The Haunted House on Walnut Street

By Brian Barnes

The Haunted House on Walnut Street is the first book in the Baxter Chronicles series. Alexander May and his two best friends, Jared and Maddy must return to the past and use all of their knowledge and talents to prevent future catastrophes. They are guided by Baxter, Alexander's pet Airedale. So journey back through time and share adventures with them as they face dangerous villains and situations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brian Barnes
• Release date: Jul 10, 2012
• ISBN: 9780985921309

Book preview

The Haunted House on Walnut Street

The Baxter Chronicles

A BKB historical novel

By

Brian K. Barnes

SMASHWORDS EDITION

Smashwords Edition, License Notes: This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Published by:

Brian K. Barnes on Smashwords

The Haunted House on Walnut Street

Copyright 2012 by Brian K. Barnes

The Baxter Chronicles

Copyright 2012 by Brian K. Barnes

Children’s Historical Fiction

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For

Aleko and Niko

Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted...but to weigh and consider. (Francis Bacon)

Expressing my gratitude to special people: I draw inspiration from many sources: personal experience, my spiritual life, mentors, friends, colleagues, history, science and technology, animals, nature, books, even dreams and music. But the idea for creating the Baxter Chronicles originated from my two sons Alexander and Nicodemus, without their guidance and perseverance this book and series would never have gotten off the ground.

Additional thanks must be given to other members of the Baxter team: Edward Mapletoft, Rose Taylor and Olivia Daniels. Their suggestions, proofreading, and editing have been of the greatest help to me.

Thank you Gaye, Mini and Mavi for your love and patience.

Read about the Baxter Chronicles at: http://www.thebaxterchronicles.com

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Table of Contents

Chapter One - The House

Chapter Two - Who, What, Where, When, How and Why?

Chapter Three - A Night of Hard Research

Chapter Four - Welcome to Time Travel

Chapter Five - The Most Famous American?

Chapter Six - The Docks

Chapter Seven - The Indian King Tavern

Chapter Eight - Return to Philly

Chapter Nine - Water

Chapter Ten - Dinner at the Franklins’

Chapter Eleven - Mr. Thomas

Chapter Twelve - A Night on the Town

Chapter Thirteen - A Morning to Forget!

Chapter Fourteen - Epilogue: Home Again

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Chapter One - The House

It’s haunted! I whispered.

Haunted? asked Maddy. Says who? As usual, her voice was a lot louder than mine.

They say so, said Jared.

We were looking through a tall wrought iron fence at that old Victorian house at the end of my street, Walnut Avenue. We were searching for any sign of Baxter, at least a yipe or hopefully a bark. He had run through the fence, into the yard and then around the house.

This house has been here for God knows how long and nobody ever visits the place; no gasman, no plumber, no neighbors or friends; nobody knows who lives here, or even who had lived here in the past. It has always been empty. Well, at least it always looks empty. Tall bushes, weeds and layers upon layers of leaves cover the yard. And let me tell you it’s a big yard, the biggest on the street. Some roof shingles are missing, and a lot of the windows are cracked and broken. The old wooden front door looks solid, but it’s kind of worn and kind of crooked.

So tell me, who are THEY? Maddy asked again.

I don’t know! Everybody, said Jared.

Jared was my buddy from school. I could always count on him to back me up. Maddy? That’s short for Madeleine. Well, she’s my friend too.

Who am I? I’m Alex, named after Alexander the Great. I’m in the sixth grade, like Jared and Maddy. I live just down the road here in Sandy Hook, New Jersey. It’s an old town, been around since before the Revolution.

So where is Baxter? I asked myself out loud. I tried to ignore their squabbles. I saw him run into the yard and around the house.

I don’t see him now, said Jared. Well, I heard Jimmy Simmons say so.

Jimmy Simmons? said Maddy.

Yeah, he says so.

Oh Pleeeeeease. Jimmy Simmons doesn’t know what he’s talking about; he’s a buffoon.

Jared and I both turned and looked at her.

What? she asked. Everybody’s afraid of Jimmy Simmons, just because he’s sooooooo big.

He’s the biggest kid in the sixth grade. He’s bigger than Alex, said Jared. And he’s going into seventh.

As if that really mattered, aren’t the rest of us going into the seventh grade?

Jimmy Simmons, Jimmy Simmons. If he’s so big and brave, then why isn’t he here with us trying to get into YOUR haunted house?

Yeah, I guess that’s true, I said. She did have a point there.

Anyway, who cares about Jimmy Simmons, right now we have to find Baxter.

