“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.
CHAPTER THREE
Hide! Hide!
Willie was waiting at the bottom of the ladder. “Hello,” he said.
“Willie, this is Jack and Annie,” said Tad. “I told them that you and I have a secret.” He gave Willie a meaningful look. “I told them we’d take them to meet the president. I gave them my word.”
“Oh, you did, did you?” said Willie. “Hello, Jack and Annie.” He shook hands with them. “I apologize for Tad,” he added. “My brother is very high-spirited.”
“And Willie’s sweet as pie,” said Tad, making a face. “Come on, you all! To the White House!” He saluted, then took huge marching steps across the lawn.
“So does Tad really know the president?” Annie asked as she and Jack walked with Willie.
“He does,” said Willie with a smile, “and so do I.”
“Oh. Cool,” said Jack. He liked Willie’s kind, mature manner. He wouldn’t mind if Willie introduced them to the president. “Do you think you could introduce us?”
“If Tad doesn’t introduce you first,” said Willie, “then I’d be happy to.”
“That would be great,” said Jack.
As Tad marched ahead of them, Jack, Annie, and Willie walked through the sun-dappled grove of trees. The air was chilly, but it smelled like spring. It looked like spring, too. Tiny buds sprouted from bare branches. Birds flitted from tree to tree, and robins hunted for worms in the green grass.
“Are your parents visiting the White House today?” Annie asked Willie.
“You could say that,” said Willie.
“Look at me!” Tad called. He was running backward up the carriageway.
“Watch out, Tad!” shouted Willie.
Tad jumped out of the path of a horse-drawn carriage just in time. The carriage stopped in front of the president’s house. The crowd was huge now. As people tried to squeeze through the front doors, some waved pieces of paper at the guard.
“Everyone wants to meet the new president!” said Tad. “They all want something from him.”
“Don’t talk that way, Tad,” said Willie. He turned to Jack and Annie. “They’re mostly looking for jobs in the government. They have to take care of their families.”
Tad led the way past the carriages and between the columns to the crowd at the door. “Allow us to enter!” he shouted to the guard at the door. “Jack and Annie are here! Important friends of the president!”
To Jack’s amazement, the guard did as Tad commanded. The man moved people aside and let Tad, Willie, Annie, and Jack walk right into the White House!
Jack trailed behind as they all passed through the entranceway. From there, they went around a bronze screen and into a wide hall filled with grown-ups.
“Make way!” shouted Tad as he squeezed through the crowd. A few women squealed. Their hoopskirts rocked and swirled.
“Stop, Tad!” said Willie, grabbing his brother. “Calm yourself!”
No kidding! thought Jack. He liked Willie a lot, but Tad was too wild and unpredictable.
Tad laughed and broke loose from his big brother. He ran into a room off the hallway. Willie and Annie hurried after him. A moment later, Jack heard someone banging on a piano.
Jack followed cautiously. He went through a door into a huge parlor filled with women and girls sipping tea from china cups.
The room had furniture covered in red satin. There was a large portrait of George Washington on the wall by the tall windows. No one was paying any attention to Tad as he pounded away on the piano keys. Even Willie was ignoring him. He was busy introducing Annie to a plump, dark-haired woman sitting on a sofa.
Why don’t the grown-ups stop this bratty kid? Jack wondered. Where are his parents? The White House guards? The Secret Service?
Tad turned his head and caught Jack frowning at him. He jumped up from the piano bench, rushed over, and grabbed Jack’s hand. “Sorry, mate! I almost forgot! I gave you my word!” he said. “Come along!”
Jack tried to free himself from Tad as the boy pulled him out of the parlor.
“Stop! Let me go! I have to wait for my sister,” said Jack. He looked back and saw Willie and Annie still talking with the woman on the sofa.
“They’ll catch up to us,” said Tad. “Come along! I have a secret that you won’t believe!”
“Please! Leave me alone!” said Jack.
“No! Come with me, or I’ll start screaming,” said Tad. “And I can scream very, very loud.” He had a wild look in his eye.
Oh, no! Jack thought. This kid was totally insane. “Don’t scream, don’t scream, just hold on a second.” He called out, “Annie! Willie!” But neither of them looked up.
“C’mon! It’s now or never!” said Tad. He pulled Jack down the carpeted hallway, toward a wide staircase.
“Let go! Let go of me! I’m serious!” Jack said.
Tad let go of him. “Please, please, come up the stairs with me,” he begged. “If you don’t, I’ll …” He opened his mouth wide.
“Fine! I’ll come!” Jack said through his teeth. He let Tad pull him through a group of grown-ups climbing the stairs. When we get to the top, I’ll run back down, Jack thought. Then he can scream as loud as he wants.
As soon as they reached the hallway on the second floor, Jack turned around to run. But the stairway was packed with too many people to escape!
Tad grabbed Jack by the arm and pulled him to a door off the hall. “The president is right in there, I promise,” he whispered. “Do you want to meet him? Or not?”
“Not,” said Jack. At least not with you, he thought.
