Ch4-Willie!

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.