Revolutionary War on Wednesday

by Mary Pope Osborne

  Here’s what kids have to say to

  Mary Pope Osborne, author of

  the Magic Tree House series:

  WOW! You have an imagination like no other.—Adam W.

  I love your books. If you stop writing books, it will be like losing a best friend.—Ben M.

  I think you are the real Morgan le Fay. There is always magic in your books.—Erica Y.

  One day I was really bored and I didn’t want to read.… I looked in your book. I read a sentence, and it was interesting. So I read some more, until the book was done. It was so good I read more and more. Then I had read all of your books, and now I hope you write lots more.—Danai K.

  I always read [your books] over and over … 1 time, 2 times, 3 times, 4 times.… —Yuan C.

  You are my best author in the world. I love your books. I read all the time. I read everywhere. My mom is like freaking out.—Ellen C.

  I hope you make these books for all yours and mine’s life.—Riki H.

  Teachers and librarians love

  Magic Tree House® books, too!

  Thank you for opening faraway places and times to my class through your books. They have given me the chance to bring in additional books, materials, and videos to share with the class.—J. Cameron

  It excites me to see how involved [my fourth-grade reading class] is in your books.… I would do anything to get my students more involved, and this has done it.—C. Rutz

  I discovered your books last year.… WOW! Our students have gone crazy over them. I can’t order enough copies! … Thanks for contributing so much to children’s literature!—C. Kendziora

  I first came across your Magic Tree House series when my son brought one home.… I have since introduced this great series to my class. They have absolutely fallen in love with these books! … My students are now asking me for more independent reading time to read them. Your stories have inspired even my most struggling readers.—M. Payne

  I love how I can go beyond the [Magic Tree House] books and use them as springboards for other learning.—R. Gale

  We have enjoyed your books all year long. We check your Web site to find new information. We pull our map down to find the areas where the adventures take place. My class always chimes in at key parts of the story. It feels good to hear my students ask for a book and cheer when a new book comes out.—J. Korinek

  Our students have “Magic Tree House fever.” I can’t keep your books on the library shelf.—J. Rafferty

  Your books truly invite children into the pleasure of reading. Thanks for such terrific work.—S. Smith

  The children in the fourth grade even hide the [Magic Tree House] books in the library so that they will be able to find them when they are ready to check them out.—K. Mortensen

  My Magic Tree House books are never on the bookshelf because they are always being read by my students. Thank you for creating such a wonderful series.—K. Mahoney

  Dear Readers,

  Some time ago, I wrote a biography of George Washington. While doing my research for that book, I began to greatly admire him. Ever since, I’ve wanted to “visit” him again. Happily, Revolutionary War on Wednesday finally gave me the chance to do just that.

  Sal Murdocca, the wonderful artist for the Magic Tree House series, and I thought it would be fun to model our cover after one of America’s most famous paintings: Washington Crossing the Delaware, painted by Emanuel Leutze in Germany in 1851. This huge painting now hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

  We’d like to point out several errors in Leutze’s painting (and our cover!), however. First, a general would never have stood up on a rough ride like that. Second, the boat in the painting is much smaller than the ones Washington actually used. And third, the first American flag with thirteen stars, representing the thirteen colonies, was not actually designed until some time after Washington crossed the Delaware.

  Still, we love the painting and thought it would be fun to put Jack and Annie into it for our cover.

  Have a good time on your journey with Jack, Annie, and George Washington. Just remember—don’t stand up in the boat!

  All my best,

  Text copyright © 2000 by Mary Pope Osborne. Illustrations copyright © 2000 by Sal Murdocca.

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.

  www.randomhouse.com/kids/magictreehouse

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Osborne, Mary Pope.

  Revolutionary War on Wednesday / by Mary Pope Osborne ;

  illustrated by Sal Murdocca.

  p. cm. — (Magic tree house ; #22) “A Stepping Stone book.” SUMMARY: Using their magic tree house, Jack and Annie travel back to the time of the American Revolution and help George Washington during his famous crossing of the Delaware River.

  eISBN: 978-0-375-89479-4

  [1. Time travel—Fiction. 2. Magic—Fiction. 3. United States—History—Revolution, 1775–1783—Fiction. 4. Washington, George, 1732–1799—Fiction. 5. Tree houses—Fiction.]

  I. Murdocca, Sal, ill. II. Title. PZ7.O81167Re 2000 [Fic]—dc21 00-037299

  Random House, Inc. New York, Toronto, London, Sydney, Auckland

  RANDOM HOUSE and colophon are registered trademarks and A STEPPING STONE BOOK and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc. MAGIC TREE HOUSE is a registered trademark of Mary Pope Osborne; used under license.

  v3.0

  For the Foley family—

  John, Susie, Jack, and Elliot

  Cover

  Title Page

  Dear Reader

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Prologue

  1. Wednesday!

  2. Day or Night?

  3. It’s Time

  4. Commander-in-Chief

  5. The Letter

  6. Crossing the Delaware

  7. Spies!

  8. These Are the Times

  9. Flash!

  10. This Peaceful Place

  More Facts

  Special Preview of Magic Tree House #23: Twister on Tuesday

  One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods.

