a note for her mom, then grabbed some snacks from the fridge.
She charged into her bedroom and dumped the school stuff out of her backpack. She tossed in the snacks, a flashlight, her Swiss Army knife, and a tape recorder. At the last minute, she opened her bank and took out a fistful of money.
She grabbed a jacket, said good-bye to her kittens, then let herself out of the apartment.
Donald opened the elevator door. “Going out again, KC?”
“Me and Marshall are doing some research for our reports,” she said.
It’s not a total lie
, thought KC. She paced as she waited for Marshall in the lobby.
When he showed up with his backpack, KC dragged him outside.
“Did you bring the spiders?” she asked, heading toward the bus stop.
“Yeah, but where are we going?”
“To help the president. He needs us.”
Marshall stopped walking. “KC, I’ve known you practically my whole life. But you’re acting weird. Why does the president need two fourth graders?”
The number 6 bus stopped. KC dropped quarters into the box, then pulled Marshall into a seat.
“I’m waiting,” Marshall said.
KC glanced around her. The bus was nearly empty.
“Okay, I think the guy on TV was a fake or a clone,” KC whispered. “If he is, what happened to the real president?”
Before Marshall could open his mouth, KC went on. “Marshall, the president is in danger! And we’re going to save him!”
Marshall shook his head. “I’m in my bed. I’m having a terrible nightmare.”
KC opened her eyes innocently. “All I want to do is help my country!”
Marshall stared glumly out the window. “Another question,” he said. “We both lied about where we’re sleeping tonight. So, where are we really sleeping?”
KC grinned. “In the White House.”
3
Spider Surprise
The bus dropped them a short walk away from the White House.
KC looked at her watch. “That must be the last tour of the day. Let’s get in line.”
Since it was February, there weren’t many tourists. KC grabbed Marshall’s arm and joined the group.
“KC, can I ask a dumb question?” he whispered. “Why am I sneaking a jar of spiders into the White House?”
KC whispered her plan.
“Now I know you’re nuts!” he hissed. “We’re not going to sleep in the White House. We’re going to sleep in jail!”
KC shushed him. “Just remember to throw the spiders when I give you the signal,” she whispered.
“But how will I get them back?” Marshall asked. “I raised these spiders from babies! They love me!”
“Marshall, just think. Your spiders are going to save the President of the United States,” KC said. “They’ll be famous! Charlotte only saved a pig!”
“Charlotte who?”
KC raised her eyebrows.
“Oh,” Marshall said, looking embarrassed.
“That
Charlotte. Anyway, what’s your signal?”
KC thought for a moment. “Neck. When I say neck, you toss the spiders.”
“Neck? How’re you gonna work ‘neck’ into a conversation?”
“Trust me. Just be ready, okay?”
The line moved. Pretty soon KC and Marshall were inside the White House.
A woman in a blue suit met the group. “Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Debbie. I’ll be your guide today. And since Lincoln’s birthday was last week, we have opened the Lincoln bedroom for all tours!”
“Will we see President Thornton?” someone asked.
Debbie smiled. “I know he’s in the building. Keep your eyes peeled.”
Marshall smiled for the first time in an hour. “Maybe I can get the president’s autograph!” he said.
In the Lincoln bedroom, the guide pointed out the paintings and antique furniture. “In Lincoln’s term, this was not abedroom. So he never slept in this magnificent bed,” Debbie told the crowd.
The tourists said “oooh” a lot and asked questions.
“Open the jar,” KC whispered.
Marshall stared at her. “Here? Now?”
She nodded. “Move away from me. Mix in with the crowd.” She pointed to her neck. “And get ready for
She charged into her bedroom and dumped the school stuff out of her backpack. She tossed in the snacks, a flashlight, her Swiss Army knife, and a tape recorder. At the last minute, she opened her bank and took out a fistful of money.
She grabbed a jacket, said good-bye to her kittens, then let herself out of the apartment.
Donald opened the elevator door. “Going out again, KC?”
“Me and Marshall are doing some research for our reports,” she said.
It’s not a total lie
, thought KC. She paced as she waited for Marshall in the lobby.
When he showed up with his backpack, KC dragged him outside.
“Did you bring the spiders?” she asked, heading toward the bus stop.
“Yeah, but where are we going?”
“To help the president. He needs us.”
Marshall stopped walking. “KC, I’ve known you practically my whole life. But you’re acting weird. Why does the president need two fourth graders?”
The number 6 bus stopped. KC dropped quarters into the box, then pulled Marshall into a seat.
“I’m waiting,” Marshall said.
KC glanced around her. The bus was nearly empty.
“Okay, I think the guy on TV was a fake or a clone,” KC whispered. “If he is, what happened to the real president?”
Before Marshall could open his mouth, KC went on. “Marshall, the president is in danger! And we’re going to save him!”
Marshall shook his head. “I’m in my bed. I’m having a terrible nightmare.”
KC opened her eyes innocently. “All I want to do is help my country!”
Marshall stared glumly out the window. “Another question,” he said. “We both lied about where we’re sleeping tonight. So, where are we really sleeping?”
KC grinned. “In the White House.”
3
Spider Surprise
The bus dropped them a short walk away from the White House.
KC looked at her watch. “That must be the last tour of the day. Let’s get in line.”
Since it was February, there weren’t many tourists. KC grabbed Marshall’s arm and joined the group.
“KC, can I ask a dumb question?” he whispered. “Why am I sneaking a jar of spiders into the White House?”
KC whispered her plan.
“Now I know you’re nuts!” he hissed. “We’re not going to sleep in the White House. We’re going to sleep in jail!”
KC shushed him. “Just remember to throw the spiders when I give you the signal,” she whispered.
“But how will I get them back?” Marshall asked. “I raised these spiders from babies! They love me!”
“Marshall, just think. Your spiders are going to save the President of the United States,” KC said. “They’ll be famous! Charlotte only saved a pig!”
“Charlotte who?”
KC raised her eyebrows.
“Oh,” Marshall said, looking embarrassed.
“That
Charlotte. Anyway, what’s your signal?”
KC thought for a moment. “Neck. When I say neck, you toss the spiders.”
“Neck? How’re you gonna work ‘neck’ into a conversation?”
“Trust me. Just be ready, okay?”
The line moved. Pretty soon KC and Marshall were inside the White House.
A woman in a blue suit met the group. “Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Debbie. I’ll be your guide today. And since Lincoln’s birthday was last week, we have opened the Lincoln bedroom for all tours!”
“Will we see President Thornton?” someone asked.
Debbie smiled. “I know he’s in the building. Keep your eyes peeled.”
Marshall smiled for the first time in an hour. “Maybe I can get the president’s autograph!” he said.
In the Lincoln bedroom, the guide pointed out the paintings and antique furniture. “In Lincoln’s term, this was not abedroom. So he never slept in this magnificent bed,” Debbie told the crowd.
The tourists said “oooh” a lot and asked questions.
“Open the jar,” KC whispered.
Marshall stared at her. “Here? Now?”
She nodded. “Move away from me. Mix in with the crowd.” She pointed to her neck. “And get ready for
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