CHAPTER TWO
Pirate Captain
Jack shivered. The air was chilly, but the sun was bright. Bare branches outside the tree house swayed in the wind. Annie was wearing a long dress with an apron. Jack wore a cotton shirt over a red undershirt and a pair of trousers with suspenders. His backpack had turned into a leather bag.
Jack looked into the bag. Inside were his notebook and pencil, the message from Teddy and Kathleen, and the bottle with the magic potion. “Good,” he said, “it’s all here.”
“We’ve worn clothes like these before,” said Annie.
“Yeah, when we ran from that twister on the prairie,” said Jack.
“And when we helped Clara Barton in the Civil War,” said Annie.
“Right,” said Jack. “So, did we land at the White House?”
They looked out the window. The tree house had landed in a grove of bare, sunlit trees. Beyond the trees, horse-drawn carriages rumbled over a circular carriageway toward a stately white mansion with tall columns.
“Oh, man,” whispered Jack.
The White House was breathtaking in the morning air, bathed in sunlight. A crowd was gathered outside the front entrance: men in long black coats and tall hats, and women in hoopskirts and bonnets with big bows.
“Looks like lots of people are visiting Abraham Lincoln today,” said Annie.
Jack thumbed through their research book until he found another black-and-white photograph of the White House. He read aloud:
When Abraham Lincoln became president in 1861, the White House was considered to belong to all the citizens of the country, as well as to the president and his family. Anyone could walk right in. President Lincoln sometimes found it hard to work in his White House office because of the number of people swarming through the building.
“So anyone can just walk right into the White House and look for the president?” said Annie.
“That’s crazy,” said Jack.
“But it’s good for us!” said Annie.
“I guess,” said Jack, “but I don’t want to be one of those people who make it hard for the president to work.”
“Don’t forget,” said Annie, “we’re supposed to give him hope.”
“With a feather that he’s supposed to give us,” said Jack. He shook his head, then took out their note from Teddy and Kathleen.
The third thing to break the spell
is a single feather from a hero’s hand.
Use it wisely to give him hope—
the hope he needs to heal his land.
“How can we get a feather from him?” said Jack. “And how can it give him hope?”
“It’s better to do just one thing at a time,” said Annie. “First we have to find the president.”
“Hey, Willie! Look!” someone shouted from below. “It’s a tree house! See? See?”
“Oh, no!” whispered Jack.
Jack and Annie peeked out the window. A boy about seven or eight years old was looking up at the tree house. The boy wore baggy gray trousers with suspenders and a white shirt. He had dark, piercing eyes.
“Hello!” the boy shouted when he saw Jack and Annie. “Who are you? Why are you in our tree house?”
“Your tree house?” said Jack. “It’s not your tree house!”
“Yes, it is!” the boy said confidently.
“Tad, hush!” An older boy ran to join the younger one. He had a friendly, open smile and looked to be around Jack’s age. “Don’t mind my brother Tad!” he shouted.
“But it’s ours, Willie!” said Tad. “The White House is our house! And the tree house is in our yard!”
Oh, man, thought Jack. That was what the book said, too: the White House was considered to belong to all the citizens of the country, as well as to the president.
“I’m sorry, but this tree house is not like the White House,” Jack called. “It doesn’t belong to the citizens of the country. It’s ours!”
“No, it’s not!” yelled Tad. “I’m coming up!”
“No, you’re not!” Jack yelled back. He reached for the rope ladder to pull it up. But Tad had already started climbing.
“Hide our stuff!” Jack said to Annie.
Jack quickly pushed the Lincoln book into his leather bag. Annie stuck their note and the tiny bottle into her apron pocket.
“Tad, come back!” called Willie. “Leave them alone!”
Tad scrambled into the tree house. He grinned at Jack and Annie, his dark eyes gleaming. “I’m a pirate captain, and I’m taking over your ship!” Tad shook his small fists in Jack’s face. “Fight me!” he shouted.
“Cut it out,” said Jack, waving him away.
“Tad!” Willie shouted from below.
The boy just laughed like a maniac and danced around the tree house, trying to box with Jack. “This is my ship now, matey!”
“Quit it!” said Jack.
“Tad!” his brother yelled again.
“Your brother’s calling you,” Annie said firmly to Tad. “Go! Now!”
“Who are you to boss me, missy?” Tad said, jutting out his chin.
Annie laughed. “I’m not a missy, shrimp,” she said. “I’m Annie. And this is my brother, Jack.”
Tad lowered his fists. “Oh! Hello, Annie, I’m Tad.” He put out his hand, and Annie shook it. “Pleased to meet you,” said Tad, completely dropping his role as pirate captain. “What are you and Jack doing today?”
“Actually, we’re hoping to meet with President Lincoln,” Annie said.
“Really?” said Tad. “Me and Willie know a secret.…” He gave them a sly grin. “If you come with us, we’ll take you straight to the president. I give you my word.”
“Thanks, but we can handle it ourselves,” said Jack. The last thing he wanted was for this kid to get in their way.
“But I want to help you. Come with me,” said Tad. He started down the ladder.
“Should we go with him?” Annie whispered.
“No, he’s just making stuff up,” said Jack.
“Are you coming down?” called Tad. “Or should I come back up so we can play?”
“Darn,” said Jack under his breath. “Let’s go, just to get him away from the tree house.” Jack grabbed his bag.
Suddenly Tad poked his head back into the tree house. “Are you coming or not?” he said.
“Yes! Go!” said Annie.
“What’s in your bag?” asked Tad.
“Nothing,” said Jack. “Go back down!” He didn’t want Tad to see their Lincoln book.
“Let me see,” said Tad, climbing into the tree house again. “What’s inside?”
“Nothing, he told you nothing,” said Annie.
“Then why is he bringing it with him?” Tad asked her.
“Fine, I’ll leave it!” Jack said crossly. He dropped the leather bag to the floor. “Happy? Let’s go!”
“Yes! Let’s go!” said Tad, and he disappeared down the ladder again.
Jack reached into his bag, grabbed his small notebook and pencil, and stuck them into the back pocket of his pants. “I’ll come back later and get the book,” Jack whispered, “after we get rid of this kid.”
Annie smiled. “If we can,” she said. Then she and Jack started down the rope ladder.