The ship continued to move up and down, and the dark outlines of the British Navy remained in the harbor. We found a spot in a hidden section of the ship with some leftover straw that looked like an old barn. Tommy and I each found a corner. At some point I fell asleep among the exploding lights above Baltimore while Liberty kept watch through the rest of the night.
Before I knew it someone nudged my shoulder. I was still too tired to open my eyes until a long wet tongue that smelled like pickles licked my face.
“Liberty,” I said, firmly, “I’m awake. What’s happening?”
“That’s just it,” Liberty said. “Nothing’s happening. Listen.”
My eyes went wide and I quickly turned to shake Tommy. “Tommy, wake up. The bombing has stopped.”
Tommy jerked awake and we both stood and ran out the door to the ship’s railing where we last saw Francis Scott Key. We stared across the water at Fort McHenry. The sun had just started to peek over the horizon.
Liberty disappeared and two seconds later Francis Scott Key walked over to us and said, “Good morning.” He looked ragged and his eyes were red. His coat was still wet.
“Good morning,” we replied. No other words were needed. The guns were silent, and we all knew what this meant. Mr. Key looked concerned. He took a long deep breath and said, “I have horrible news to report. A moment ago, I looked over the ramparts of the fort, and the American flag was not flying. On the flagpole, there is now an empty space.”
My shoulders sank. Had we somehow changed history?
“We lost?” Tommy asked in disbelief. “I thought we won. I mean, I thought we were going to win,” he corrected.
“I am afraid so,” said Key. “Shortly, the British flag is sure to be raised.”
My heart was racing, but without the spyglass, I could only make out blurry outlines of the fort. In the stillness, we could hear the faint sound of waves lapping against the side of the ship.
Tommy said, “Maybe there is hope, Mr. Key. There is always hope, right?”
Mr. Key looked at Tommy and said quietly, “Yes, there is always hope, Tommy.”
At that, Francis Scott Key raised the spyglass slowly to his eye. After what seemed like hours, his shoulders sank, he lowered his head, and placed his hands firmly on the railing. He was shaking as he handed me the spyglass. British ships swayed menacingly all around us.
I took a deep breath, put the spyglass to my eye, and found the fort’s flagpole in the distance.
“What is it, Mr. Revere?” Tommy asked, “Can you see the British flag?”
Through the circle of the spyglass I saw it; a flag lying limply halfway up the tall pole above Fort McHenry. The sky was becoming light behind it. It was the red and blue of the British flag. What had we done?
As the flag was being raised, a gust of wind blew. I took a long deep breath as the flag fluttered in the wind. I put the spyglass down and turned to Tommy.
“What is it, Mr. Revere? What’s wrong?”
“It’s just . . . there are stars on the flag, Tommy,” I said.
“What does that mean?” Tommy asked as I handed him the spyglass.
Francis Scott Key lifted his head and looked directly at me.
“The British flag does not have stars, Tommy,” Key said. “The troops at Fort McHenry have defeated the mighty British Navy. The American flag is still flying!” Then a gust of wind blew, and the flag opened wide. It was enormous! Large enough to see without a spyglass.
Tommy yelled, “The British ships are turning away!”
For the next hour, we watched the mighty British Navy sail out of Baltimore Harbor.
As the sun rose high over the water, the star-spangled banner still waved over the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Betsy Ross is seen here sewing the American flag. Mary Pickersgill, another flag maker, created the Star-Spangled Banner that flew over Fort McHenry in 1814.
Chapter 10
My heart felt like it was dancing as we time-jumped back to Nationals ballpark in modern day. We came back right after we first left.
Liberty quickly ran off for a bathroom break, assuring us he would stay right where we left him just outside the gate.
“I can’t wait to tell my grandpa about Francis Scott Key and the National Anthem. Now whenever I hear the anthem playing before a game, I’ll be thinking about the words—especially where they were written,” Tommy said.
We made our way through the stadium and back to our seats, where the rest of the Crew were waiting.
Freedom sniffed the air and asked, “Does anyone else smell pickles?”
“Must be the pickle relish on my hot dog,” said Cam.
“Yep, that’s some strong pickle relish,” Tommy said, winking at me. Freedom’s grandpa raised an eyebrow as he glanced at my soiled boots.
“Where’s Eliza-brat?” Cam asked.
“Please tell me she’s not coming back anytime soon,” Freedom said.
“We left her with her cheerleading team. She said she’d see us later but hopefully we can slip out of here first,” Tommy said.
The final innings of the game were uneventful. When the game ended, the crowd began to leave.
“That was an awesome game, Mr. Revere,” said Cam.
“Yeah, it’s really cool that the Nationals won,” Maddie agreed.
As we stood to leave our row, I tapped Tommy on the shoulder and pointed to the field. The American flag took on new meaning for me as it waved. We absorbed the scene, as Maddie and Freedom stood side by side chatting.
After gathering our belongings, we headed up the stairs. It was time to bid farewell to Maddie and her mother.
When we reached the exit, Freedom gave Maddie a big hug. “Don’t forget to write,” she said.
We waved goodbye to our new friends until they disappeared into the crowd.