“But you said you did!” said Tad. He threw open the door and pulled Jack inside, then closed the door behind them.
Jack looked around. The room was empty of people. It had a huge wooden bed with purple drapes. Flying birds were carved into the black wood.
This must be the president’s bedroom! Jack thought with awe and horror. He whirled around, but Tad gripped the door handle.
“We can’t stay here, Tad,” Jack whispered furiously. “We’ll get in terrible trouble!”
“But President Lincoln is there, in his dressing room!” said Tad. He grinned, pointing to a closed door off the bedroom. “I told you I’d take you to him!”
“You are crazy,” Jack whispered. “Move! I’m leaving! Before we get caught!”
Suddenly Tad groaned and fell to the floor.
“Tad?” said Jack. He bent down to check on him. “Tad, are you—”
Tad grabbed Jack’s arm and pulled him to the floor, just as the dressing room door opened!
“Hide! Hide!” Tad whispered. He scrambled under the big wooden bed. Jack frantically crawled after him.
Jack held his breath as they lay on their stomachs under t
he bed. His heart was beating so hard that he thought he was going to have a heart attack! Tad covered his mouth and shook with silent laughter.
Two large feet in black socks stopped beside the bed. Jack felt the bed sink down. A pair of hands put a pair of large leather shoes down on the floor. The feet slipped into the shoes. Then the weight lifted off the bed, and the shoes stepped forward.
Tad crawled silently out from under the bed. Then he tackled the person wearing the shoes! The man yelled and fell to the floor. Tad sat on top of him and beat him with his small fists.
From his hiding place, Jack could see a dark-haired man lying on his side, groaning and moaning. Tad was attacking the president of the United States!
CHAPTER FOUR
Willie!
Jack was horrified. Would the Secret Service arrest him along with Tad? Jack had to stop him!
Suddenly the president burst out laughing. He wrapped his hands around Tad’s fists. “You little tadpole,” he said. “You didn’t scare me one bit!” Then he started to tickle Tad.
“Pa, don’t! Don’t, Pa, don’t!” Tad screamed and giggled and kicked.
Pa? Pa? Jack thought. Abraham Lincoln is Tad’s “pa”!
The president laughed. He stopped tickling Tad and kissed the top of his head. “What are you doing in here, my boy?” he said.
“Pa, me and Willie found a tree house,” said Tad. “Did you know there was a tree house here? Two kids were in it. Jack and Annie. Jack said it belonged to them. I told him it was mine because it’s in our yard. Isn’t it mine, Pa?”
Jack wanted to shout, No, it’s ours! But he was afraid to be caught under the bed.
“Wait—what did you say their names were?” the president asked, sounding serious. “Jack and Annie?”
“Yes,” said Tad. “They came out of nowhere. Don’t you think the tree house is mine, Pa? Mine and Willie’s?”
“They came out of nowhere?” said the president. “And their names are Jack and Annie? Are you sure?”
Why doesn’t Tad tell him I’m right here—under the bed? Jack wondered. Should I just crawl out?
“Yes, Pa, Jack and Annie,” said Tad. “But I want to know about the tree house. Do—”
The door opened. “Mr. President, you must come at once,” a man said briskly. “You are late for your first meeting.”
“Sorry, Mr. Nicolay,” President Lincoln said. “I’ll be right there.” He stood up.
“The crowd is growing restless, sir,” Mr. Nicolay said. “Before you know it, they’ll storm your bedroom.”
“Oh, they wouldn’t dare,” said the president, chuckling. “Not with my bodyguard here.” He ruffled Tad’s hair. “Come along, tadpole. Escort me to my new office down the hall.”
“But when will you come and see the tree house, Pa?” Tad said as they started out of the door.
“Perhaps when I take my horseback ride later,” the president said. “I’d like to meet this Jack and Annie.” The door closed. And the room was quiet.
Tad forgot about me! Jack thought. He couldn’t believe it! Then he realized he’d better get out of the president’s bedroom. He started to crawl out from under the bed, but the door opened again, so he quickly crawled back.
“Dust first?” Jack heard a girl say.
“Aye, then shake out the pillows and change the linens,” said another.
Jack could only see the black stockings and shoes of the two maids as they bustled around the room. Now, he thought, before they make the bed! He scrambled out and ran to the door.
One of the girls screamed. Jack didn’t look back. He threw open the door and headed for the stairs. As he bounded down the steps, one of the maids shrieked, “There was a boy under the bed!”
Jack reached the bottom of the stairs and squeezed through the crowd until he found a nook off the hallway. He scrunched against the wall, then peeked around the corner to see if anyone was coming after him.
Someone grabbed his arm.
“Ahh!” Jack yelled.
“It’s me!” said Annie. “Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you!”
“I was upstairs! In President Lincoln’s bedroom!” Jack said. “Tad made me go in there! Did you know that President Lincoln is Tad and Willie’s dad?”
“That’s what I was going to tell you. Willie introduced me to their mom!” said Annie. “She was really nice. Those were all her relatives in the parlor.”
