The Sword in the Tree by Clyde Robert Bulla Read Free Book Online Page A

I’d stop for a word with his family in London. He thinks of you each day. He prays you will all be together before another year is out.”
    Tears came to her eyes. “When you see him, will you tell him—?”
    â€œI’ll not be seeing him again,” the man broke in. “It’s a long, hard voyage to Virginia. I’ll not be going back.”
    â€œOh,” she said.
    Someone was calling, “Amanda!”
    â€œYou’re wanted,” he said. “I’ll take my leave.”
    â€œBut you’ll come again?”
    He shook his head. “I’ve told my tale. Good-day to you.”
    He left her. He was gone, and she didn’t know his name or where to find him again, and there were a hundred things she hadn’t asked. She hadn’t even said thank you.

    She took a step after him, but Cook’s voice called her back. “A- man -da!”
    She closed the door. She went down the long, cold hall and into the kitchen.
    Cook was at the table, beating eggs. Her face was red. Her cap was over one eye.
    â€œWho gave you leave to stand in the door and talk all day?” she said. “Who was that man?”
    Ellie the maid came out of the pantry. “Oh, Amanda, was it your father?”
    The door to the back stairs opened. A small boy put his head out. “Was it Father?” he asked.
    â€œJemmy!” cried Amanda. “You know you’re not to come in here. No, it wasn’t Father.”
    His head disappeared, and the door closed.
    Amanda told Cook and Ellie, “It was a sailor man back from Virginia. He saw my father there. He talked to him. Father is well—and he’s built a house— and he thinks of us—”
    Cook gave a snort. “He does, does he? He thinks of you so much that he sails off and leaves you for three whole years.”
    â€œOh, that’s cruel!” said Ellie.
    â€œHold your tongue, miss,” said Cook, “and Amanda, you get back to your work.”
    She went off into the pantry.
    As soon as Cook was gone, Amanda opened the door to the back stairs. The small boy was sitting on the steps. A smaller girl sat beside him.
    â€œIt wasn’t Father. It was a sailor man,” Amanda said. “But he saw Father. Just think of that. I’ll tell you about it tonight.”
    â€œWill it be a story?” asked the boy.
    â€œIt will be like a story,” said Amanda, and she shut the door.

By Clyde Robert Bulla
    THE BEAST OF LOR • BENITO
    CONQUISTA! (WITH MICHAEL ROBERT SYSON)
    DEXTER • THE DONKEY CART
    DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI • EAGLE FEATHER
    THE GHOST OF WINDY HILL • GHOST TOWN TREASURE
    INDIAN HILL • JOHN BILLINGTON, FRIEND OF SQUANTO
    JOHNNY HONG OF CHINATOWN • LAST LOOK • MARCO MOONLIGHT
    THE MOON SINGER • MY FRIEND THE MONSTER
    OLD CHARLIE • OPEN THE DOOR AND SEE ALL THE PEOPLE
    PIRATE’S PROMISE • POCAHONTAS AND THE STRANGERS
    RIDING THE PONY EXPRESS • THE SECRET VALLEY
    SHOESHINE GIRL • SONG OF ST. FRANCIS
    SQUANTO, FRIEND OF THE PILGRIMS • STAR OF WILD HORSE CANYON
    THE SUGAR PEAR TREE • SURPRISE FOR A COWBOY
    THE SWORD IN THE TREE • VIKING ADVENTURE
    WHITE BIRD • WHITE SAILS TO CHINA • THE WISH AT THE TOP
    A LION TO GUARD US

Copyright
    T HE SWORD IN THE TREE . Copyright © 1956 by Clyde Robert Bulla. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
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    ISBN 0-690-79908-X
    ISBN