Revolutionary War on Wednesday

Auckland
    RANDOM HOUSE and colophon are registered trademarks and A STEPPING STONE BOOK and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc. MAGIC TREE HOUSE is a registered trademark of Mary Pope Osborne; used under license.
    v3.0

For the Foley family—
John, Susie, Jack, and Elliot



One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods.
    Eight-year-old Jack and his seven-year-old sister, Annie, climbed into the tree house. They found that it was filled with books.
    Jack and Annie soon discovered that the tree house was magic. It could take them to the places in the books. All they had to do was point to a picture and wish to go there.
    Along the way, Jack and Annie discovered that the tree house belongs to Morgan le Fay. Morgan is a magical librarian from Camelot, the long-ago kingdom of King Arthur. She travels through time and space, gathering books.
    In Magic Tree House Books #5–8, Jack and Annie helped free Morgan from a spell. In Books #9–12, they solved four ancient riddles and became Master Librarians.
    In Magic Tree House Books #13–16, Jack and Annie had to save four ancient stories from being lost forever.
    In Magic Tree House Books #17–20, Jack and Annie freed a mysterious little dog from a magic spell.
    In Magic Tree House Books #21–24, Jack and Annie have a new challenge. They must find four special kinds of writing for Morgan’s library to help save Camelot. They are about to set off to find the second of these … 

“Wake up, Jack!” Annie whispered.
    Jack opened his eyes. He looked at his clock. It was six A.M.
    â€œCome on!” Annie whispered. She was standing at his bedroom door, already dressed.
    â€œNow?” said Jack.
    â€œYeah, it’s Wednesday! We have to go to the tree house!” she said.
    â€œOh, man, Wednesday!” said Jack. Suddenly, he was wide awake.

    â€œWe have to help save Camelot,” said Annie.
    â€œI know, I know,” said Jack, scrambling out of bed.
    â€œMeet you out front,” said Annie.
    Jack quickly changed into his jeans and T-shirt. He threw his notebook and pencil into his backpack.
    Then he slipped down the stairs and out the front door.
    Annie was waiting in the gray early light.
    â€œAll set?” she whispered.
    â€œYep,” said Jack.
    They took off running across their yard. They ran down their quiet street and into the Frog Creek woods.
    Soon they came to the tree house. They climbed up the rope ladder.
    In the early light, they saw Morgan’s note, the same note they’d found on Sunday. Jack picked it up and read aloud:
    Dear Jack and Annie,
    Camelot is in trouble. To save the kingdom, please find these four special kinds of writing for my library:
    Something to follow
    Something to send
    Something to learn
    Something to lend
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 
Thank you,
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 
Morgan
    Annie picked up a piece of paper lying on the floor. It was a list of rules from the famous nurse Clara Barton. They had met her on their journey to the Civil War.
    â€œOn Sunday we found the first special writing,” said Annie, “
something to follow
.”
    â€œYeah,” said Jack, “and now we need to find the second thing,
something to send
.”
    He picked up a book lying near the note. The cover showed soldiers on a snowy riverbank.
    The title was
The Revolutionary War
.
    Jack frowned.
    â€œUh-oh,” said Annie.
    â€œAnother war,” said Jack, sighing.
    â€œYou still want to go?” said Annie.
    â€œWe have to,” said Jack. He hated the suffering he’d seen in the Civil War. But they had no choice. They
had
to help Morgan and save Camelot.
    He pointed at the cover of the book.
    â€œI wish we could go there,” Jack said.
    The wind started to blow.
    The tree house started to spin.
    It spun faster and faster.
    Then everything was still.
    Absolutely still.

Jack shivered. The wind blew hard.
    â€œIt’s cold,” he said. He could see his breath in the air.
    â€œWrap your scarf tighter,” said Annie.
    Jack looked down. He had a wool scarf around his neck.
    He was also wearing woolen pants that buttoned at the knees, a coat, and a hat with three corners. On his feet were funny-looking shoes with buckles. In place of his backpack was a leather bag.
    Annie was wearing a long coat over a long dress.

    Jack pulled his scarf tighter. Then he looked out the window