“All right, crew. Let’s go find Liberty,” I said, patting Freedom on the shoulder. She looked a little down.
When we arrived at the prearranged meeting spot, Liberty was nowhere to be found. We scanned the area until my eye landed on something big, brown, and white wearing a Nationals baseball cap. He came trotting toward us, huffing and puffing. “Phew, that was close,” Liberty said.
“What was?” I asked, reluctantly.
“I was napping just outside the stadium when I overhead someone say Tommy’s name. I opened my eyes and saw Elizabeth and her group of cheerleaders prancing by,” Liberty said. “But don’t worry, she didn’t see me. I was in disguise with my baseball cap.”
“Where did you get the cap?” I asked, accusingly.
“Hey, I didn’t steal it, if that’s what you’re implying. A nice lady saw me standing out here and thought I would look cute with a hat on.”
Freedom smiled and patted Liberty on the nose.
“So what is the next objective of the mission?” Freedom’s grandfather asked.
Freedom pulled out her mission card. “It looks like we are going to the White House,” she said. “My card says that Liberty will give us the clue when we get there.”
I motioned for the Crew to gather around and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill to show everyone a picture of the White House.
“That’s cool,” said Cam. “I never noticed it was on the twenty. Speaking of numbers, where are we on the mission points, Commander Liberty?”
“You and Freedom are behind by one point,” Liberty said.
“Can we go to the White House tonight?” Freedom asked.
“It is getting a little late,” I replied. “How about we go get some dinner at the hotel and rest tonight? First thing in the morning we will visit the White House. Sound good?”
The Crew and Freedom’s grandfather all nodded happily.
“Oh, and Liberty, this will give you some time to work on tomorrow’s clue,” I said.
“An actor as great as me needs very little practice, Revere,” Liberty said.
“Of course,” I said, and bowed melodramatically.
“We’ll take the Metro and meet you at the hotel. I assume your Spidey-sense will help you find your way back,” I joked.
Can you name the building on the back of this twenty-dollar bill?
Liberty rolled his eyes. “Does the earth need help rotating around the sun? I can’t wait to check into my suite! Luxury bed and room service, here I come!”
“I hate to burst your bubble but I don’t think the hotel will look too kindly on a horse walking through their lobby. I am sure there is a comfy spot for you to sleep in the garage,” I replied. “I’ll even order you a veggie entrée and bring it out to you.”
Liberty pouted.
“How about we head to the Metro?” I said, changing the subject.
After a brief trip on the underground train, we made it back to our hotel. The Crew was walking more slowly than earlier in the day.
The next morning, we gathered for breakfast in the hotel café.
“You know what I most love about buffets?” Freedom asked. “The cinnamon rolls.”
“Oh, where are those? I missed them,” Cam said, heading back to the buffet. He returned with a plate piled high.
“Well, well, well,” a voice said chillingly behind us, “are those all for you?”
“Oh no,” Freedom whispered. “What is she doing here?”
Elizabeth was walking toward our table, with her nose in the air.
“I thought you were going to wait for me at the game, Thomas,” Elizabeth said, with a sigh.
Tommy looked like a puppy dog who just got scolded for chewing on the garden hose.
“Good morning, Elizabeth, what a nice surprise,” I said, trying to be diplomatic.
Elizabeth pulled up a chair and sat at our table. She said, “I thought it was very rude of you to not say goodbye after the game. It’s a good thing Tommy told me what hotel you were staying at.”
“That was a big mistake,” Cam said under his breath.
“I heard that, Cameron,” Elizabeth said. “My cheer coach brought me here so I could spend the morning with you. She’ll be back to get me. But to be perfectly honest, I’m here for Thomas. I know he missed me.” She reached for a pitcher of orange juice and filled Tommy’s glass.
“Oh,” said Tommy, sheepishly. “Thanks.”
The table grew quiet until Freedom’s grandfather broke the silence and said, “Since you are joining us, you should know we plan to visit the White House this morning.”
“Perfect,” said Elizabeth, hanging by Tommy’s side.
After a few minutes we exited the hotel. I whispered to Freedom to tell Liberty to meet us at the north gate of the White House.
By the time we approached the White House everyone seemed exasperated with Elizabeth.
Cam asked, “Hey, Lizzy, what kind of perfume are you wearing? I bet it’s strong enough to keep away lions and tigers and bears.”
Freedom chuckled.
Elizabeth flipped her perfectly combed blond hair over her designer jacket and said, “You are so funny, Cameron. I wish I had your sense of humor because then I could scare away a stampede of elephants. Hey, speaking of elephants, where’s your ridiculous horse?”
“He’s meeting us at the White House,” I said and then mumbled, “and I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to see you.”
From a distance I could make out the outline. There were buildings all around us as we walked, but the official residence and principal workplace of the President stood out in contrast to all around it. The majestic symbol of American freedom was surrounded by green, with tall trees flanking all sides.
We walked through Lafayette Square, past a statue of President Andrew Jackson, toward the front of the White House. As we approached the perimeter iron gates, we could see the wide lawn directly in front of the White House.
