10 This Peaceful Place

10 This Peaceful Place Gray early light spilled into the tree house. Birds sounded in the woods. The summer wind felt warm and gentle. Jack and Annie were wearing their nice, dry clothes again. “ Oh, man, " said Jack. “ It's good to be home. “ Yeah, " said Annie, sighing, “ back in this peaceful place. ”

Jack pulled the captain's letter out of his pack. He turned it over. It was addressed to: Molly and Ben Sanders Apple Tree Farm Frog Creek, Pennsylvania “ Molly and Ben lived on a farm near these woods over two hundred years ago, ” said Jack. Annie gently touched the letter. “ Your dad is going to make it home, kids. He misses you, " Annie whispered, as if she could send comforting words back through time.

Jack carefully placed the special writing from the Revolutionary War next to the writing from the Civil War. “ Look, " said Annie. She picked up a note lying in the corner. It said simply: Come back on Tuesday. “ Another message from Morgan, " said Annie. Jack smiled. He pulled on his pack. “ See you on Tuesday, tree house, " he said. He started down the rope ladder. Annie followed. In the early daylight, they ran through the Frog Creek woods. Then they ran down their street. They climbed onto their porch and rested against the railing. They looked out at the dawn sky.

Jack remembered the whoosh of the cold wind on the Delaware. He remembered the hiss of the wet snow and the slosh of the icy waves. He remembered George Washington reading to his men. “ The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph, " Jack whispered. “ Those words are true, " said Annie. “ It was a hard conflict, and I feel kind of glorious right now. Don't you?" Jack laughed. “ Yeah, definitely, " he said. Then he and Annie slipped into their quiet, peaceful house.