Abe Lincoln at Last!: A Merlin Mission

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 Tadcommanded. 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