Hold it! said Jared. I think I hear him but I can’t see him.

Look, he’s up there! Maddy pointed.

Where?

There, in the big window, on the second floor. You can’t see him? Look the curtain’s moving.

Yeah, I see him! yelled Jared.

Alex, where are you going? cried Maddy.

To get Baxter, come on you guys! I was always very quick to react. That comes from being a Lacrosse goalie. So I was already climbing over the fence.

Hey, wait for me, said Maddy.

I was on the ground and running toward the front door.

Guys, I don’t know, behind me I heard that familiar tremble in Jared’s voice.

He always worried about these crazy things; you know things like, well, like breaking and entering. But if no one lives here, who can prosecute us, and maybe they’re trying to steal Baxter, so we have no choice, we have to rescue him.

Come on chicken, Maddy had reached the top of the iron bars. I guess you’re going to stay out here alone; all by yourself?

Ok, ok, all right. I’m coming, I’m coming, I heard Jared yell.

You can always count on him in a pinch. And Jared didn’t have to climb up the fence; he was really, really, super thin and could slide right through the iron bars.

He was quickly on the other side and when I had reached the front door and turned around I saw him helping Maddy climb down to the yard. I guess I still need to work on my gentlemen skills; mom always reminds me of that. But I was worried about Baxter; he’s my buddy too you know.

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. Who is Baxter?

He’s my one-year-old Airedale. At least that’s what we think his age is. We found him about six months ago, maybe it was seven. Well, we didn’t find him, I found him, or rather he found me, just a few days after Thanksgiving last year; he was just a puppy then. Mom didn’t want me to keep him, but dad helped me out and we were able to persuade her; mom can be real nice sometimes.

Baxter has this really cool peppery grey and kind of brownish coat of hair; it’s real tough, like little coils of wire. He’s thin, like Jared, and I did see him just slide right through that iron fence, just like Jared. But I think he has a secret entrance into the house; he seems to go in there quite often. I’m sure he was in there now; but I hadn’t seen him like Maddy and Jared had; maybe I shouldn’t have jumped the fence so quickly.

What do you think? I asked when they had finally reached the front door. I wanted to test the doorknob, but I was a bit worried and so I hesitated.

Well open it already, Maddy whispered while looking around. You know, this is an ugly ole place.

Yeah really ugly, and really dirty, said Jared. Isn’t it against the law to go into someone’s home; don’t they call that breaking and entering?

Yeah, I was thinking that already, I said.

What? Are you a lawyer now? asked Maddy; she was always sarcastic when she spoke to Jared.

Well, I don’t want no trouble.

I don’t want no trouble? Who taught you grammar? Your cousin?

I had to open the door, because if I didn’t those two would have killed each other. So I grabbed the doorknob, turned it and pushed the door open.

Now who leaves the door to a big house like this one unlocked? I asked.

They don’t need a lock, it’s haunted, replied Jared.

And did you hear that? I asked.

Nooooooo. Did you hear Baxter? Jared was trembling again.

I didn’t hear Baxter either, whispered Maddy.

No, not Baxter. Listen, there’s no noise, I moved the door back and forth.

See, this is an old door, there should be some noise, a squeak or a groan or a moan or something.

Yeah, said Jared. Every haunted house has a squeaky door.

How do you know that? asked Maddy.

Well, it’s in every scary movie.

So smarty, I guess that means this house isn’t haunted after all.

She did have a point there as well. If the door doesn’t squeak, the house can’t be haunted.

I don’t know if the house is haunted or not, but someone here keeps the door hinges oiled, I said.

I know that because my dad hates squeaky doors. He’s always putting oil on the door hinges and I’m always helping him out.

Maybe someone does live here, said Jared. So let’s go.

No one could possibly live here, look at all of this dust, Maddy pushed Jared through the doorway.

Yeah, it is really dusty, I said. And I think you guys are wrong. It’s a beautiful home. It just needs a little fixing up. My dad can do that easily.

We entered a large, but dark parlor type room. It smelled wet and damp, which doesn’t make sense because it was really dusty. A large carpet covered in dust was lying across the floor. Sheets protecting the furniture were also covered in dust. An old grandfather clock stood quietly against one wall, it too was covered in dust.

Hey look at the floor, there’s Baxter’s paw prints in the dust, I said.

Yeah, let’s track him down, said Jared. I can do that.

That’s true; he’s done it before.

Jared led the way, walking beside Baxter’s path, stooping down, closely examining the paw prints.

It looks like he was running, Jared said.

Do you think he was chasing something? Another dog? asked Maddy.

