the colonies for mail. As protest, many merchants agrees not to trade with the British until the unpopular Stamp Act is repealed, but some, like Merchant Lyte, make money by trading secretly.

Whigs: A political party in favor of American independence, Whigs are usually anti-British and are willing to fight if they have to. Most of the key figures of pre-revolutionary Boston are Whigs.

Tories: A political party in favor of maintaining close relations with the British, Tories are usually conservative. Mr. Lapham and Merchant Lyte are Tories.

Sons of Liberty: A semi-secret society acting against British rule, the Sons of Liberty have a reputation for wreaking havoc against Tories and all things pro-British.

Goblin: The horse Johnny uses to deliver the Boston Observer, Goblin is fast and of great physical prowess, but is difficult to ride because it scares easily. Because of Goblin, Johnny becomes friends with Lieutenant Stranger, who offers to teach Johnny how to jump horses.

Boston Observers: A secret group of the most powerful Whigs in Boston, including John Hancock, Sam Adams, Paul Revere, and James Otis, the Boston Observers meet in the attic of the Boston Observer office to discuss political strategy. Rab and Johnny are required to provide punch for these meetings.

Lexington: The town where Rab and the Silsbee are from, Lexington becomes the first place where British troops clash with the Minute Men. The first casualties occur at the Battle of Lexington.

Old South Church: The church where colonists gather to hear Sam Adams speak before the Tea Party raid, the Old South Church is also where the lanterns indicating whether British troops will be marching by land or by sea are hung.

Tea Party: The name given to the raid on the three ships carrying tea, the (Boston) Tea Party is historically known as one of the most important symbolic gestures of American protest against England.

Port Act: After the Tea Party, the Port Act is issued by King George, essentially closing down the port so that the colonists in Boston will surrender to his rule. The Port Act unites the mostly separated colony-states.

Minute Men: Regular farmers and townspeople, the Minute Men are makeshift soldiers dedicated to defending their land and America's freedom.

Yankee Doodle: A tune used by the British to make fun of the American colonists, Yankee Doodle becomes a rallying cry against the British.

Quotes

Quote 1: "Just like the sun coming up yonder out of the sea, pushing rays of light ahead of it." Chapter 1, pg. 24

Quote 2: "Friends! Brethren! Countrymen! That worst of Plagues, the detested tea shipped for this Port by the East India Company, is now arrived in the Harbour: the hour of destruction, of manly opposition to the machinations of Tyranny, stares you in the Face; Every Friend to his Country, to Himself, and to Posterity, is now called upon to meet at Faneuil Hall, at nice o'clock this day, at which time the bells will ring to make united and successful resistance to this last, worst and most destructive measure of Administration...Boston, Nov. 29, 1773." Chapter 6, pg. 107

Quote 3: "...you've had a fine, pleasant evening for your Indian caper, haven't you? But mind...you've got to pay the fiddler yet." Chapter 6, pg. 127

Quote 4: "This closing of the port of Boston was indeed tyranny; this was oppression; this was the last straw upon the back of many a moderate man." Chapter 7, pg. 130

Quote 5: "Each time a shutter groaned, protested, and then came to with a bang, it seemed to say, 'This is the end,' and the words echoed through the house: This is the end. This is the end." Chapter 8, pg. 165

Quote 6: "We give all we have, lives, property, safety, skills...we fight, we die, for a simple thing. Only that a man can stand up." Chapter 8, pg. 180

Quote 7: "If the British go out over the Neck, we will show one lantern. If in the boats--two." Chapter 10, pg. 206

Topic Tracking: Friendship

Chapter 2

Friendship 1: Johnny's only friend at this time is Cilla. Although he is supposed to marry Cilla, after his accident, Mrs. Lapham changes her mind. Johnny does not have romantic feelings for Cilla, yet. He just wants to give Cilla nice things because she is always doing nice things for him.

Chapter 4

Friendship 2: Johnny meets Rab at the Boston Observer office and it is the beginning of a developing friendship. When Johnny heads to Merchant Lyte's mansion, Rab offers his good clothes. When Johnny is put in jail, he somehow trusts that Rab is the right person to notify. Rab and Cilla, Johnny's only two friends, help him get out of jail.

Chapter 5

Friendship 3: Although Johnny's new life as a rider is exciting, he realizes he still misses his old life, especially the familiarity and consistency of Cilla. He asks Cilla to meet him every Thursday and Sunday.

Chapter 6

Friendship 4: Johnny happens to see Cilla waiting at the pump where they were to meet every Thursday and Sunday. Johnny has not been keeping his promise. Johnny finds that he is no longer interested in the world of Cilla and the Laphams; his new life is so much more exciting. He despises Cilla for being so faithful to their friendship. He has changed.

Chapter 7

Friendship 5: Johnny is a bit jealous of Rab's developing friendship with Cilla. He is mostly annoyed because Rab is so secretive about what he does with her.

Chapter 8

Friendship 6: Johnny discovers Rab has been buying sweets for Cilla--even courting her in a casual way. But as he talks with Cilla, Johnny realizes that she is interested in him and he in her. She gives him a green apple, which Johnny identifies as a symbol of their developing friendship--either it will become ripe or rot. Ironically, Rab eats it and says it was wormy, which makes Johnny mad.

Chapter 9

Friendship 7: Dove tries to be friendly with Rab and Johnny, but they only use him to get information. They let him hang out because they also feel sorry for him. Dove is not liked by both the British and Americans. Johnny, on the other hand, feels a connection to the British soldier, Lieutenant Stranger. Lieutenant Stranger even takes Johnny to jump horses. Johnny thinks some of the British soldiers are actually more likable than someone like Dove.

Chapter 10

Friendship 8: Johnny is upset that Rab can be so casual about leaving him to go join the Minute Men in Lexington. Although Johnny wants to run after Rab to say goodbye, he does not want to reveal his true emotions.

Chapter 12

Friendship 9: When Rab dies, Johnny has neither the time nor the energy to mourn for him. Johnny must be strong and take up arms to continue the fight Rab started. That is what Rab would have wanted him to do.

Topic Tracking: Identity

Chapter 1

Identity 1: As a young boy, Johnny is given over to Mr. Lapham to be apprenticed as a silversmith by his mother. Before she dies, however, she tells Johnny that he is related to the Lytes, a rich merchant family in Boston. She tells Johnny to go to them for help only if he has no other choice in life. Johnny reveals this to Cilla and shows her his silver cup with the engraving of the Lyte family crest. Johnny is just another poor apprentice boy. But he realizes that there is something more to be known about who he is through his family's history. Hoping that he will one day be recognized as a Lyte, Johnny identifies with the Lyte's crest of a rising sun--he too will rise soon.

Chapter 2

Identity 2: Johnny is a natural silversmith who has the skills to become a master someday. All the other master silversmiths, including Paul Revere, covet Johnny and want to hire him. Johnny takes his apprenticeship seriously, evidenced by his visit to the much-admired Paul Revere.

Chapter 4

Identity 3: Johnny goes to the Lyte mansion hoping his fortunes change. Instead of being welcomed into the family as he imagined, Johnny is accused of stealing one of the Lyte cups and sent to jail.

