Barnaby and Beatrice, working in the Toy Workshop, discover that the new Clockwork Carolers are failing to chime correctly, producing only a single thud instead of their six-note melody. They trace the failure to an external resonant force interfering with the delicate silver tuning forks. Beatrice recalls using non-conductive felt to stabilize pastry resonance and applies a similar material, blue packing foam, to the assembly station. This successfully restores the clear, proper chime to the Carolers, confirming that insulation against the ambient resonance is necessary for precision mechanics as well as baking. Meanwhile, young Sammy, tasked with aligning the wicks of the ceremonial Wishing Candles, finds his wicks are being pulled consistently toward one direction by an unseen force, causing them to lean and fail. Panicked that the fire itself is being influenced, Sammy decides to seek out the massive, cold river stones used as barge counterweights, hypothesizing that their extreme inertness and coldness might anchor the flame straight, connecting the structural stabilization efforts seen elsewhere in town to his delicate task.