marines stood near the hut. Then she saw a shed near a grove of trees. The shed door opened and a man jogged toward them.
“That’s Gus,” the president said. “He’s the caretaker here.”
Gus and the president shook hands. “Gus, this is my stepdaughter, KC, and her friend Marshall.”
KC glanced at Gus’s green overalls. Had he been what she saw from the helicopter?
“We didn’t expect you this weekend, sir,” Gus said.
“I know,” said the president. “Sorry about the short notice.”
“It’s fine, sir. Always a pleasure!” Gussaid. “Aspen Lodge is all ready for you.”
“Who’s Aspen Lodge?” KC asked.
The president chuckled. “That’s the name of the cabin presidents always stay in,” he said. “There are a lot of smaller cabins for guests. Each one is named after a different kind of tree or plant.”
Gus led them to a small golf cart. He climbed into the driver’s seat. “Hop in!” he said.
Gus turned a key, and the golf cart lurched forward. It putt-putted along a gravel road lined by trees. Most of the leaves had turned red and gold.
Parked between two small cabins was a white van with the words WHITE’S LAUNDRY SERVICE on the side. Not far away was another guard hut. KC had read that Camp David security was especiallytight when the president was visiting.
After a few minutes, Gus pulled the golf cart up in front of a large building. It had two floors, a lot of windows, and a tall chimney. A sign near the front door said ASPEN.
“Here we are, sir,” Gus said. He looked at the sky. “Storm coming, I’ll bet.”
“I think you’re right,” the president said. “But we’ll be cozy and dry inside Aspen.”
After KC, Marshall, and the president hopped out, Gus left with a wave.
The door to Aspen opened. A woman in a black dress and white apron stepped out. She had dark hair and a round face. “Welcome, Mr. President,” she said. “I’m Anna. Florence is sick, so I’m filling in for her. She had to stay home.”
The president shook hands with Anna. “I hope it isn’t serious,” he said.
“Just a bad cold,” Anna told them. “Please, come in. I already lit a fire and made a snack.”
“Thank you, Anna.” The president led the way to the large living room. On one wall, a fire crackled in a stone fireplace. Filled bookcases and display cases ran along the other walls. KC counted three sofas and at least ten big chairs.
“This place is awesome!” Marshall said.
KC walked over to a long window. “Hey, Marsh, there’s the pool I saw from the helicopter,” she said. “Too bad it’s too cold for swimming.”
KC thought the pool looked spooky with fog over the water. Then she noticed a tiny cabin not far from the pool. Itresembled the cottages she’d seen in fairytale books when she was little.
KC grabbed the president’s hand. She pulled him over to the window. “Can Marshall and I sleep in that little cabin?” she asked. “It’s so cute!”
“Sure, I guess so,” the president said. He looked at Anna. “Can you get someone to make up the beds?”
“Sir, there’s only the one bed and the sofa,” Anna said. “I’m afraid it’s a bit dirty, too. No one uses Witch Hazel.”
“The cabin is called
Witch Hazel?”
Marshall squawked. He peeked out the window. “It looks like a witch lives in it!”
The president laughed. “Witch hazel is the name of a tree,” he explained. “Come on. While Anna gets Witch Hazel ready, I’ll show you around Aspen.”
Everywhere they looked were photographs of past presidents and world leaders. In the center of the dining room stood a gleaming wooden table and twelve chairs. There was another fireplace in the corner.
KC stopped in front of a glass case at least ten feet long. Inside were shelves of silver cups, bowls, and candlestick holders. The silver was polished to a glow and looked old and expensive.
“What’s this for?” KC asked.
“Those are gifts left here by other presidents,” her
“That’s Gus,” the president said. “He’s the caretaker here.”
Gus and the president shook hands. “Gus, this is my stepdaughter, KC, and her friend Marshall.”
KC glanced at Gus’s green overalls. Had he been what she saw from the helicopter?
“We didn’t expect you this weekend, sir,” Gus said.
“I know,” said the president. “Sorry about the short notice.”
“It’s fine, sir. Always a pleasure!” Gussaid. “Aspen Lodge is all ready for you.”
“Who’s Aspen Lodge?” KC asked.
The president chuckled. “That’s the name of the cabin presidents always stay in,” he said. “There are a lot of smaller cabins for guests. Each one is named after a different kind of tree or plant.”
Gus led them to a small golf cart. He climbed into the driver’s seat. “Hop in!” he said.
Gus turned a key, and the golf cart lurched forward. It putt-putted along a gravel road lined by trees. Most of the leaves had turned red and gold.
Parked between two small cabins was a white van with the words WHITE’S LAUNDRY SERVICE on the side. Not far away was another guard hut. KC had read that Camp David security was especiallytight when the president was visiting.
After a few minutes, Gus pulled the golf cart up in front of a large building. It had two floors, a lot of windows, and a tall chimney. A sign near the front door said ASPEN.
“Here we are, sir,” Gus said. He looked at the sky. “Storm coming, I’ll bet.”
“I think you’re right,” the president said. “But we’ll be cozy and dry inside Aspen.”
After KC, Marshall, and the president hopped out, Gus left with a wave.
The door to Aspen opened. A woman in a black dress and white apron stepped out. She had dark hair and a round face. “Welcome, Mr. President,” she said. “I’m Anna. Florence is sick, so I’m filling in for her. She had to stay home.”
The president shook hands with Anna. “I hope it isn’t serious,” he said.
“Just a bad cold,” Anna told them. “Please, come in. I already lit a fire and made a snack.”
“Thank you, Anna.” The president led the way to the large living room. On one wall, a fire crackled in a stone fireplace. Filled bookcases and display cases ran along the other walls. KC counted three sofas and at least ten big chairs.
“This place is awesome!” Marshall said.
KC walked over to a long window. “Hey, Marsh, there’s the pool I saw from the helicopter,” she said. “Too bad it’s too cold for swimming.”
KC thought the pool looked spooky with fog over the water. Then she noticed a tiny cabin not far from the pool. Itresembled the cottages she’d seen in fairytale books when she was little.
KC grabbed the president’s hand. She pulled him over to the window. “Can Marshall and I sleep in that little cabin?” she asked. “It’s so cute!”
“Sure, I guess so,” the president said. He looked at Anna. “Can you get someone to make up the beds?”
“Sir, there’s only the one bed and the sofa,” Anna said. “I’m afraid it’s a bit dirty, too. No one uses Witch Hazel.”
“The cabin is called
Witch Hazel?”
Marshall squawked. He peeked out the window. “It looks like a witch lives in it!”
The president laughed. “Witch hazel is the name of a tree,” he explained. “Come on. While Anna gets Witch Hazel ready, I’ll show you around Aspen.”
Everywhere they looked were photographs of past presidents and world leaders. In the center of the dining room stood a gleaming wooden table and twelve chairs. There was another fireplace in the corner.
KC stopped in front of a glass case at least ten feet long. Inside were shelves of silver cups, bowls, and candlestick holders. The silver was polished to a glow and looked old and expensive.
“What’s this for?” KC asked.
“Those are gifts left here by other presidents,” her
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