The children introduced themselves to the boy.
"I'm Will," he said.
"I'm going to my father's workshop."
"Workshop?" asked Mandy.
"He's a cooper," said Will.
"I help him build barrels.
What does your father do?"
"Well, right now he's building a den," said Vinnie.
"A den?" asked Will, confused.
"Forget it, Will. Vinnie's just joking," said Mandy.
The grocer had stepped down, and the crowd was breaking up.
"Well, the speech is over," said Vinnie.
"Will, we need your help," said Mandy.
"We must find John Adams."
Will stopped smiling and stared at them.
"Who sent you?" he asked suspiciously.
Vinnie explained what happened on the docks.
"You must see my father," said Will.
"He knows where Mr. Adams is."
Vinnie and Mandy walked to Will's father's workshop.
It was in a large house where Will's family lived.
Strips of wood were stacked high outside the shop.
Inside, a man was sitting on a bench.
He was scraping a strip of wood with a two-handled knife.
"What's he doing?" asked Mandy.
"That's my dad.
He's shaping a strip of wood to fit a barrel," Will explained.
"Next he'll arrange all the strips inside metal hoops that will hold them together."
"Will! Are you ready to help your tired father?" laughed the man.
"These are my new friends, Vinnie and Mandy," said Will.
"Hello, children!" cried Will's father.
"Welcome to our home and shop."
"Father, Vinnie and Mandy have a special message for Mr. Adams," said Will.
Suddenly serious, his father looked at the children.
"Let me see it," he said.
Vinnie shook his head.
"I'm sorry, sir, but only Mr. Adams can see it."
Mandy looked at Vinnie proudly.
He was taking his responsibility seriously.
"Will, take the children inside," said his father.
"Then go to the silversmith and find Mr. Revere.
He will help."
Will led Vinnie and Mandy through the house to a warm kitchen.
In a large fireplace, a black pot was bubbling.
The children saw more pots and pans hanging above the fireplace.
Two little girls sat on the floor playing with cloth dolls and little teacups.
"These are my twin sisters, Margaret and Jane," said Will.
"Who are your friends, Will?" asked Will's mother.
She sat at a table peeling potatoes.
Will introduced Mandy and Vinnie, and then Mandy spoke to the girls.
"What are your dolls doing?" she asked.
"They are having a tea party," explained Margaret.
"But this tea is not from England," said Jane.
"British tea is very bad," said Margaret.
"Didn't John Hancock get arrested for smuggling tea?" Vinnie whispered to Mandy.
Will interrupted them.
"Stay here. I will be right back," he said.
"My mother will look after you."
"Would you like some tea?"
asked Jane, holding up a tiny teacup.