2 Old Philadelphia

2 OLD PHILADELPHIA The sun was high in the hazy sky. The air was still and muggy. "Ugh," said Jack. "It's just as hot here as it was at home." "Yeah, and our clothes are going to make us even hotter," said Annie. She was wearing a long dress with long sleeves, an apron, buckle shoes, and stockings. Jack was wearing knee-high wool pants, a white shirt with a vest, buckle shoes, and stockings. His backpack was now a leather bag. "Louis!" a woman called nearby. "Louis!" Jack and Annie peeked out the window. The tree house had landed in a wide, shady

tree in a walled courtyard. "Louis!" the person called again. Annie pushed back a branch to see better. Near the tree was a two-story brick house. The woman calling to Louis stood in the doorway. She wore a long dark dress and a white bonnet. A man digging in the garden looked up. "He's gone swimming, Miss Sarah," the man said. "Oh, dear. I've prepared a midday meal for my father," said Miss Sarah. "Louis was supposed to take it to him." "I could take it, ma'am," said the gardener. "Oh, thank you, John!" the woman said. "It's on the kitchen table. Please carry it to the old state house and deliver it to Doctor Ben. I have to go out shopping for a while." "Yes, ma'am," said the gardener. He put down his shovel and headed into the house.

"Doctor Ben!" Annie whispered to Jack. "That's who we're supposed to find! I told you it would be easy." "Right," said Jack. "But who is he? What does he do?" "I don't know," said Annie. "But we'll find out if we take his lunch to him! Come on, Jack! We have to act fast!" She started down the rope ladder. Jack quickly put their Pennsylvania book in his bag. He climbed down the ladder and joined Annie in the courtyard. "We should hide the ladder and pretend we walked here," said Jack. He lifted the bottom of the rope ladder and tucked it behind a low branch of the tree. John, the gardener, came out of the house. He was carrying a small covered basket. "Excuse me!" Annie called to him. "Is Louis here?" "Everybody's looking for Louis today," the man said. "I'm afraid he's gone swimming."

"Oh, no!" said Annie. "We're friends of his. We're supposed to go with him to the old state house—" "To take the midday meal to his grandfather," said Jack. "Louis must have forgotten," said the gardener. "Well, I guess we could take it without him," said Annie, "if you'd like us to." "Why, yes," the gardener said. "I still have a lot of work to do." He handed Annie the basket and wiped his brow. "This is the hottest summer in forty years." "No problem! We can handle it," said Annie. "Come on, Jack!" She started out of the courtyard. "Hold on!" said Jack. He turned back to the gardener. "Excuse me, sir. Can you tell me something about Doctor Ben? Who is he? What does he do?"

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"What does he do?" the gardener said. "It would take me all day to answer that question!" "Oh. Sorry, we—" said Jack. But the gardener kept talking. "He's one of the smartest human beings of all time. He once stole thunderbolts right out of the clouds." "Oh. Okay," said Jack. Is this guy trying to be funny? he wondered. "He's an inventor and a scientist!" John the gardener went on. "A diplomat and a writer! A scholar and a businessman!" "Excuse me, I have to go now," said Jack. He looked around for Annie. She had already left the courtyard. He headed down the path to the gate. "There's no one in the universe like him!" the gardener called after Jack. "I'm telling you the truth. He pulled lightning right out