Chapter 5

Identity 4: Johnny begins his new life as a rider for the Boston Observer and as a Whig. He moves in with Rab. No longer under the Lapham household, Johnny finds Mr. and Mrs. Lorne to be generous and agreeable. Before, Johnny is ignorant of politics, but as a rider, he comes into contact with the top leaders of the American Revolution. Johnny comes to enjoy his new life.

Identity 5: Johnny starts to evaluate his character with that of Rab. Johnny realizes that Rab is different--cool, calm, consistent, and unflappable, yet, possessing an aura of confidence and at appropriate times, energy. Johnny thinks he should be more mature like Rab.

Chapter 8

Identity 6: At the Lyte mansion, Johnny discovers the Lyte genealogy. He takes it with him. But he later feels that he should make a complete break with the past and live for the future. He burns the genealogy in the fire, signaling his new beginning as a part of the American rebellion, and not as a Lyte.

Chapter 9

Identity 7: When Johnny sees the firing squad execute Mr. Pumpkin, he begins to doubt his courage for the first time in his life. Johnny is beginning to realize that this potential war can lead to serious consequences. Is he up to the challenge? Johnny asks himself.

Chapter 11

Identity 8: Johnny finds out about his mother from Miss Lavinia Lyte. She tells him that his mother was beautiful and that she had his same widow's peak. Although Johnny wants to think about what Miss Lavinia Lyte tells him, he endeavors not to lose sight of his mission and purpose to help defeat the British.

Topic Tracking: Pride

Chapter 1

Pride 1: Johnny is a capable boy with the skills necessary to be a fine silversmith one day. Because his work is so valuable, Johnny is able to order the two other apprentices around. Although Mr. Lapham constantly reminds him to be humble about his God-given skills, Johnny cannot help but take pride in being the most indispensable worker in the Lapham family business.

Pride 2: Mr. Lapham is an old fashioned traditionalist who, in his old age, is deeply pious. He believes that rich political figures like John Hancock and Samuel Adams are being prideful by not succumbing to the absolute rule of the King of England. He feels that the colonists should humbly abide by British authority, which he relates to being humble before God.

Chapter 2

Pride 3: Johnny's pride is hurt because of the accident. Since he can no longer become a silversmith, he must find something else he can do. Dove and Dusty rub it in by mocking Johnny's situation.

Chapter 3

Pride 4: Johnny's pride is finally shattered when Isannah refuses to be touched by his crippled hand. After the incident, Johnny goes to his mother's grave where he cries and lets out his frustrations. He feels he finally reached bottom.

Chapter 6

Pride 5: The colonists are proud of a certain measure of independence they feel they have from England. They want to have a voice in the laws that are passed, especially concerning taxes. Even from the pulpit the cries of "taxation without representation" are heard. Sam Adams is the leading figure in opposing any British intervention in American affairs.

Chapter 7

Pride 6: The British response is to close the port of Boston until the tax is paid. This makes Bostonians, as well as all the other colonies, more determined to resist England's authority. Both sides are locked in a battle of wills.

Chapter 8

Pride 7: The Boston Observers are stirred by the speech that James Otis gives--they are fighting for the freedom of every individual, so that a man can stand up. The men assembled in the room vow to fight for the freedom of mankind. These men are well aware of their place in history; they understand the significance of what an American Revolution would come to mean.

Chapter 11

Pride 8: Johnny notices the irony of a war between America and England. It is essentially a civil war, for they are one people. Furthermore, the idea of the individual right to liberty was born on English soil. Yet, the two sides are in confrontation over the issue of power and authority. The British are confident in their well-trained troops. Although the Yankees are a ragtag band of semi-soldiers, they have a greater stake in victory. Even Yankee Doodle becomes a rallying cry.

Chapter 12

Pride 9: Johnny hears someone playing Yankee Doodle. He sees a ragged group of Yankee soldiers led by Granshire Silsbee. Johnny swells with pride. These are his people and his country--a country where a man can stand up.

Chapter 1, Up and About

The town of Boston awakes. In a little house within Hancock's Wharf on Fish Street, Mrs. Lapham, the stout, busy-bodied mistress of the household, yells at her father-in-law's three apprentice boys to get out of bed. Up in the attic where the three boys live, Johnny gets up. Although two years younger than sixteen year old Dove, Johnny is the top apprentice and the boss of the attic. Fat and unskilled, Dove hates Johnny for being better than him. As Johnny heads for the ladder, Dove trips him, acting like it is an accident. Johnny knows better and threatens to beat Dove up if he does it again. Eleven year old Dusty watches as Johnny chastises Dove. Dusty idolizes Johnny, but he does not like being bossed around either. Johnny orders the two boys around because he is too valuable to do menial labor. The old silversmith and master, Mr. Lapham, is always telling Johnny to watch his pride. Johnny's charm and abilities, however, make him well liked by everyone, except Dove.

Mr. Lapham seldom works in the mornings anymore because he spends the time in his bedroom reading from the bible. His daughter-in-law, the practical Mrs. Lapham, is given the task of managing the day-to-day affairs of the household. She shares the only other bedroom in the house with her four "fatherless" daughters--Madge, Dorcas, Cilla, and Isannah.

Madge and Dorcas, the two elder daughters, are already in the kitchen helping their mother. Madge is eighteen, with a merry personality and a portly build like her mother. Dorcas, sixteen, is similar in size, less outgoing, and more into being fashionable and elegant. Cilla is in the bedroom brushing Isannah's hair. Johnny stands at the door, waiting for the usual playful insults from the two younger girls. They tease Johnny about how "wonderful" he is, moreover, how "wonderful" he thinks he is. He listens to their insults and gives them a knowing grin.

Johnny has been an apprentice under Mr. Lapham for two years already--by law, seven years of service is required. It has been determined that when Johnny gets older, he will marry Cilla (who is the same age) and inherit the family's silver business. Johnny does not mind; it is often the arrangement for a top apprentice to marry into the master's family. Although Johnny thinks Madge and Dorcas would make better wives, since they are too old, he accepts the fact that one day he will marry Cilla. Isannah is a pretty, young girl of eight, but her sickliness makes Mrs. Lapham regard her as an unwanted burden. It bothers Cilla that her mother would talk that way about Isannah because she adores her younger sister.

Johnny is a natural silversmith. Mr. Lapham is always reminding Johnny to be humble about his God-given artisan skills. Yet, Johnny hardly listens. This morning, he orders Dove to refashion a spoon that the latter has made poorly. Dove tries to weasel out of it, but it is obvious that Johnny is right. Dove obeys reluctantly. At breakfast, Mr. Lapham sits at the head of the table. He is a pious, kind man--a deacon at his church. After the meal, Mr. Lapham asks Johnny to read from the bible. Aside from Mr. Lapham, Johhny is the only one in the house who can read well (he was taught by his deceased mother). The other boys, along with Mrs. Lapham and the girls, are not fully literate, although Cilla longs to learn. Mr. Lapham tells Johnny to read several passages in the bible, all addressing the issue of pride. Then Mr. Lapham asks Johnny to explain the lesson. Johnny concludes that God does not like pride. Mr. Lapham asks Johnny to raise his right hand and repeat this phrase, "I, Johnny Tremain, swear from this day onward to walk more humbly and modestly before God and man" (p. 10). After breakfast, Johnny is left alone with Cilla and Isannah. The two girls tease Johnny about the morning's bible lesson. Johnny gets mad, his red ears a tell tale sign of his anger.

