Johnny Tremain

On April 15, 1775, General Gage gathers 700 of his finest troops, and the Whigs desperately try to predict his next move. While Johnny waits for Paul Revere and Dr. Warren to dispatch him on his next mission, he falls asleep. The boy dreams of boiling lobsters with a sensitive John Hancock and a gleeful Sam Adams. The lobsters weep and gaze at him imploringly with “men’s eyes with long lashes” (239). Paul Revere proposes lighting one or two lanterns in a church steeple to signal to Charlestown whether the British are coming by land or by sea. The next day, Rab resolves to go to Lexington so that he will be able to participate in the inevitable conflict. The 18-year-old is filled with excitement at this prospect, but Johnny is desolate that his friend is going to leave him. Johnny refuses to tell Rab goodbye. He immediately regrets this decision after his friend leaves.

On April 18, Dove unknowingly gives Johnny all of the clues he needs to decipher Gage’s plan: Colonel Smith will lead 700 men to Lexington and Concord that night. Johnny delivers this information to the rebellion’s leaders, and they send word for two lights to be lit in the church steeple to show that the British will come by water.