Fritz may speak the languages better, but Will is the one who is better able to make friends along the way-making jokes with the boys, sharing small gifts (whistles, etc.) and the like. Will plays more of a role in this than some might realize at first. They are to find boys a year or two before Capping and convince them to join the rebellion. In addition, they have spent time learning the languages of the lands into which they travel. As their journey progresses, they will buy other items to sell later. Initially they carry items from Germany such as cloth and cuckoo clocks. Will, as have several others, has been given training in how to pose as a traveling merchant trading portable items born by a beast of burden. There is no textual indication about whether they were at this meeting or not. Jan, Mario, and Carlos are minor characters who will appear later in the story.

Later Julius reunites Will with Fritz, who explains how he was able to escape the City. Julius, however, may have been better served by offering the praise in public and saving the reprimand for private. Will does sulk more than he should upon hearing this. Julius talks about the mission Will and Fritz undertook to the City as one that brought much information, but one which was also a failure since Will's mistakes led to premature discovery. Julius disagrees, saying that Pierre will play a part in the rebellion. When the body agrees to this, some suggest that Pierre should be expelled. Julius then asks for a vote confirming his authority for the duration of the rebellion. Julius counters with another valid point: he is asking people to give up some autonomy willingly and for a time to stop the Masters, who will take away their freedom more thoroughly forever. Julius has been in charge of the rebellion for a fairly long period of time and his rule may no longer reflect the will of the people. Pierre raises what I think is a valid point.

The pool of fire by john christopher