Topic Tracking: Pride 1

Johnny tries to be humble, but he has to be on top of everything in order for the silver shop to function at all. Although Mr. Lapham is a good silversmith, at his age he does not put a priority on doing his work meticulously. Johnny, therefore, has to write down all the orders and tell Dove and Dusty what to do. Johnny takes to imagining how he would run the silver shop if he were the master craftsman. He would certainly hand pick the best apprentices. Johnny is suddenly awoken out of his daydream by the girls who alert him that Mr. John Hancock is at the shop requesting an order. Johnny hurries so he can write down it down, less Mr. Lapham forgets.

Mr. Hancock is the richest man in New England. He orders a silver sugar basin to be made for the following week. He has brought a creamer as a sample. Johnny marvels at its intricate design and is surprised to find out Mr. Lapham had made the whole set for Mr. Hancock's uncle forty years ago. Wary of his diminished skills, Mr. Lapham hesitates in agreeing to such a difficult order. The women, hidden from Mr. Hancock's view, wildly mouth to Johnny to say yes. Johnny blurts out that the work will be done Monday of next week. After Mr. Hancock leaves, Jehu, Mr. Hancock's horse boy of African descent, walks in with coins for the apprentice boys, courtesy of his master. Mr. Lapham says that political figures like John Hancock and Sam Adams are not being humble before God because they stir up trouble between the colonies and their British rulers.

Topic Tracking: Pride 2

After working the whole morning on molding the handle for the sugar basin, Johnny gets his dinner (modern day lunch) from Cilla. She is drawing a mark for Johnny to use as a stamp when he grows to be his own master silversmith. Johnny boasts that when he grows up, he is going to use all three of his initials: J, L, and T. Cilla does not believe a poor boy like Johnny has three names, a mark usually reserved for rich, distinguished families.

Working by lamplight, Johnny finishes the mold, though he is not fully satisfied with it. Later that night, Cilla wakes Johnny up and tells him that Isannah is feeling sick. He grudgingly carries Isannah to the wharf for some fresh air. As they are sitting by the edge of the wharf, Isannah asks Johnny to tell her a story. Cilla asks Johnny to tell them the story of his middle name. Johnny reveals that his given name is Jonathan Lyte Tremain. Cilla wonders if he is related to the rich merchant, Jonathan Lyte. Johnny admits he has wondered the same and tells the girls fantastic stories about the Lytes and their riches. Cilla asks Johnny about his mother. He tells Cilla that his mother's name was Lavinia Lyte, just like the handsome daughter of Merchant Lyte. Cilla asks why his mother never presented herself before her rich family. Johnny confesses that before his mother died, she told him to go to Merchant Lyte only if he had no other choice. Johnny tells Cilla about a secret silver cup he has locked up, which proves his relation to the Lyte family. Johnny makes Cilla promise that if he shows it to her, she would never tell anyone about it.

When they get back from the wharf, as promised, Johnny shows Cilla the cup. Engraved is the Lyte family crest, an image of an eye rising from the sea, with the words, 'Let there be Lyte.' As Cilla is mouthing the motto, the sun rises and Johnny whispers:

"Just like the sun coming up yonder out of the sea, pushing rays of light ahead of it." Chapter 1, pg. 24

Cilla asks sarcastically if it can be a setting eye instead of a rising one. Johnny affirms that it is indeed a rising eye.

Topic Tracking: Identity 1

Chapter 2, The Pride of Your Power

The ensuing week, Johnny makes sure Mr. Lapham is on course to finish the sugar basin. Mr. Lapham shows the skills of his former years. Johnny, however, is not satisfied with his own work on the handle, although everyone else says it is fine. Friday evening after work, Johnny goes the silver shop of Paul Revere (unlike the Laphams, Paul Revere is well off that he does not live and work at his shop). Johnny asks Paul Revere about the shaping of the handle because he considers Paul Revere to be the best silversmith in Boston. Paul Revere offers Johnny some advice on fixing the handle. Impressed with the boy's abilities, Paul Revere inquires about buying Johnny's time (years of apprenticeship) from Mr. Lapham. Johnny is flattered, but he tells Mr. Revere that the Lapham family would not be able to survive without him.

Topic Tracking: Identity 2

On Saturday, Johnny gets the mold of the handle just right. Paul Revere's suggestion proves to be helpful. Johnny determines that he must cast and solder the handle before Sunday because the law forbids any work to be done on that day; everyone goes to church. Johnny yells for Dove to get charcoal. After a while, Dove brings back charcoal of low quality. Johnny hurls insults at the hapless Dove. This causes Mr. Lapham to scold Johnny about his pride again. To teach Johnny a lesson, Mr. Lapham stops work for the day, showing no concern that the sugar basin might not be delivered to Mr. Hancock on time. When a distraught Johnny tells Mrs. Lapham, she is so worried they would lose Mr. Hancock's patronage that she arranges for Johnny to secretly work on the Sabbath, or Sunday, even though it is against the law.

On Sunday, after the morning church service and while Mr. Lapham is away at the afternoon service, Johnny gets to work on finishing the sugar basin. As a way of getting back at Johnny, Dove hands him a cracked crucible. When Johnny pours the silver for casting, the crucible cracks and the silver leaks onto the furnace. Johnny loses his footing and his right hand falls into the melted silver. Because they are breaking the Sabbath law, Mrs. Lapham does not call a doctor, lest they be punished. Instead, she asks Cilla to fetch the midwife, Gran' Hopper.

Johnny is placed in the birth and death room, a little storage area used at certain times to treat sickness. After days of drugs and treatment, Johnny must deal with the fact that his thumb had grown into his palm. Mrs. Lapham expresses what everyone is thinking--Johnny is ruined as a silversmith. Pained at such thoughts, Johnny goes off by himself. When he returns, he notices that Mrs. Lapham and the girls have been talking about him. He enters the shop and sees Dove on his bench. It is the first time he has stepped into the shop in a month. When he criticizes Dove for not holding the crimping iron right, Dove mockingly asks Johnny to show him how. Feeling defeated, Johnny walks out to the wharf. He catches a sight of Mr. John Hancock, whose sugar basin was never completed (Mr. Lapham found out what happened and melted the whole thing down without explaining it to Mr. Hancock). Johnny walks along Hancock's Wharf and sees the other apprentice boys at their work. It looks as though they pity him. He feels like an outcast. At the end of the wharf, Johnny goes for a swim, eager to forget about his crippled hand.

Johnny is allowed to live in the birth and death room, away from the other boys. With his bad hand, Johnny has to resort to doing menial chores for the other boys, who are now more valuable. Mrs. Lapham treats Johnny like she did the other boys before. One day, Mr. Lapham tells Johnny that he cannot honor the contract he made with Johnny's mother, to teach her boy the silversmith's craft. But Mr. Lapham offers Johnny the choice to remain, provided he finds another trade. Mr. Lapham also asks Johnny to forgive Dove for handing him a broken crucible. Johnny had not known that Dove had done it on purpose. To Mr. Lapham's dismay, Johnny threatens to get back at Dove, no matter how long it takes. After thanking his master for his kindness, Johnny goes off and sees Dove and Dusty working. The two boys take pleasure in ordering Johnny around. Johnny goes to do his chores without saying a word, while the boys continue to mock him saying, "Look sharp, Johnny" (pg. 42).