I don’t know, Baxter never chases other dogs, I said.

Well maybe when he’s playing with them, and he does chase lots of cats. But he never runs away from me like this; unless he’s really after something.

And look, there are no other tracks, only Baxter’s, added Jared.

Stop it! You’re scaring me now, Maddy shouted.

What? How are we scaring YOU? asked Jared.

Look silly, if he’s chasing something and there are no other tracks here, then he must be after something that, well, something that we can’t, well, we can’t see….

A ghost! Jared exclaimed. I told you the place is haunted. Let’s get out of here.

No, we must find him. Well, I must find him. He’s my responsibility. I must feed him and take care of him after school. If you guys are worried, you don’t have to help.

Then we heard a loud noise.

Holy cow! Did you hear that? Jared said.

Hello! I yelled.

That was a door, said Maddy.

Yeah, up stairs.

Baxter, here Baxter, where are you? whispered Jared.

Stop whispering, you ninny, said Maddy. He can’t hear if you whisper.

Sure he can; dogs can hear at sub-sonic levels.

That’s ultra-sonic levels; don’t you read anything in school?

Whatever! You know what?

What?

You’re weird.

I’m weird?

Yeah, you’re weird.

Quiet! I think I hear him. Hey Baxter! I yelled again.

There he is, hey boy what are you up to?

Baxter had entered the big parlor through an open doorway on the opposite side of the room. He ran to us, jumping around and wagging his tail, dust flying everywhere.

You’re filthy, said Maddy.

Wow, but he looks really happy, said Jared.

Yeah, he sure does. Are you happy to see us boy? What have you been up to? I asked again.

Hey come back here.

Baxter turned and took off towards the door he had just come from; we followed.

I wonder what’s in here?

It’s the dining room, Jared said.

Wow, this sure is a big house, observed Maddy.

I agreed; it was a really big dining room.

Because there was no light and the sun was going down, the room was a bit dark. A large table, and I mean a really large table, maybe twenty feet, surrounded by massive wooden chairs dominated the room.

Baxter ran along the table; then he tucked in his head and pushed through a swinging door. And of course we followed him, straight through the doorway and into the kitchen. Baxter then ran to a small corner and up a set of steps. We followed again.

Where is that dog going? I asked.

I don’t know; I hope it’s safe, said Jared.

Baxter’s a good dog, he would never lead us to a dangerous place; but he’s excited about something.

Now, where did he go? we stopped at the top of the stairs.

There, pointed Maddy. Through that door.

Yeah, he’s been through there before. Look, check out the prints, said Jared, my buddy the Indian tracker.

We quickly followed the paw prints down a dark hallway; then we entered a room. It was a big study. The walls were lined with books. Several tables and chairs were placed throughout the room. One large desk was located near a window; very little light came through the glass.

Hey, that’s the window where I saw him, said Maddy.

Yeah the real big window, it’s really dirty too, I walked over to it and peered outside.

Do you see anyone out there? asked Jared. Like, say, the police.

No, but it’s getting darker, or it’s the dirt on these windows, I tried to wipe a small spot.

But where’s Baxter? I asked looking back at the room.

I don’t know, said Jared. He came in here and there are no other doors.

So where did he go? asked Maddy.

Wait, said Jared. I hear him sniffing over there, behind….

Behind what? I asked as we walked over to one wall.

I think behind those books.

Do what?

Yeah, do you hear that, he sounds really excited, Maddy pressed her ear against the books.

How in Hades did he get behind those books?

I’m not allowed to say hell, so I say Hades a lot. I bent down looking for a door of some type.

That’s weird man, very weird, said Jared.

Baxter, Baxter, calm down boy, I yelled through the bookshelves.

Guys, there must be a secret doorway, look for one.

We started tapping the walls, behind and all around the books.

This is crazy, said Maddy. She started to look at the books.

These books are really old.

Do you think there’s a secret handle? said Jared.

What? Like in the movies? I asked.

Yeah, I guess so.

And you think Baxter activated this ‘secret’ handle and was able to get behind the books? Maddy asked.

I don’t know Maddy; it’s complicated, I said. But there has to be some explanation.

There is, said Jared. The house is haunted, that’s the explanation.

Hey looky here, I saw something shiny behind a few books on one of the lower shelves.

Check it out, hinges.

We all got down on our hands and knees and I pushed on the wall and a small panel swung open and we saw Baxter; well at least the outline of Baxter.

Here he is!

Wow, a secret room, said Jared. What’s in there?

I crawled into the room, Maddy and Jared followed.

