The First Town Meeting, Chapters 5 and 6 Summary

A short chapter called "The First Town Meeting" is inserted between Chapters 4 and 5. It describes the discussion between the three leaders of Sparks about what to do with the influx of people from Ember. They decide they can allow them to stay, putting them up in an abandoned hotel called The Pioneer that sits outside the village. In exchange for food and water, they will be expected to work. The leaders are concerned about the strain the visitors will put on their food supplies and one of them laments that the village should be so unlucky after finally beginning to show some prosperity. They decide to allow the Emberites to stay for six months, even though this means turning them out as the winter approaches.

Chapter 5 is called "The Pioneer." The leaders of...