Topic Tracking: Pride 3

Chapter 3, An Earth of Brass

For weeks, Johnny goes about the streets, half-heartedly looking for a new trade. He looks at the picture signs above the shops that reveal what is being done inside. He makes inquiries, but is rejected because of his maimed hand.

Mrs. Lapham has been busy arranging for a newly arrived bachelor from Baltimore, Mr. Tweedie, to partner in the store and marry one of her daughters. She tells Johnny that he can no longer use the birth and death room. She also lets Johnny know that he is eating more than he is worth. Feeling cut off from the world, Johnny stops showing up to dinner and tries to eat as little as possible. He often finds food in his jacket, obviously put in there by Cilla. Johnny daydreams about one day becoming successful so he can give Cilla the three things she desires: a gold necklace, a gray pony with a basket cart, and a little sailboat.

Johnny happens upon a shop with a sign of a little painted man in a bright blue coat and red breeches, looking through a spyglass. It is the office of the Boston Observer, the newspaper Johnny often hears Mr. Lapham referring to as an instigator of colonial revolt. Johnny finds the sign inviting; he walks in. He sees a young boy a few years older than him talking with a woman who is looking to advertise for her lost, beloved pig. After the woman leaves, the boy invites Johnny to eat with him. Taking an instant liking to the boy, Johnny asks if there is an opening for an apprentice with a bad hand. The boy remarks that it must be a recent burn--the first intelligent comment Johnny has heard about his hand. The boy's name is Rab. Johnny confides to him all about the past several months, about his problems, and about his current situation.

Mr. Lorne, Rab's uncle by marriage and the owner of the printing shop, walks in with two little boys, the Webb twins. As Johnny gets up to leave, Rab offers him a job as a rider (paper delivery boy) if nothing else works out. Johnny promises to visit again once he finds his trade. Johnny notices that Rab has a certain aura about him that sets people's minds at ease.

Meanwhile, Mr. Tweedie, the bachelor from Baltimore, is ever closer to signing on as a partner in the Lapham silver shop. Johnny catches him one morning at the house waiting to be asked for breakfast, and immediately disapproves of the man's cowardly character. Mrs. Lapham comes down the stairs in a sour mood. Things have not gone right that day. Johnny speaks his mind about what he thinks of Mr. Tweedie. Mrs. Lapham tells Johnny to leave the house.

Johnny takes to the streets. Johnny looks either like a unfortunate boy from a significant family or someone on the verge of being a criminal. Johnny heads to Long Wharf to see if he can get a job with one of the many merchants in the area. There, he sees a coach with the familiar crest of Merchant Lyte. Johnny knows all about the Lytes, that they have a mansion on Beacon Hill and a townhouse in Milton. He gazes at Miss Lavinia Lyte, recently returned from London, whose beauty of form and style sets the standard of elegance in Boston.

Johnny goes to the office of John Hancock to ask for work. After successfully passing a test of reading an invoice, he is told to write "John Hancock, Esquire." He tries his best, but can only manage scribbles. When John Hancock sees Johnny's crippled hand, he begs him to leave. Jehu, Mr. Hancock's slave boy, gives Johnny a purse with a silver coin in it. Johnny goes from tavern to tavern, looking for the perfect place to satisfy his hunger. He finally ends up at the Afric Queen. Johnny orders as much food as he can eat, even trying coffee and chocolate for the first time. After the feast, Johnny thinks of Rab--surely he would not have acted like such a glutton. Johnny notices that the Boston Observer office is behind the Afric Queen. He has a mind to go visit Rab, but pride keeps him from going like a beggar. He decides to spend the rest of his money on a new pair of shoes, some limes for Isannah, and a book and crayons for Cilla. At home, Mrs. Lapham accuses Johnny of stealing those things. She storms out, while Madge and Dorcas go to meet a suitor, Frizel, Junior. Johnny shows Cilla and Isannah the gifts he bought. Isannah is overjoyed about the limes. But when Johnny picks her up, Isannah gives off a horrible scream, "Don't touch me! Don't touch me with that dreadful hand!" (pg. 62). Both Johnny and Cilla cannot believe what they are hearing. "Go away, Johnny, go away! I hate your hand," Isannah continues. Cilla hits her, making her cry. Johnny heads out.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 1

Johnny is shattered by what Isannah said. He wanders through the Boston Common, and heads toward Beacon Hill. He walks further until one o'clock in the morning (past the curfew for apprentices) and ends up in the graveyard in Copp's Hill. Johnny falls before his mother's grave and cries. He feels like he is at the end; even God has turned away. After falling asleep for a while, Johnny wakes up and remembers his mother's words to go seek Merchant Lyte for help if he has no other way out. Having decided this, he falls soundly asleep.

Topic Tracking: Pride 4

Chapter 4, The Rising Eye

Johnny awakes past dawn, happily imagining what his life would be like once he becomes a member of the privileged Lyte family. Upon reaching Merchant Lyte's counting office, Johnny is told to wait. When the door opens, Johnny opportunistically walks in. He tells Merchant Lyte that his name is Jonathan Lyte Tremain and begins to explain his situation. But before he could finish, Merchant Lyte tells Johnny that his story is an old trick and that he had better get out. Merchant Lyte calls for his clerk, Sewall to throw Johnny out. His pride wounded, Johnny insults the rich merchant, "Now that I've met you face to face, I don't much fancy you as kin" (pg. 68). Before he leaves, Johnny tells the merchant that he has a cup proving he is a Lyte. The mention of the cup brings great joy to the merchant. He asks Johnny to bring it to his Beacon Hill home later that night.

Johnny heads back to the Lapham household with the attitude that he is now a member of the upper class. At home, Mrs. Lapham, in the presence of her daughters, tells Johnny three things: to get out of the birth and death room in order to make room for Mr. Tweedie, to never make fun of Mr. Tweedie again, and to never even think of setting his eyes on one of her daughters for marriage. Johnny tells her crossly that he looks down on her girls and then makes fun of Cilla for good measure. He takes his cup and goes out, thinking once more about his bright future. He feels good enough to go see Rab and tell him what has happened.

Upon hearing the story, Rab tells Johnny that Merchant Lyte is crooked--that he imported English goods secretly even though all the merchants had agreed not to until the Stamp Act was repealed. Rab says that although Tories like Governor Hutchinson are wrong, they are not as loathsome as Merchant Lyte, who is trying to be both a Whig and a Tory, just for financial gain. Johnny acknowledges this, but since he is a beggar, he must do what he must. Rab offers Johnny his outgrown linen ruffled shirt and a corduroy jacket. He also puts food before Johnny and wishes him luck with Merchant Lyte.

Johnny arrives at the Lyte's mansion on Beacon Hill. He enters the room where the Lytes and their guests are waiting. Aunt Best, an ugly old woman, makes a snide comment about Johnny's appearance. Sewall, apparently a cousin of Miss Lavinia Lyte, is there also. They all move to the dining room where there are three cups identical to Johnny's. He sets the cup down next to the three and Merchant Lyte and the others agree that it is of the same set. Merchant Lyte promptly orders one of the men to arrest Johnny for theft, accusing the boy of having taken the cup on the twenty-third of August 1773. Merchant Lyte explains to the sheriff that according to the testimony of Mrs. Lapham, Johnny does not own anything and he has recently taken to evil ways. Mr. Tweedie also testifies to Johnny being a notorious liar. The sheriff asks Johnny if he has any relatives that might be able to help him. Johnny asks for Rab.