It’s really dark, said Maddy.

There you are boy. Baxter grew quiet; he was sitting under a table.

Ok boy, it’s time to go home.

I grabbed his collar pulled him out from under the table. When I released his collar, Baxter barked, crawled back under the table and sat down again wagging his tail.

Wow, he likes it under there, said Jared.

Come on boy, I stooped down again.

Hey wait; look, said Jared.

Yeah, what’s that shiny stuff? asked Maddy. It looks like a coin.

No, it’s like a latch in the floor. I brushed away some of the dust.

Come on Baxter, you need to move. I pushed him out of the way and picked at the latch.

There are two of them.

Jared grabbed the second latch; we tugged on them and lifted up a door.

Wow, a trap door; there are a lot of secret rooms here, said Maddy. Can you see anything?

No, it leads down and it’s dark down there. I can’t see anything. I was leaning over the doorway looking down.

And that’s when the adventure began. Well at least I think that was the beginning of the adventure. But to tell the truth, I’m not sure when this adventure actually began.

Baxter took off, from behind me at a run. He went around me and right down those steps; steps that we couldn’t see. I almost fell down as I peered after him. There was no railing, no light, nothing. And we had no flashlights either.

So I crept down the steps, slowly, feeling my way along a wall. I didn’t know how many steps there were, but it didn’t seem like many because I had heard Baxter stop below me, and he was panting.

As I was slowly going down the steps I could tell that Jared and Maddy were coming down behind me, so I felt a little more comfortable.

I stopped and closed my eyes. My dad taught me that trick; your eyes get accustomed to darkness faster. When I reopened them and looked down I saw a faint glow, like a light outlining a doorway.

That’s exactly what it was, a doorway leading outside. I could see it. And I saw Baxter’s shadow too, he was waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs; I guess his eyesight was much keener than ours in the dark. The room was very dark and we could not tell how large the room was. When I finally reached Baxter, I patted him on the head and waited for Maddy and Jared.

Looks like Baxter found a better way out of the house, Jared said.

Yeah, I guess so. He’s pretty sharp.

I was getting nervous there for a bit. This must be Baxter’s special entrance to the house. We better be careful so no one sees us when we leave.

Yeah, we better get going, your mom will be mad, said Maddy.

We’re due for dinner soon and it’s getting a bit dark. What is that awful smell?

I don’t know. It is pretty dusty and really musty; like wet grass; hay maybe? said Jared. He had sat down on the steps.

Maybe this was a storage place for horse feed, said Maddy.

Remember this house is really old; I’m sure they kept horses here, before cars were invented.

Where do you think we are in the house?

I’m not sure, I said.

I got a bit lost chasing Baxter, but we must be towards the back of the house; remember there’s an old garage connected to the back side.

Yeah, and a grave yard too, said Jared.

It’s a small grave yard, said Maddy.

I couldn’t see, but I’m sure she had rolled her eyes.

Yeah sure, I know that. But ghosts don’t need a very large grave yard to haunt. Jared stood up and began walking toward the door.

They can haunt just as well in a small one, he added.

Come on Baxter, I said grabbing his collar. Let’s get out of here.

Hey Jared, you know we don’t have to walk through the graveyard. We can just go back around to the front of the house.

Baxter quickly led the way to the door. It was a large, heavy door with a thick wooden handle, like a big latch. He pushed up on the latch with his nose, then stood up on his hind legs and shoved open the door with his front paws.

He’s done that before, I said.

Yeah obviously, said Jared. Hey this door doesn’t squeak either.

As soon as the door swung open we were immediately blinded by the afternoon light. Baxter turned, looked at us from over his shoulder and then took off, AGAIN!

That blasted dog. Oh come on Baxter, get back here, I yelled. But he didn’t listen.

Here we go again! said Maddy and Jared together; they were laughing at me.

Did that dog just grin at us? Maddy asked as we sprinted after him.

I’ve never heard of a dog grinning before, but yeah, I think so, I replied.

Hey! yelled Jared. Wait a sec! He was in front of us but stopped abruptly.

What? I asked as we caught up to him.

Look, it’s really light out now.

Yeah, so what?

"It was getting dark, cloudy and colder when we went inside the house. Now it’s light and warm, just like summer time.

Not warm silly, said Maddy. It’s hot! And the grass and trees are green; that doesn’t make any sense.

We looked around.

Look, there’s the garage, I pointed behind us.

Only it’s wood and it looks new and painted, said Jared.

And where’s the grave yard? I asked.

"Yeah, where