As soon as they got to Franklin Square Park, the Aldens made a beeline for a food stand. Henry ordered a hot dog and soft pretzels. So did everyone else—including Andy.
“Grandfather says Philadelphia is famous for its soft pretzels,” Benny told the man behind the counter.
“Your grandfather’s right,” the man said. “You folks from out of town?”
Jessie nodded. “This is our first trip to Philadelphia.”
“Well, there’s a mini-golf course in the park if you’re interested.” The man placed the hot dogs and pretzels on the counter. “It’s pretty cool,” he added. “There’s a miniature landmark on every hole—like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.”
“Cool!” Henry squirted mustard over his hot dog. “Maybe we’ll come back later in the week.”
Jessie was glancing around for a place to eat. “There’s a spot over there,” she said, jerking her head in the direction of a huge bench.
“Somebody’s sitting there, Jessie,” Benny pointed out. “A lady in a costume.”
“That’s a storytelling bench,” Andy informed them. “The city hires actors to dress up in costumes and tell stories about the early days in Philadelphia.”
“Sounds like fun,” said Jessie. “We can eat our lunch and hear a story.”
The young woman in the long gown and white cap looked up from her sewing as they walked over. “I’m Caroline,” she said, greeting them with a smile. “I was hoping you’d join me.”
“What a pretty design,” Violet remarked, after everyone said hello. She was admiring the woman’s delicate stitches.
“I’m making a small tablecloth,” Caroline told her. “I decided to add a border of blue cornflowers. Of course, I’m not as skilled as Betsy Ross,” she added, “but I do my best.”
“Betsy Ross?” The name sounded familiar to Jessie. “Didn’t she sew the first American flag?”
“Nobody knows for sure.” Andy wiped some mustard from the corner of his mouth. “But Betsy Ross usually gets the credit.”
Caroline nodded. “According to the story,” she told them, “it was George Washington who asked Betsy to sew the first American flag.”
“That’d take forever,” said Benny. He held out his cracked pink cup while Henry poured the lemonade. “To sew fifty stars and all those stripes, I mean.”
Caroline shook her head. “Actually, Betsy only sewed thirteen stars—one star for every colony.”
“What’s a—” Benny began.
“Colony?” Henry knew the question before his brother even asked it. “That’s what the first states were called,” he said. “Back when the settlers first came to America.”
Caroline nodded. “There were only thirteen colonies back in the days of the American Revolution. That’s why there were only thirteen stars on the first American flag.”
Thirteen stars? Jessie glanced over at Henry. She could tell by the look on his face that he was thinking what she was thinking. Wasn’t that the exact number of stars in the box of clues?
Andy caught the look. In a flash, he swallowed the last bite of his hot dog and started filming again.
The storyteller went on to say that Betsy Ross was a seamstress and a good friend of George Washington’s. But there was no proof she actually sewed the first American flag.
After thanking Caroline, Jessie was anxious to talk to her sister and brothers. “That was a real stroke of luck,” she said, as they tossed napkins and empty containers into a trash can.
“What was, Jessie?” Violet wanted to know.
“You’re thinking about the thirteen stars in the box of clues,” guessed Henry. “Right, Jessie?”
“Exactly!”
“Of course!” Violet put a hand over her mouth in surprise. “Then the clues are pointing to the first American flag.”
“Got to be,” said Jessie. “Even the spools of thread are red, white, and blue.”
“Just like the flag!” cried Benny. Then he gave a happy twirl all around.
But Henry was having second thoughts. “One problem,” he said. “What about the cats at play?”
“I’m not really sure what that’s all about,” admitted Jessie.
Violet’s mind was racing. “Unless …”
“Unless what, Violet?” Henry asked.
“Unless the clues are pointing to Betsy Ross.” Violet started flipping through the pages of a travel brochure. “I knew there was a picture of the Betsy Ross House in here,” she said, thumping a finger down.
The other Aldens gathered round to take a look at a narrow brick house with a thirteen-star flag out front.
Henry said, “I think you’re on to something, Violet.”
Benny was quick to agree. “I bet that’s where we’ll find cats at play!”
“And it’s open to tourists,” Violet informed them.
“We can walk to it from here,” Jessie told them, after a quick look at the map. “Chestnut Street isn’t far.”
Benny broke into a run. “Let’s find that gold coin!”
“That can’t be the Betsy Ross House,” Violet said a little later. “It’s too big.”
For a long moment, the four Aldens stared in puzzled silence. The two-story brick building set back from Chestnut Street didn’t look anything like the picture in the brochure.
While Andy filmed from a distance, Jessie sat down on a nearby bench. She unfolded the map to take another look. “Where did I go wrong?” she asked.
The other Aldens looked at each other in bewilderment. How could Jessie get the directions mixed up again?
Henry sat down beside his sister. “Maybe we can figure it out together.”
That seemed like a good idea. As Violet looked over her sister’s shoulder, she noticed something strange. The landmark picture of the Betsy Ross House was peeling away from the map. On a hunch, she reached over and pulled on one corner of the picture. Sure enough, it was just a sticker. And it was hiding another landmark underneath!
The Aldens looked at one another. For a moment, they were too stunned to speak.
“We’re at Carpenter’s Hall!” Violet said at last.
Jessie pulled off more stickers. The Philadelphia zoo had been switched with Washington Square!
“Somebody covered up the real landmark pictures with stickers,” Henry realized.
“You mean, somebody tried to fool us?” A frown crossed Benny’s round face.
“It sure looks that way,” said Henry. “I guess he—or she—wanted to throw us off track.”
Jessie let out a sigh. “We wasted a lot of time trying to find our way around.”
“It’s not very nice to trick people,” Benny said in a small voice.
“No, it’s not,” said Jessie, who couldn’t help noticing that Andy had stopped filming.
“But who would do such a thing?” Violet wondered.
“I’m not sure who tampered with the map,” Henry said. “But I think we should concentrate on one mystery at a time.”
“Good idea,” said Jessie, who was bending over the map again. “We’ve still got time to get to the Betsy Ross House. It’s only a few blocks away.”
Henry jumped to his feet. “Then let’s go,” he said. “We’re not giving up that easily, are we?”
“No!” the others shouted.
With that, the Aldens set off lickety-split. |