Topic Tracking: Identity 3

Johnny spends the night in jail, but this is not as bad as having his heart broken by Isannah's horrified squeals about his hand, or the night of crying at the graveyard at Copp's Hill. Johnny thinks about the possibility of having to face the gallows.

After breakfast, Rab arrives as Johnny thought he would. Johnny notices that Rab has a medal hung around him with an engraving of the Tree of Liberty, denoting his membership in the Sons of Liberty, the semi-secret group known to wreak havoc and arouse fear in anyone against American liberation. Johnny never thought too much about what the Sons of Liberty stood for, but now he imagines that joining them would be fun.

Cilla turns out to be a key witness because she is the only person who saw Johnny's cup before the day Merchant Lyte's cup was stolen. But Merchant Lyte tries to prevent Cilla from testifying by visiting the Lapham silver shop with an advance payment on several orders. He gets an assurance from Mrs. Lapham that Cilla would not testify before the court. Rab tells Johnny that Josiah Quincy, the best young lawyer is Boston, will be available for free counsel. Rab, himself, will arrange for a way so that Cilla will be available to testify on Tuesday.

At the trial, Justice Dana presides as Johnny sits by Josiah Quincy. Merchant Lyte enters with Sewall. Later, Miss Lyte walks in. On the stand, Merchant Lyte presents his case, of how on the 23rd day of August someone broke in and stole one of his four silver cups, of Johnny's claim to kinship, and of Johnny's wayward character. He asks for the death penalty because he feels that poor apprentices are getting out of hand.

Before Johnny takes the stand, he sees Rab enter with Cilla. Encouraged by Cilla's presence, Johnny tells his side of the story with confidence. Finally, Cilla is called and she speaks clearly, verifying Johnny's testimony. Even Isannah makes her way onto the court and repeats Cilla's statements. Justice Dana is readily convinced that there is no evidence Johnny had stolen the cup. The case is dismissed.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 2

Outside, the winning party enjoys the moment of triumph; meanwhile, Isannah talks to an adoring Miss Lavinia Lyte. Cilla calls for her. When Isannah gets back, she tries to kiss Johnny. Johnny is too proud to bend down so Isannah kisses his burned hand. Johnny feels as he might just cry.

Chapter 5, The Boston Observer

After the trial, the happy group goes to eat at the Afric Queen, where many of the Whigs stop by to congratulate Josiah Quincy for humiliating Merchant Lyte. Johnny finds out from Rab how he got Cilla to come--all he had to do was present Mrs. Lapham with a fake court letter stating an order from the governor (Mrs. Lapham's is illiterate).

Too proud to lodge with Rab or at the Lapham household, Johnny decides to get a job as a cabin boy. But as he has no money to buy the necessary things to set sail, he heads over to Merchant Lyte to sell his silver cup. There, Merchant Lyte steals the cup from him and makes it look as if Johnny meant to return the cup. When Merchant Lyte calls on one of his henchman, Johnny runs away. He runs to the office of the Boston Observer where he sees Mr. Lorne. Johnny asks if he can take the job as a rider, even though he has never been on a horse before. Rab agrees to teach him. For his job, Johnny is to deliver the Boston Observer all over the Boston area from Thursday to Saturday. And to Johnny's delight, Rab even suggests that he share the attic with him.

Rab explains that the horse, Goblin, is difficult to ride because it is unusually scared of everything. Johnny gets one lesson and is then left to learn by himself. As with all things, Johnny catches on quickly, and he is soon delivering the Boston Observer with Goblin. Moreover, Johnny enjoys riding down the country roads, making grand entrances into town in a full gallop, and talking politics with news-hungry townspeople. Johnny goes from knowing almost nothing about politics to a well-informed, knowledgeable Whig.

Johnny discovers that the attic he shares with Rab is a secret meeting place of the Boston Observers, a secret club of powerful Whigs who meet to discuss political strategy. Johnny adjusts quickly to his new life as a rider. Mr. and Mrs. Lorne treat him well. He even has four days a week to do his own stuff, like make extra money delivering letters for guests at the Afric Queen. He spends most of his free time, however, reading from Mr. Lorne's library. Unlike Mrs. Lapham, Mrs. Lorne never bothers Johnny when he is idly reading. Sometimes Johnny is asked to take care of the Lorne baby who is, like Rab, "a regular Silsbee of Lexington." Although he tries not to show his love for the baby in front of Mrs. Lorne, she knows, and thus shows much kindness to the motherless, orphan Johnny.

Topic Tracking: Identity 4

After a couple of weeks delivering papers, Johnny runs into Cilla and Isannah at the town pump in North Square. He finds out that Cilla is now doing the work of fetching water, a chore previously done by the boys. Johnny helps Cilla carry the buckets of water and asks if they can meet every Thursday and Sunday. Cilla says maybe. Johnny realizes how much he misses being around Cilla and Isannah.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 3

The more time Johnny spends with Rab, the more he learns about himself. Rab is so unflappable and consistent; Johnny is easily influenced by circumstance. So when Rab confronts Johnny about why he is so quick to put people down, Johnny decides to think before he does and says things. This comes in handy when a black servant girl of Sam Adams accidentally throws dishwater on Johnny when he is riding by. Instead of cursing her, as he would have normally done, he counts to ten. She apologizes and invites him into the house, where he meets Sam Adams. Johnny begins doing delivery jobs for the great Sam Adams.

That fall, Johnny twice sees Rab out of his usual cool character. Once, in Lexington at Rab's grandfather, Major Silsbee's barn dance, Johnny sees Rab thoroughly enjoy himself. After the dance, Johnny notices that he had not thought about his lame hand and neither had the girls he danced with. Rab tells Johnny that if he forgets about his hand, people will forget as well, but if he treats his hand like a horrible disfigurement, others will pick up on that. Another time, the Webb twins get bullied by the butcher's boy at the butcher shop. Hearing their cries, Rab and Johnny go over to take on the butcher's whole family. After the fight, Rab hardly mentions it. Johnny is amazed that someone who can fight so well never really gets into fights, and moreover, never boasts about it. Johnny learns from Mrs. Lorne that all Silsbee men are like that--they never let anyone know what they are thinking or feeling.

Topic Tracking: Identity 5

Chapter 6, Salt-Water Tea

By the fall of 1773, stirrings of political unrest become more evident; even from the pulpit, a sermon of "taxation without representation" is preached more fiercely than the fear of God. Much is made of England's insistence upon a small tax on tea, which the Americans protest on principle.