  Eight-year-old Jack and his seven-year-old sister, Annie, climbed into the tree house. They found that it was filled with books.

  Jack and Annie soon discovered that the tree house was magic. It could take them to the places in the books. All they had to do was point to a picture and wish to go there.

  Along the way, Jack and Annie discovered that the tree house belongs to Morgan le Fay. Morgan is a magical librarian from Camelot, the long-ago kingdom of King Arthur. She travels through time and space, gathering books.

  In Magic Tree House Books #5–8, Jack and Annie helped free Morgan from a spell. In Books #9–12, they solved four ancient riddles and became Master Librarians.

  In Magic Tree House Books #13–16, Jack and Annie had to save four ancient stories from being lost forever.

  In Magic Tree House Books #17–20, Jack and Annie freed a mysterious little dog from a magic spell.

  In Magic Tree House Books #21–24, Jack and Annie have a new challenge. They must find four special kinds of writing for Morgan’s library to help save Camelot. They are about to set off to find the second of these …

  “Wake up, Jack!” Annie whispered.

  Jack opened his eyes. He looked at his clock. It was six A.M.

  “Come on!” Annie whispered. She was standing at his bedroom door, already dressed.

  “Now?” said Jack.

&
nbsp; “Yeah, it’s Wednesday! We have to go to the tree house!” she said.

  “Oh, man, Wednesday!” said Jack. Suddenly, he was wide awake.

  “We have to help save Camelot,” said Annie.

  “I know, I know,” said Jack, scrambling out of bed.

  “Meet you out front,” said Annie.

  Jack quickly changed into his jeans and T-shirt. He threw his notebook and pencil into his backpack.

  Then he slipped down the stairs and out the front door.

  Annie was waiting in the gray early light.

  “All set?” she whispered.

  “Yep,” said Jack.

  They took off running across their yard. They ran down their quiet street and into the Frog Creek woods.

  Soon they came to the tree house. They climbed up the rope ladder.

  In the early light, they saw Morgan’s note, the same note they’d found on Sunday. Jack picked it up and read aloud:

  Dear Jack and Annie,

  Camelot is in trouble. To save the kingdom, please find these four special kinds of writing for my library:

  Something to follow

  Something to send

  Something to learn

  Something to lend

  Thank you,

  Morgan

  Annie picked up a piece of paper lying on the floor. It was a list of rules from the famous nurse Clara Barton. They had met her on their journey to the Civil War.

  “On Sunday we found the first special writing,” said Annie, “something to follow.”

  “Yeah,” said Jack, “and now we need to find the second thing, something to send.”

  He picked up a book lying near the note. The cover showed soldiers on a snowy riverbank.

  The title was The Revolutionary War.

  Jack frowned.

  “Uh-oh,” said Annie.

  “Another war,” said Jack, sighing.

  “You still want to go?” said Annie.

  “We have to,” said Jack. He hated the suffering he’d seen in the Civil War. But they had no choice. They had to help Morgan and save Camelot.

  He pointed at the cover of the book.

  “I wish we could go there,” Jack said.

  The wind started to blow.

  The tree house started to spin.

  It spun faster and faster.

  Then everything was still.

  Absolutely still.

  Jack shivered. The wind blew hard.

  “It’s cold,” he said. He could see his breath in the air.

  “Wrap your scarf tighter,” said Annie.

  Jack looked down. He had a wool scarf around his neck.

  He was also wearing woolen pants that buttoned at the knees, a coat, and a hat with three corners. On his feet were funny-looking shoes with buckles. In place of his backpack was a leather bag.

  Annie was wearing a long coat over a long dress.

  Jack pulled his scarf tighter. Then he looked out the window with Annie.

  They’d landed in trees near an icy river. The sky was gray and heavy with clouds.

  “It’s almost day—or almost night. I can’t tell,” said Annie.

  “Yeah. I hope it’s almost day,” said Jack.

  “I wonder where we’ll find something to send?” said Annie.

  Jack shrugged.

  “First we have to find the Revolutionary War,” he said.

  He opened their research book. By the gray light, he read:

  Over 200 years ago, the United States was made up of thirteen colonies ruled by Britain. From 1775 until 1782, American “patriots” fought for independence from Britain. This was called the Revolutionary War.

  Jack took out his notebook. He wrote:

  Jack turned the page. There was a picture of soldiers in red uniforms. He read aloud:

  During the Revolutionary War, British soldiers wore red uniforms. For this reason, they were called “redcoats.”

  Jack wrote in his notebook:

  “Wow, snow,” said Annie.

