stepfather said. “Each president leaves a piece of silver as a gift. There are pieces from Franklin Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Nixon, and the Bush family. Your mom and I bought that bowl.” He pointed. “See my name on it?”
“What about George Washington?” Marshall asked.
“The first president to stay here was Franklin Roosevelt in 1942,” the president explained. “When Washington was president, Native Americans lived in this area.”
The president leaned in closer to KC and Marshall. “There’s a legend that says the ghosts of all those old presidents come back to visit,” he said in a low voice.
“You’re teasing us!” KC said.
“Nope. It’s true. On their birthdays, the presidents’ ghosts come and wander around the camp, peeking in windows.” He winked at Anna, who had returned with a tray of snacks. “On warm nights, they even splash in the pool!”
Marshall made a face. “They better not peek in my window!”
Hearing the ghost story made KC remember the figure she’d seen through the fog. “I saw something running just before we landed,” she said. “I saw a deer, too, then this other thing. I’m not even sure it was a person.”
“It could have been almost anything,” the president said. “A lot of deer live here inside our security fences. It may have been a coyote. Sometimes they sneak under the fences or through the gates.”
“Great!” Marshall yelped. “Ghosts and coyotes and witches! Can I call my mom and go home?”
3
The Strange Red Stain
Anna put a plate of cookies, a pitcher of milk, and three glasses on the table.
“Thank you, Anna,” the president said as she left the room.
KC was flipping through a large book. “Look, Marsh,” she said. “This tells about all the presidents who used to come to Camp David.”
Marshall grabbed a cookie and dunked it in his milk. “Is your picture in it?” he asked KC’s stepfather.
“Not yet,” the president said, sipping his milk.
“Guys,” KC said, “it says here that today is President Eisenhower’s birthday!He was born on October 14, 1890.”
The president grinned. “That means his ghost may be visiting us tonight.”
KC showed Marshall and the president a picture in the book.
“Why is he wearing an army uniform?” asked Marshall.
“He was a general before he became our thirty-fourth president,” President Thornton explained.
“When was he president?” KC asked.
“From 1953 to 1961,” her stepfather said. “Two terms. In fact, he named Camp David after his grandson, David Eisenhower. David was about your age when he first came here with his grandfather.”
“Don’t tell me he’s dead, too,” Marshall groaned. “This place will be crawling with ghosts!”
“Don’t worry,” the president said. “David is alive and well.”
Anna came back into the room. “The cabin is ready,” she said.
They left the cookies and followed her out the back door. KC and Marshall carried their duffel bags. Anna led them along a stone path past the pool. The clouds had turned darker, and a strong wind blew through the trees. The tiny cabin looked lonely.
“Are you sure you want to stay here by yourselves?” the president asked.
“It’ll be fun!” KC said. “We can pretend we’re Hansel and Gretel!”
“Oh, great,” Marshall said. “Didn’t a witch try to cook them?”
Anna opened the door. KC stepped inside first. They were in a small room withdark green walls. A round rug covered most of the floor. There was one sofa and one chair. A wooden trunk sat near the sofa. Pictures of birds and flowers hung on the walls. The window looked out at the back of Aspen Lodge.
Between the living room and bedroom was a bathroom. KC peeked in and saw fluffy towels on a rack. A pile of paper hand towels sat on the sink.
“I like it!” KC said.
Marshall stuck his head in the bedroom. Someone had made the bed and turned on a lamp. There was one small window. “This place was built for little forest
“What about George Washington?” Marshall asked.
“The first president to stay here was Franklin Roosevelt in 1942,” the president explained. “When Washington was president, Native Americans lived in this area.”
The president leaned in closer to KC and Marshall. “There’s a legend that says the ghosts of all those old presidents come back to visit,” he said in a low voice.
“You’re teasing us!” KC said.
“Nope. It’s true. On their birthdays, the presidents’ ghosts come and wander around the camp, peeking in windows.” He winked at Anna, who had returned with a tray of snacks. “On warm nights, they even splash in the pool!”
Marshall made a face. “They better not peek in my window!”
Hearing the ghost story made KC remember the figure she’d seen through the fog. “I saw something running just before we landed,” she said. “I saw a deer, too, then this other thing. I’m not even sure it was a person.”
“It could have been almost anything,” the president said. “A lot of deer live here inside our security fences. It may have been a coyote. Sometimes they sneak under the fences or through the gates.”
“Great!” Marshall yelped. “Ghosts and coyotes and witches! Can I call my mom and go home?”
3
The Strange Red Stain
Anna put a plate of cookies, a pitcher of milk, and three glasses on the table.
“Thank you, Anna,” the president said as she left the room.
KC was flipping through a large book. “Look, Marsh,” she said. “This tells about all the presidents who used to come to Camp David.”
Marshall grabbed a cookie and dunked it in his milk. “Is your picture in it?” he asked KC’s stepfather.
“Not yet,” the president said, sipping his milk.
“Guys,” KC said, “it says here that today is President Eisenhower’s birthday!He was born on October 14, 1890.”
The president grinned. “That means his ghost may be visiting us tonight.”
KC showed Marshall and the president a picture in the book.
“Why is he wearing an army uniform?” asked Marshall.
“He was a general before he became our thirty-fourth president,” President Thornton explained.
“When was he president?” KC asked.
“From 1953 to 1961,” her stepfather said. “Two terms. In fact, he named Camp David after his grandson, David Eisenhower. David was about your age when he first came here with his grandfather.”
“Don’t tell me he’s dead, too,” Marshall groaned. “This place will be crawling with ghosts!”
“Don’t worry,” the president said. “David is alive and well.”
Anna came back into the room. “The cabin is ready,” she said.
They left the cookies and followed her out the back door. KC and Marshall carried their duffel bags. Anna led them along a stone path past the pool. The clouds had turned darker, and a strong wind blew through the trees. The tiny cabin looked lonely.
“Are you sure you want to stay here by yourselves?” the president asked.
“It’ll be fun!” KC said. “We can pretend we’re Hansel and Gretel!”
“Oh, great,” Marshall said. “Didn’t a witch try to cook them?”
Anna opened the door. KC stepped inside first. They were in a small room withdark green walls. A round rug covered most of the floor. There was one sofa and one chair. A wooden trunk sat near the sofa. Pictures of birds and flowers hung on the walls. The window looked out at the back of Aspen Lodge.
Between the living room and bedroom was a bathroom. KC peeked in and saw fluffy towels on a rack. A pile of paper hand towels sat on the sink.
“I like it!” KC said.
Marshall stuck his head in the bedroom. Someone had made the bed and turned on a lamp. There was one small window. “This place was built for little forest
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