Early one Sunday morning in November, Sam Adams comes to the printing shop to ask that placards be printed to warn people of an impending arrival of the Dartmouth, a ship sailing from England that is bringing tea from the East India Company. The note reads:

"Friends! Brethren! Countrymen! That worst of Plagues, the detested tea shipped for this Port by the East India Company, is now arrived in the Harbour: the hour of destruction, of manly opposition to the machinations of Tyranny, stares you in the Face; Every Friend to his Country, to Himself, and to Posterity, is now called upon to meet at Faneuil Hall, at nice o'clock this day, at which time the bells will ring to make united and successful resistance to this last, worst and most destructive measure of Administration...Boston, Nov. 29, 1773." Chapter 6, pg. 107

Topic Tracking: Pride 5

Sam Adams alerts Mr. Lorne that there will be a meeting of the Observers that night. Johnny is to notify the members by saying, "Mr. So and So owes eight shillings for his newspaper" (pg. 107). Johnny makes the rounds, telling the Observers about the meeting. On his route, Johnny instinctively heads to Merchant Lyte's house, hoping to catch a glimpse of the intriguing Miss Lavinia Lyte. He sees her riding a horse and helps her dismount. She does not thank him. Johnny finds her to be the most disagreeable person he ever met; still, her dark beauty captivates him.

Near Paul Revere's shop at North Square, Johnny is surprised to see Cilla and Isannah waiting at the water pump (he had not kept his promise of meeting them on Thursdays and Sundays). Before, he would have been interested in knowing what is happening at the Lapham household, but now he finds those things trivial compared with the new, exciting things in his life. Johnny is irritated by Cilla's faithfulness in showing up every time. Johnny has changed much since he last lived with the Laphams.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 4

Later that day, Johnny finds Doctor Warren, who asks to see his crippled hand. Johnny declines and lies to the doctor that his hand is crippled from birth.

That night, there is a meeting of the Observers. Rab and Johnny make punch for the meeting. John Hancock is in the moderator seat, with Sam Adams constantly whispering in his ears. Everyone knows that Sam Adams does not want to compromise with England. John Hancock tells the boys not to talk about any of the secrets he is about to tell them. On the sixteenth of December, when the twenty days are up (else the ships must either go back or be seized by the customs house), young men are to board the ships and dump the tea into the Boston Harbor. Rab says he can get fifteen or so boys; Paul Revere says he can get around twenty more. As the men discuss who should lead the raid, the boys are told to leave the room. That night in bed, Johnny asks Rab if he can be one of the boys to go on the raid. Rab says yes and tells Johnny that he has twenty days to practice using a hatchet with one good hand. Johnny has so many things running through his mind that it takes a long time for him to fall asleep.

In the town meetings, Sam Adams and others incite the people to respond boldly against unloading the tea from the ships. Thus, the three ships, the Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and the Beaver, are unable to unload the tea because of the townspeople, and unable to sail back to England. If they try to sail back, they will be sunk by the British Navy.

On December 16th, Rotch, the owner of the Dartmouth, makes one last unsuccessful appeal to Governor Hutchinson for permission to sail back to England. Rab tells Johnny to go to the meeting at the Old South Church and listen for a signal from Sam Adams. When Johnny gets there, he sees thousands gathered. He fights his way through so that he can hear what Sam Adams has to say. Johnny is able to hear Sam Adams say, "This meeting can do nothing more to save the country" (pg. 124). At these words, Johnny blows his whistle, a signal to start the raid. Johnny runs back to the office and finds Rab waiting for him dressed in his Indian uniform. They both run for Griffin's Wharf where the ships are docked. Already there is a crowd. Rab and Johnny follow Paul Revere's lead. While they are chopping the chests of tea, Johnny notices that Dove is secretly stealing some of the tea, which goes against the stern warning that no tea be stolen or any other cargo than tea be damaged so as to uphold the integrity of the protest. Johnny tells Rab regarding Dove, "He swim good," imitating Indian talk. Rab throws Dove into the harbor. When all the tea is thrown into the water, the ships are cleaned. Sam Adams is in the crowd and Johnny notices his approving look. As the "Indians" head back, a voice from a window tells them:

"...you've had a fine, pleasant evening for your Indian caper, haven't you? But mind...you've got to pay the fiddler yet." Chapter 6, pg. 127

It is the British Admiral Montague. He means that someone is going to pay for this deed.

The next day, many young men are sore from the previous night's work, but they remain silent about it. The night before, after finishing with the tea, Paul Revere gets on horseback for New York and Philadelphia to report on the success of the Tea Party.

Chapter 7, The Fiddler's Bill

The fiddler's bill turns out to be worse than the townspeople expect. The order is for the port of Boston to be closed; the King is going to starve the town until the tax is paid. Boston's problem becomes the uniting force for the previously fragmented thirteen colonies. Many of the townspeople express this sentiment as they gaze upon His Majesty's ships enforcing the Port Act.

"This closing of the port of Boston was indeed tyranny; this was oppression; this was the last straw upon the back of many a moderate man." Chapter 7, pg. 130

General Hutchinson is sent back to England; now General Gage is in charge. King George III sends regiments of British troops to occupy the town of Boston. Many of the shops are closed due to the closing of the port.

Topic Tracking: Pride 6

Once or twice a week, Rab would go to Lexington to drill with the other men. Rab is frustrated that he cannot get himself a good gun. One day, Rab touches a British officer's musket and is knocked unconscious by a blow on the side of his head. A medical man helps Rab and tells the boys not to make trouble. His pleasant demeanor makes Johnny think that some of the British are not too bad. The medical man asks if any of them can make deliveries and Johnny volunteers, in case he can get some useful information. By charging three times as much delivering letters for the British, Johnny earns money, which he gives to Mrs. Lorne. She cries the first time he offers it to her.

General Gage turns out to be no tyrant. He lets the townspeople have their say about the British. And Boston gets supplies and support from the rest of the colonies. Johnny watches the Minute Men drill, frustrated that he cannot join them because of his crippled hand.

One day, Johnny finds Cilla with Rab in the Boston Observer office. He finds out from Cilla that Dorcas has run off with Frizel, Junior to escape Mr. Tweedie's marriage proposal. Mr. Tweedie upsets Mrs. Lapham for not settling on Madge and insisting on waiting for Cilla. On top of that, Miss Lavinia Lyte has adopted Isannah and Cilla is currently working and livng in the Lyte's mansion. Cilla comes to tell Johnny that she cannot see him at the pump anymore. Rab walks her home and Johnny gets jealous.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 5

The Afric Queen is taken over by British. Johnny mostly avoids them, except when he has to fight a bully horse boy or two. One of Colonel Smith's new horse boy turns out to be Dove. The colonel's orderly officer, Lieutenant Stranger, offers to buy Goblin for his colonel. Johnny lets the lieutenant try Goblin. While the lieutenant is riding, Johnny, with help from Lydia, a black washerwoman at the Afric Queen, flaps a sheet, scaring Goblin enough to throw the lieutenant into the mud. Although Lieutenant Stranger knows Johnny scared the horse on purpose, he finds it amusing and decides to let Johnny keep the horse. From then on, because of his relationship with Lieutenant Stranger, Johnny is on good terms with the British soldiers from the Afric Queen. On the other hand, all the British stable boys pick on Dove. Johnny cannot help but protect him. So, Dove starts spending a lot of time at the Boston Observer office, boring Rab and Johnny with all his complaining. Rab tells Johnny to endure just in case Dove comes in handy, since a colonel's horse boy might know in advance when an army is preparing to march.

As Johnny is riding one day, he reminisces about the days in the Lapham household, of being mad at Dove, of Mrs. Lapham (she's not so bad), of Madge, and Cilla. He misses Mr. Lapham, who had died that spring. Johnny decides to stop by and see how the family is doing. Johnny sees Mr. Tweedie alone in the shop. At first, Mr. Tweedie is wary of Johnny. As soon as Johnny becomes a customer, however, Mr. Tweedie calls him "sir." In the back yard, Johnny sees Madge on the lap of a small, tough-looking British officer, Sergeant Gale. Johnny finds out from Madge that Mrs. Lapham wants her to marry Mr. Tweedie, although both sides are against it. It is a nice visit, but Johnny feels as if his old life is now no more than a faint memory.