“Wow, there it is!” yelled Tommy, scaring a tourist who was taking a picture beside him.
The Crew peered through the open slots in the gates. I could not quite make out the beautiful rose garden or the president’s helicopter landing pad, but I knew they were there.
“This is unbelievable. The President’s house is right there,” Tommy observed. “Oh, and look, Mr. Revere, there is the flag right on top in the center.”
“Is the president in there right now?” Cam asked.
“You know I am not sure. But there are definitely lots and lots of people working inside. The president is surrounded by a cabinet or team that help him to carry out the daily tasks of his job as leader of the free world.”
“So cool!” Freedom’s grandfather said, absorbing the moment.
I added, “Do you know that every president takes an oath of office that is written in Article II of the Constitution? Have you heard this before: . . . that I will faithfully execute the Office of the President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States? It is a promise to the people of the country.”
The president of the United States lives and works in this building, the White House. Do you know the shape of the president’s office?
We stood admiring all the details of the grand building, along with crowds of tourists. I looked at the fountains, and the hedges, the flowers, the large windows, and the incredible columns right in front of the main house doors.
“Regardless of politics or who is the president at the time, I have such admiration for the position and what it means in our country. President of the United States is a huge title and responsibility,” Freedom’s grandfather said, looking on. I nodded in full agreement.
After a few minutes I heard the clomping of hooves on the asphalt.
“Hey, Revere, you all look very rested. I’m not jealous, nope, not at all,” Liberty said, “I had a wonderful sleep smelling car fumes in the parking garage. Ummmm no.” He squinted both eyes.
“Why, good morning, sunshine. If it isn’t the most chipper horse I’ve ever seen. How about you deliver the next clue in the mission? That will cheer you up,” I said, smiling through Liberty’s stare.
“Yeahhh, I need some points!” Cam exclaimed.
“Me, too!” Freedom joined in.
Liberty’s face changed instantly and his voice lowered. “Secret agents, the time is now. This is make or break. As this is your final clue, it is worth double points! The current tally is Cam with two points, Tommy with two points, and Freedom with one point. So anyone can win!” After a long pause he pointed a hoof toward the White House. “There is the President’s House; it is important in the mission objective. The clue is:
The president lives in the White House. What is the street address?
The National Archives is located on Constitution Avenue. Fitting, isn’t it? It received its name on February 26, 1931.
“Let’s go in and find out. I need to keep my winning streak!” Tommy bragged.
We began to walk up to the entrance. “Oh no, that sign says no tours to the public today,” Freedom said.
Freedom’s grandfather took a closer look and said, “There seems to be a private function going on today.”
“That’s such a bummer,” said Tommy. “I really wanted to see the Egg Office.”
“It’s called the Oval Office,” corrected Freedom.
“No, I don’t think so,” said Tommy. “It’s the shape of an egg, right?”
Cam smiled, “Yeah, Freedom, it’s called the Egg Office of the President.”
“Oh wait, really?” asked Tommy, looking surprised and pleased with himself.
“Yeah, it’s totally in the history books. But then Humpty Dumpty lost the presidency so they changed it.”
Tommy slugged his friend in the arm. “Dude, c’mon. I can’t believe I fell for that.”
Cam laughed with Freedom and her grandfather.
“Oh, Thomas, you’re so funny,” said Elizabeth, giggling.
Freedom rolled her eyes and said, “So really, what exactly happens in the Oval Office?”
I smiled and replie
d, “It is the official office of the President and his primary place to work on major topics that are happening within our country. He is able to meet with his senior advisors and members of his cabinet right there.”
“Here’s some fun trivia about the Oval Office,” Freedom’s grandfather chimed in. “Did you know that each president decorates the Oval Office to his own personal tastes?”
Do you know what office is seen in the photo above? It is a replica of the Oval Office, found at the Reagan Library.
“Mmm,” said Liberty, dreamily. “Taste Oval Egg Office. Yummy.”
“Um, I think Liberty is dreaming about the Oval Office. He’s probably licking the walls,” Tommy joked.
Freedom’s grandfather continued: “And the Oval Office desk is made out of wood from a British navy ship that was presented to President Rutherford B. Hayes by the Queen way back in 1880. Since then, every president has used the same desk, with the exception of three. It is called the Resolute desk.”
Freedom looked up at her grandpa with clear admiration.
“Which one is the Oval Office?” Freedom asked.
I pointed and replied, “The Oval Office is in the West Wing over there. The President and his family live in the residence between the West and East Wings. Even though we can’t go in today, tours of the White House typically start on the East Wing.”
Behind us a small group of people were waving signs attached to wooden sticks. They were shouting and clapping their hands, all wearing the same color shirts. At first I couldn’t tell what they were doing.
Freedom’s grandfather said, “I recognize this group from the news; they are protesting the law that bans smoking in federal buildings. They think American citizens should be able to smoke anywhere they want.”
As the protestors got closer, I could read the backs of their T-shirts. Smoke here, smoke there, smoke anytime, anywhere. They were chanting the words, sounding like a broken record.
Rush Revere and the Star-Spangled Banner Page 14