  Jack looked up from his writing. Annie was holding her hand out the window. A few snowflakes blew into the tree house.

  “Not much yet,” said Jack. “But we better find the special writing soon.”

  “Well, stop reading and come on,” said Annie. She buttoned up her coat and started down the ladder.

  “Okay, okay,” said Jack. He packed the research book and his notebook into his bag. Then he followed Annie.

  When they stepped onto the ground, there were more snow flurries. The sky was growing darker.

  “I’m afraid it’s almost night instead of day,” said Jack.

  “Yeah,” said Annie, looking around. “Hey, look—people.”

  She pointed up the river. In the misty distance was a campfire. Several men sat around the fire. They all held muskets.

  “Maybe they can help us,” said Annie. She started away. But Jack grabbed her.

  “Wait, I think they’re soldiers,” he said. “They have muskets. Remember the muskets from the Civil War? The guns that the soldiers carried?”

  “Oh, yeah,” said Annie.

  “They might be redcoats,” said Jack. “Let’s sneak closer and get a better look at their uniforms.”

  “Quick,” said Annie, “before it’s too dark to see.”

  Annie lifted up her long dress and ran to a tree close to the river. Jack held on to his hat and ran after her.

  They peeked out from behind the tree. More snow flurries swirled in the twilight.

  “Redcoats?” whispered Annie.

  “Can’t tell,” said Jack.

  In the flickering firelight, the men didn’t seem to be wearing uniforms at all. They wore ragged pants and coats. Some even had their feet wrapped in tattered cloth.

  “Come on,” Annie said.

  She ran to a tree closer to the river.

  Jack followed.

  “This is as close as we should get,” he whispered.

  “But we still can’t tell what they’re wearing,” said Annie.

  She crept forward and hid behind a scraggly bush.

  “No closer!” Jack whispered.

  But Annie took off again. She crouched behind a rock. She was only about ten feet from the campfire.

  Oh, brother, she’s way too close now, Jack thought.

  But he took a deep breath and ran to the rock.

  When he joined Annie, she looked at him and grinned.

  “This is like hide-and-seek,” she whispered.

  “It’s not a game, Annie,” Jack whispered back. “It’s war. Be serious.”

  “I am serious!” said Annie, her voice rising.

  “Shh!” said Jack.

  But it was too late. One of the men stood up and looked around.

  “What’s the matter, Captain?” another asked.

  “I heard something,” said the captain. He held up his musket.

  Jack stopped breathing.

  “Who’s there?” the captain shouted.

  Jack looked at Annie. She shrugged.

  “We’re caught,” she whispered.

  “Who’s there?” the captain shouted again.

  “Just two kids,” Annie answered in a small voice.

  “Come out and show yourselves!” the captain said.

  Jack and Annie stood up from behind the rock. They both held up their hands.

  “We come in peace,” said Annie.

  In the shadowy twilight, the captain moved toward them.

  “Who are you?” he asked.

  “We’re Jack and Annie,” said Annie.

  “Why were you spying on us?” he asked.

  “We weren’t spying,” said Jack. “We just wanted to know if you were redcoats or patriots.”

  “Which would you like us to be?” the shadowy figure asked.

  “Patriots,” said Jack.

  “We are patriots,” the captain said.

  “Thank goodness!” said Annie.

  The captain smiled.

  “Where are you
from?” he asked. His voice had softened.

  “We’re visiting relatives nearby,” Jack said.

  “Frog Creek, Pennsylvania,” said Annie at the same time.

  “But that’s amazing!” the captain said. “My farm is in Frog Creek. Where is your farm?”

  Jack didn’t know how to answer.

  “It’s near the Frog Creek woods,” said Annie.

  “All farms are near woods,” the man said with a laugh. “What—”

  Just then, someone called from up the river. “It’s time, Captain!”

  The captain turned to the other men near the campfire. “It’s time!” he repeated.

  The soldiers quickly put out their fire. They stood with their muskets on their shoulders.

  “Time for what, Captain?” Annie asked.

  “Time to meet up with our commander-in-chief,” he said. “Return to your family now so your mother and father won’t worry about you.”

  “Yes, sir,” said Jack.

  “It is nice to see children,” the captain said. “I was just trying to write a letter to my own son and daughter. I didn’t know what to say.”

  “Tell them that you miss them,” said Annie.

  The man smiled.

  “And I do, indeed,” he said softly.

  Then he turned and headed up the riverbank. His ragged men followed behind. Soon they all disappeared into the cold mist.

  Jack looked around. The wind was blowing harder. The snow was sticking to the ground.

  “What now?” he asked.

  More than anything, he wanted to go back home. With the soldiers gone, the riverbank felt lonely and scary.

  “We still have to find something to send,” said Annie.

  “I know,” said Jack.

  “Maybe we should just follow the captain and his men,” said Annie. “They might lead us to something.”