On Thursdays, Johnny goes to visit Cilla at the Lyte mansion. On one of his visits, Miss Bessie, the Lyte's cook, tells Johnny that Cilla is busy because Miss Lavinia is entertaining guests. Cilla comes in and tells Johnny that Miss Lavinia is in need of someone who can work with tin. When Johnny enters the drawing room, he sees Isannah in only her undershift, being dressed by Miss Lavinia Lyte. Johnny tells Isannah to put on some clothes. When she replies smartly, Johnny slaps her and the British soldiers gathered there, laugh. Miss Lavinia Lyte yells at Cilla for being incompetent and for bringing in such a riffraff of a boy. Johnny tells Cilla that she should not live in a house that treats her like a slave.

In the kitchen, Miss Bessie tells Johnny that when the Lytes move into their summer residence in Milton, the Sons of Liberty are going to tar and feather Merchant Lyte and run Miss Lavinia Lyte out of town. Johnny is surprised to hear that Miss Bessie is a long time Whig who has been helping Sam Adams.

Chapter 8, A World to Come

Late in August, Johnny witnesses the Lyte's ruby coach coming into Boston. The Lytes are chased out of their country house in Milton; they have come looking for British protection. Merchant Lyte looks ill, and Miss Lavania Lyte calls for Doctor Warren. Cilla tells Johnny that she must go back for the silver, which she forgot to bring. Johnny borrows Doctor Warren's horse and chaise. In Milton, Johnny finds the Lyte estate abandoned. In Merchant Lyte's room, Johnny picks up a leather-bound book full of confidential papers that Sam Adams might find useful. He also looks at the genealogy in the family bible that shows his parents crossed out. His father was a French naval surgeon, Charles Latour; Johnny discovers that he is Merchant Lyte's grandnephew. Johnny cuts out the pages. Cilla asks Johnny to take back his cup, but Johnny refuses. Although Johnny has many questions about his past, he decides that it is not important for his future. He burns the pages of the genealogy in the hearth fire. He is not going to dwell on the ghosts of his past.

Cilla is finished with keeping the house in order for when the Lytes come back. Johnny tells her that the Lytes will not come back. This is the end of one thing and the beginning of another.

"Each time a shutter groaned, protested, and then came to with a bang, it seemed to say, 'This is the end,' and the words echoed through the house: This is the end. This is the end." Chapter 8, pg. 165

Topic Tracking: Identity 6

On their way back, Johnny watches the Minute Men drilling, not in unison. Johnny prays that God help them because the British troops seem superior.

Rab still talks about getting a good musket. "A man can stand up to anything with a good weapon in his hands. Without it, he's but a dumb beast," Rab would say (pg. 167). Rab is so consumed with acquiring a gun that he sets up a meeting with a farmer to buy an illegal musket. It turns out to be a setup and the farmer and Rab are both caught. As punishment, the farmer is tarred, feathered, and paraded through the streets naked as a warning to others. The British soldiers go around to the anti-British newspapers, warning the editors that they will get the same if they continue in their treason. Rab is let go because he is just a boy. Bitter and a bit embarrassed, Rab tells Johnny that the British soldiers will make good targets.

Johnny learns from Cilla that Madge has run off to marry Sergeant Gale and that Mrs. Lapham has married Mr. Tweedie herself to keep him around. Cilla begins to talk about how a girl must marry someone whose name is fitting. She teases Johnny by saying that she would not marry Rab--Pricilla Silsbee is a poor name. Johnny is taken aback to find out Rab has been taking Cilla out and buying her sweets. Cilla continues, saying that Pricilla Tremain, on the other hand, would be a good name. Johnny realizes that this little girl he has always known, is now a young lady, and very pretty. He tells her that Pricilla Tremain is indeed a fine name. They stand together a bit embarrassed by the moment. Cilla picks up a green apple and gives it to Johnny. Johnny thinks his relationship with Cilla is like that apple; it might turn ripe or else, rot. Later, Rab eats the apple and Johnny gets angry. Rab adds that the apple was wormy.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 6

That fall, Sam Adams tells Johnny that the Observers will meet for the last time, as war is near. Of the twenty-two original members, some have gone away for fear of arrest. At the meeting, they talk about setting up a better spy system to monitor the movement of British troops. Sam Adams and John Adams are to go to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia to determine what the colonies should do. Sam Adams lets it be known that he is going to ask for war. Just then, James Otis, who is thought to be losing his mind, climbs up the attic. Although the men know Otis has been talking nonsense of late, they afford him the courtesy to listen. Otis, once the most respected orator and the original founder of the Observers, casts a spell upon the men (except Sam Adams) with his speech--that this war is more than the freedom of Boston or of Americans, but of people everywhere. Otis ends:

"We give all we have, lives, property, safety, skills...we fight, we die, for a simple thing. Only that a man can stand up." Chapter 8, pg. 180

Then he is gone. Paul Revere responds by saying that he is fighting for the small, frightened child--his father, who fled his native France because of tyranny. That night, Johnny thinks about what James Otis said--so that a man can stand up.

Topic Tracking: Pride 7

Chapter 9, The Scarlet Deluge

That fall, Paul Revere organizes a spy system where thirty artisans take charge of apprentices, friends, and friends of friends, making up a network of eyes to scrutinize every movement of the British troops. These artisans meet secretly at the Green Dragon, an inn owned by the Masons. Johnny is to watch over the Tenth Regiment stationed at the Afric Queen. He is also to keep an eye on Dove. One day, Lydia, the laundress at the Afric Queen, gives Johnny torn pieces of letters written by Lieutenant Stranger addressed to Miss Lavinia Lyte. From the letters, Johnny finds out that Lieutenant Stranger will be going to Portsmouth to protect a storehouse of powder and ball. Johnny tells Paul Revere, who rides horseback to seize this opportunity by warning the colonists. Johnny later hears that American forces ransacked the storehouse before British reinforcements could arrive.

Dove makes a habit of coming over to the Boston Observer office to hang out with the boys. Dove has no friends--Yankee boys hate him because he works for the British; the British mistreat him for being incompetent. So even as he brags about being pro-British, it only takes some brandy to get him to reveal his true emotions. He admits that he is tired of being picked on by the British, and that Rab and Johnny are the best friends he has ever had. Before being induced to sleep by the alcohol, he lets the boys know that Colonel Smith wants his war-horse saddled by four-thirty. As Dove is asleep, Johnny has to do the job for him. When Lieutenant Stranger sees Johnny with the horse, he takes the boy for a lesson in jumping. Johnny is puzzled because when they are riding, Lieutenant Stranger treats him like an equal, but any other time, he plays the part of the superior British officer.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 7

One day, while Johnny is leading Goblin past the Common, a British officer stops him and confiscates the Boston Observer. He orders thirty lashes for Johnny. Johnny sees the familiar face of Mr. Pumpkin, the British part-time worker at the Lyte's stable, who mouths the word "spurs." So Johnny digs his spurs into Goblin and the horse runs off in fear. It finally stops at the Lyte's residence where Johnny encounters Mr. Pumpkin. He confides to Johnny that many of the British are Whigs and that his dream is to live in America as a farmer. Johnny promises Mr. Pumpkin some farmer's clothes and a way to escape to the countryside in exchange for his musket. They make the deal.

