Revolutionary War on Wednesday

noticed him. They were all too busy.
    Finally, Jack came to the river.
    Through the lamplit mist, he saw soldiers waiting to get into the boats. Some had already climbed aboard.
    â€œJack!” came a cry.
    Jack saw the figure of a small girl. She was sitting in the back of the biggest boat.
    â€œNo way,” he whispered.
    Jack charged down to the boat. He stood at the edge of the water.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” Jack shouted.
    â€œThis is George Washington’s boat,” Annie said. “It’s our big chance to spend time with him! We might not get another one.”
    Jack looked at the other end of the huge boat. Through the mist and falling snow, he saw the commander-in-chief talking to his crew.
    â€œWe can’t go with him,” said Jack. “We’ll get in the way of his secret mission. Besides, we have
something to send
now!”
    â€œWhat? How?” said Annie.
    â€œA letter! The captain gave me his letter to take back to Frog Creek!” said Jack. “We’re only supposed to send it if something bad happens to the captain. We can go home now!”
    â€œOh, can’t we go a little later?” Annie asked.
    Jack climbed into the boat to pull her out.
    â€œNo, come on,” he said, taking her hand.
    Suddenly, the crew moved to the back of the boat, near Jack and Annie. The men grabbed their oars and started pushing the boat away from the shore.
    â€œWe’re taking off,” said Annie.
    â€œNo! We have to get out!” Jack said to the rowers.
    But the men were working too hard to pay attention. They were using their oars to hack up the ice at the edge of the river.
    â€œExcuse me,” Jack said in a loud voice.
    Just then, the boat jolted forward. Jack nearly lost his balance.
    The boat broke through more ice. Rough waves sloshed against its sides.
    â€œWe have to go back!” said Jack.
    â€œToo late,” said Annie.
    They were headed across the Delaware River!

The huge boat rocked in the water. Giant chunks of ice smashed against its sides.
    â€œThanks
a lot
, Annie,” Jack whispered. He shivered in the snowy cold. “We’re not supposed to go on their secret mission with them.”
    â€œIt’s okay,” she whispered. “Maybe we can help George Washington.”
    â€œAre you nuts?” Jack whispered. “We should be on our way home now.”
    The boat hit a piece of ice. The boat bounced, then dipped into the river.
    Jack clung to the wooden side. He hoped they wouldn’t turn over.
Nobody could survive in this icy water
, he thought. It would be like sinking on the TITANIC .
    The crew fought hard to keep the boat moving forward. They rowed past chunks of ice into a smoother part of the river.
    Light from oil lamps shone on the water, making the ice chunks behind them glow like huge, glittering jewels.
    Jack looked back. Other boats were following them. They were filled with soldiers, horses, and cannons.
    â€œWhere exactly are we going?” Annie whispered.
    Jack shrugged. He reached into his bag and pulled out their Revolutionary War book.
    By the dim lantern light in the boat, he searched through the book. He found a painting of General Washington crossing the Delaware River.

    He showed the painting to Annie. They each read the caption silently:
    After George Washington crossed the Delaware, he led his men on a nine-mile march to a British post. The post was filled with Hessians, German soldiers hired by the British to fight for them. The American patriots caught them off guard. The Hessians never thought the patriots would attack on a stormy Christmas night. It was a great victory for the patriots. They captured almost 1,000 Hessians. Hardly any of Washington’s men were lost.
    â€œYay! We won’t have to send the captain’s letter!” Annie exclaimed.
    â€œShh!” said Jack.
    But George Washington turned around and looked back at Jack and Annie.
    Oh, no,
Jack thought,
caught again
.
    He closed his eyes, as if that would make him invisible.
    â€œHe’s coming,” said Annie.
    Jack looked up.
    George Washington was making his way back toward them.
    In the next moment, the commander-in-chief loomed above them like a giant shadow.
    â€œChildren?” he asked in a quiet, angry voice.
    â€œSorry,” Jack squeaked.
    â€œMerry Christmas!” said Annie.
    But George Washington did not say “Merry Christmas” back.

“What are you doing