Meg Mackintosh Solves Seven American History Mysteries Read Online Free PDF Page A

we’re going in the right direction.”
    â€œYou’re right,” said Peter. “The needle isn’t pointed southwest.”

    Where would you go?

    They scurried back upstairs. “Has the sign outside always hung in that position?” Meg asked the tavern keeper.
    â€œAbsolutely,” he replied. “Every detail in this building is historically correct. That’s actually the original sign. Only the paint has been restored.”
    Meg and Peter went back outside and stood under the tavern sign. Gramps and the tavern keeper followed them, curious to see what they were up to.

    Peter read the compass. “Okay, that’s southwest,” he said, pointing.
    Meg took six big paces and ended at the hitching post. “This has got to be it,” she declared.
    â€œBut where?” They all wondered.

    â€œRobert was waiting out here with the horses. He had to leave urgently for some reason, and he had the eyepiece,” Meg reasoned aloud.
    â€œMaybe it started raining,” suggested Peter. “So he pulled up a couple of cobblestones and hid the eyepiece underneath them.” He knelt down and loosened some of the cobblestones.
    â€œGo ahead. I’ll get a shovel,” said the tavern keeper. “This is incredible!”

    Meg and Peter carefully dug beneath the cobblestones until they detected an object.
    â€œIt’s rotted leather, but there’s something inside,” said Peter.

    Layers of dirt and leather broke away to reveal the remnants of a velvet case that was surprisingly well preserved. Peter opened it. To their amazement, inside they found an eyepiece and a parchment note.

    â€œIs the note from Robert?” asked Meg.
    â€œNo …,” Peter stuttered. “It’s from President Washington to Robert. It says: ‘Master Banneker. Please polish this eyepiece for me this afternoon. ’ And it’s signed ‘George Washington’.” They passed the note and eyepiece around in amazement.
    â€œThe Smithsonian will be happy to get this historic eyepiece back,” said Meg.
    â€œAnd a signature of George Washington’s too!” Peter said. “Now we know what Robert witnessed in Washington — the President meeting with the surveyors!”

History Mystery #4
The Camouflage Clue in Ohio

    Gramps, Meg, and Peter Mackintosh had just solved a history mystery in Washington, D.C. They were heading northwest towards Ohio, eager to reach their next history mystery destination.
    â€œWe need to find somewhere in Ohio called Ashtabula,” said Meg as she scanned the map.
    â€œAshtabula? What kind of place is that?” asked Peter. “Some of these places have strange sounding names.”
    â€œI’m not sure,” said Meg. “We’ll find that out when we get there.”
    â€œIt will be a while before we get to Ohio,” said Gramps as he got out the envelope labeled “The Camouflage Clue in Ohio.” He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to them. This clue ought to keep you occupied for a while.”
    â€œBut it’s all mixed up!” said Peter. “Professor Brown is full of surprises!”

    Decipher the clue. What does it mean?

    â€œQuick, let’s unscramble it to get the message,” said Meg.
    â€œCross a magic line to what? Who are the friends? Follow the North Star to a train? What kind of railroad does that? Who’s ‘Mother H’?” asked Peter.
    â€œPeter, that’s it — railroad! Maybe it means the Underground Railroad,”Meg speculated.
    â€œIt’s possible,” Peter agreeed. “In school we learned that thousands of slaves escaped from the southern states on the Underground Railroad in the mid 1800s.”
    â€œBut which artifact and which child?” wondered Meg.

    Can you guess which artifact is a part of this mystery?

    â€œI bet it’s the lantern,” said Peter. “They probably needed it