Johnny gives the musket to Rab as a gift. Finally, Rab has his coveted weapon. All over, men are casting their own bullets from scarce lead. They even ground their own gunpowder. By April, tension is high. Word has it that mild General Gage will be replaced by three tougher generals. As Johnny is leading Colonel Smith's horses through the Common (this is Dove's job), he sees a firing squad. He notices that the deserter they are about to shoot is Mr. Pumpkin. Shots ring out and Johnny wonders if he can ever face a firing squad. For the first time in his life, Johnny doubts his courage. Does Rab have these fears? Johnny wonders.

Topic Tracking: Identity 7

Chapter 10, 'Disperse, Ye Rebels!'

That April 1775, Johnny and the rest of Boston feel something brewing. In Doctor Warren's office, the doctor and Paul Revere discuss how to send warning signals if the British are to start marching. Paul Revere says:

"If the British go out over the Neck, we will show one lantern. If in the boats--two." Chapter 10, pg. 206

By the sixteenth of April, Rab says that he is going to Lexington before the first shots fire. Johnny is upset that Rab has no qualms about leaving him in Boston. Rab is eighteen years old--now a grown man. Johnny wants to tell him not to go, but he cannot show his emotions. Rab seems so intent, so glad about joining the war. He bids goodbye to his uncle, aunt, and baby Rabbit. Johnny does not even have time to say a proper goodbye.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 8

On the eighteenth, Johnny finds out from Dove that Colonel Smith is preparing his campaign saddle to ride at eight o'clock, for about thirty miles, possibly facing drums and shooting. Johnny tells Doctor Warren that Colonel Smith will be leading the command that night and Lexington and Concord will be the likely targets. Doctor Warren tells Johnny to notify Billy Dawes to get ready to ride. Billy Dawes, the gifted actor, is dressed like a drunken farmer. Paul Revere tells Johnny to tell Robert Newman, the sexton at Christ's Church, to hang two lanterns. Paul Revere would cross over in a boat and ride that night to warn the Minute Men of the marching troops. While Johnny Tremain is fast asleep, the first shots are fired in Lexington. Major Pitcairn is heard saying, "Disperse ye rebels, ye villains, disperse! Why don't ye lay down your arm?" (pg. 218).

Chapter 11, Yankee Doodle

The next morning, Doctor Warren wakes Johnny up. The British troops are marching outside. Johnny hears about the first battle fought at Lexington. Without much resistance, the British marched toward Concord. But Paul Revere sent warnings throughout the night and many Minute Men were now marching to Concord. General Gage has already sent for reinforcements. Before leaving for Lexington, Doctor Warren asks Johnny to keep his eyes and ears open for what is going on in Boston.

Shops and schools close. People are wondering what is going on. Johnny sees Madge weep as Sergeant Gale prepares to go to war. Johnny stares at the British flag and is reminded of its symbol of "English liberty" which had been lighted on the fires of England. Johnny removes his hat. As Johnny watches British troops march (about 1,200 in number), he wonders how half-armed farmers are going to match up to this impressive force. The drums sound, the fife plays "Yankee Doodle," a tune for insulting colonists. How can Yankee Doodle match up against the great scarlet dragon?

Topic Tracking: Pride 8

In Boston, British soldiers search the houses of the rebel leaders in vain. The Boston Observer office is ransacked. Johnny heads to the Lorne household and finds Mr. Lorne hiding in a bed of feathers. Johnny assures Mr. and Mrs. Lorne that the British are being licked.

Johnny heads to the Lytes' house. The Lytes are making their escape to London in the cover of night. Mrs. Bessie and Cilla are the only servants not going with them. Miss Lavinia Lyte makes Isannah choose between either going with her or staying with Cilla. Isannah cannot pass up the opportunity to be an actress in London. When Johnny is alone with Miss Lyte, she tells him the history of his mother--of her marriage to a French naval surgeon, of her family's rejection, and of her great beauty. Miss Lyte tells Johnny that he has his mother's widow's peak. Miss Lyte verified this information from a ship captain. She gently touches Johnny's widow's peak before leaving.

Johnny wants to stop and think about all he has heard, but he remembers that he went to the Lytes to get Pumpkin's uniform so he can sneak into Charlestown. Before Johnny leaves, he asks Mrs. Bessie to allow the Lornes to hide out at the Lyte's house. Johnny puts on Pumpkin's uniform and kisses Cilla as he heads out in search for Doctor Warren and Rab.

Topic Tracking: Identity 8

Chapter 12, A Man Can Stand Up

Johnny realizes that a foot soldier of Pumpkin's regiment would have already been fighting and that those returned to Boston would be injured or war-weathered. So he makes himself look like an embattled soldier. Johnny watches as boats arrive with throngs of injured British soldiers. One boat even has Colonel Smith, who is shot in the leg, and also Lieutenant Stranger. Johnny has to catch himself from helping. Just the other day, Lieutenant Stranger had been a friend; now he is an enemy. Johnny tells some sailors that he has a message to send to Earl Percy and fortunately, he gets a ride to Charlestown without much trouble. In Charlestown, Johnny takes off Pumpkin's uniform.

Johnny finds out from a tavern-keeper that Colonel Smith's men seized Concord after Lexington, only to be routed by the Minute Men. If it were not for Earl Percy's reinforcements, Colonel Smith's troops would have all perished. The tavern-keeper does not know about Doctor Warren's whereabouts.

Johnny finds Paul Revere, who tells him that Doctor Warren is at Lexington. Johnny goes to Lexington where a woman tells him the names of the men who died there. Rab is not one of them. Johnny finally finds Doctor Warren, who tells him about Rab; he is badly wounded. Johnny goes to see him. Rab looks so pale and weak. Rab reminisces with Johnny about the first day they met at the Boston Observer office. Rab asks Johnny to hold on to his musket and go to Silsbee's Cove to see if the women had come out of hiding, and to see if Grandsire (grandfather) is there. At Silsbee's Cove, Johnny finds the place empty. Grandsire is not there and his old gun above the hearth is missing. When Johnny returns to Buckman's Tavern, Doctor Warren tells him that Rab is dead. Johnny recalls James Otis and his speech about how a great many are going to die--so that a man can stand up. Johnny picks up Rab's musket to examine it. Doctor Warren sees Johnny's crippled hand and tells him he can free the thumb by cutting through the scar tissues. Doctor Warren does not promise that Johnny will be able to cast silver again. Johnny, however, is only concerned about whether his hand will be good enough to shoot a musket. Sensing Johnny's determination, Doctor Warren agrees to perform the surgery.

Topic Tracking: Friendship 9

Johnny looks around. This is his country and his people. He sees twenty or thirty ragged men marching to Yankee Doodle. On the heels of the men, in a chaise sits Major Silsbee with his gun. Johnny thinks of running to him to announce that Rab is dead. But Johnny knows Granshire will not stop; he will take his band of fighting men to Cambridge and to the siege of Boston so that at last, a man can stand up.

Topic Tracking: Pride 9