“Well, Tad tricked me into hiding under the bed, and I almost got caught!” Jack said. “And Tad didn’t even remember I was there. He kept talking about the tree house, saying it was his.”
“Willie says Tad gets overly excited,” said Annie. “He can’t help it. Plus, it’s their very first week in the White House.”
“Well, it was awful,” said Jack. “I was trapped under the president’s bed!”
Annie giggled. “You know, that’s actually pretty funny,” she said.
“Not really,” said Jack.
“Don’t worry,” said Annie. “Willie would have saved you. He told me to find you and then come upstairs to his dad’s office and he’ll introduce us. It’s on the second floor at the end of the hall.”
“Okay,” said Jack, sighing. “I heard the president say he’d like to meet us.”
“Really?” said Annie.
“Yep, when Tad told him about the tree house and you and me, the president kept saying, ‘Jack and Annie? Jack and Annie? Are you sure their names are Jack and Annie?’ ”
“That’s weird,” said Annie. “But I’m glad he wants to meet us. Come on.”
Jack and Annie headed down the hallway and up the stairs. On the second floor, Jack kept his head down, just in case the maids were looking for him. Jack followed Annie down the hall toward a group of people standing outside a door.
A skinny man with a small pointed beard was speaking to them. “Ladies and gentlemen, please! I’m sorry, but only the names on my list can meet with the president today!”
Jack recognized the man’s voice. “That’s Mr. Nicolay,” he told Annie.
“Who are you to tell us we can’t see the president?” a woman in a pink bonnet asked Mr. Nicolay.
“I am President Lincoln’s secretary, ma’am,” Mr. Nicolay said sourly, “and if you do not have an appointment, you must leave.”
“Excuse me, Mr. Nicolay, but I believe that I am on your list,” said a dignified man. He showed the secretary a piece of paper. The secretary checked the paper against his list.
“Of course. This way, Mr. Bennet,” Mr. Nicolay said. He opened the door and nodded for Mr. Bennet to enter, then followed him inside. While the door was open, Jack and Annie peeked into the room.
Abraham Lincoln was sitting at a long table. Tad was perched on his lap, fiddling with his dad’s tie. Willie was studying a map on the wall, while the president was listening to one of the men at the table.
“Willie!” Annie whispered loudly.
Willie didn’t hear, but Mr. Nicolay did—he rushed back out of the president’s office.
“Willie!” Annie shouted.
Willie turned around just as Mr. Nicolay closed the door.
CHAPTER FIVE
Leave Now!
“Excuse me, young lady!” Mr. Nicolay said. “This is not a time for play.”
“I’m not playing, sir,” said Annie as she and Jack stood at the front of the crowd. “We’re friends of Tad and Willie’s, and Willie just told us to come here to the president’s office. He wants to introduce us to his dad.”
Mr. Nicolay scowled. “I’m afraid Mr. Willie misspoke. The president does not have time to meet you now,” he said. “He is in a private meeting with delegates from California, Indiana, and Maine.”
“Maybe later, then?” said Annie.
“Not maybe later,” said Mr. Nicolay. “After this meeting he is scheduled to have a meeting with his generals, and then a meeting with the Department of the Navy.”
“Excuse me—” a man in the crowd c
alled out.
“But I heard the president say he’d like to meet us!” Jack broke in.
“I can’t imagine why he said that,” said Mr. Nicolay, shaking his head. “Following all the meetings I just listed, President Lincoln will meet with foreign diplomats, then with a group of senators, and then with reporters from the New York Times.”
“Mr. Nicolay! Listen to me!” someone shouted.
“So, sir,” Annie interrupted, “you’re saying he’ll have no free time at all today?”
“Oh, he might have a free moment,” said Mr. Nicolay. “But should that miracle occur, the president will go for a horseback ride in the country—and have a private meeting with himself!”
“Got it,” said Annie. She took a deep breath. “Well, maybe you can just answer one question for us. Do you know if the president collects feathers?”
Mr. Nicolay threw up his hands. “This is no time for silly questions,” he said. “Our country is divided, young lady. We are on the brink of war.”
“What do you mean, sir?” one of the men in the crowd shouted. “What’s the news from Fort Sumter?”
“Yes! What do you know that we don’t know?” a lady called.
Everyone started shouting at once.
“That’s it! Leave now, everyone!” Mr. Nicolay said. “The president is busy! He works night and day for you and for the unity of this nation!”
As the crowd shouted back at the secretary, Jack tugged on Annie’s sleeve. “Let’s get out of here,” he said.
“We should wait for Willie,” said Annie.
“I don’t think Willie can help us,” said Jack. “Come on. Let’s go back to the tree house and look at our research book. Maybe we can think of something else.”
“Okay,” said Annie, sighing.
She and Jack hurried along the hallway, then down the stairs to the first floor. They wove through the crowd, then escaped out the main door.
“Phew! That place is nuts!” said Jack as they walked between the tall white columns of the White House.
Magic Tree House #47: Abe Lincoln at Last! Page 2
