Jack and Annie ran along the riverbank. The wind whooshed over the cold water. Wet snowflakes hissed in the dark.

But then Jack heard other sounds. He heard voices, lots of voices.

He and Annie soon came upon hundreds and hundreds of soldiers gathered near the dark river.

Many carried oil lanterns. The lanterns gave an eerie glow to the snowy twilight.

“The captain and his men must be here somewhere,” said Jack, looking around.

Boats like giant canoes were tied near the river. Men were leading horses and loading cannons onto the boats.

“What are they all doing?” said Annie.

Jack pulled out their Revolutionary War book. He read in a whisper:

On Wednesday, December 25, 1776—

“December 25? That’s Christmas!” said Annie. “Today’s Christmas!”

“Cool,” said Jack. He started reading again:

On Wednesday, December 25, 1776, the patriots were losing the war. Ragged and weary, many were ready to give up. Then something began to happen that would turn the war around. About 2,400 American patriots gathered on the west bank of the Delaware River in Pennsylvania. They prepared to cross the river to go on a secret mission.

“A secret mission? Oh, man … ,” said Jack.

He started to pull out his notebook.

“Attention, troops! The commander-in-chief!” a soldier shouted.

Jack and Annie saw a man in a dark cape and a three-cornered hat ride up on a white horse.

The commander-in-chief loomed above the crowd of soldiers. His cape flapped in the wind.

He sat calmly and with dignity on the back of his horse.

Even at a distance, Jack thought the commander-in-chief looked familiar, very familiar. But he couldn’t figure out why.

“A dangerous mission lies before you all,” the man shouted above the wind. “But I want you to have courage. You must remember the words of Thomas Paine.”

The commander-in-chief held up a piece of paper. He read to his men:

“ ‘These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country. But he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.… ’ ”

“Wow, that’s great,” whispered Annie.

Listening to the powerful words, Jack felt his spirits rise, too.

“ ‘The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph,’ ” the commander-in-chief read on. “ ‘What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly. It is dearness only that gives everything its value.’ ”

There was a silence, as if everyone were thinking about the words the man had read. Then the soldiers started cheering and clapping. They didn’t seem tired at all anymore. Now they seemed eager to set out on their mission.

The commander-in-chief saluted his men. He steered his horse toward the river.

As the horse moved past them, Jack got a better look at the rider.

He gasped.

Of course! he thought. He’d seen that face before—on dollar bills!

Jack grabbed Annie’s arm.

“I know who the commander-in-chief is!” he exclaimed. “He’s George Washington!”