Read Online The Alaskan Adventure by Franklin W. Dixon - Free Book Online Page B

you send a basket of fruit to Peter yesterday?”
    The storekeeper shook his head. “Nope. Curt Stone sent it. All I did was ask Gregg to carry it over. Why?”
    â€œThat’s funny,” Joe said. “We saw Curt earlier, and he said he didn’t know anything about that fruit.”
    Jake’s face reddened. “He sent it, all right. I found it right here on my counter, with his card and a note saying to send it to Peter.”
    Frank asked, “Do you mean that you didn’t speak to him about it, just found the note?” Jake nodded. “Do you still have it?”
    â€œNope,” Jake said. “Say, what is this? Is Curt up to something? If he is, I bet Lucky’s in it, too, up to his neck.”
    â€œThe prospector?” Joe asked. “Why?”
    Jake looked down at the counter. “I’m no tattletale,” he said, with a little smile. “But yesterday when I glanced out my window, I saw Curt passing Lucky a wad of bills. He looked as if he didn’t want anybody to see it, either. The way I figure it, Lucky must be doing something to earn that money. Am I right?”
    Frank and Joe thanked Jake for his help and left the store. Once on the street Frank said, “We’d better have a talk with Lucky.”
    They stopped by the cabin to get directions, then hiked into the hills behind town. Lucky’s mining operation was a twenty-minute walk from Glitter, on a dirt road that looked like a relic from Gold Rush days.
    Frank was first to spot the weathered shack beside a frozen stream. “Hello, Lucky?” he called.
    No answer. He walked nearer and called again.
    From behind him he heard a faint footstep. He started to turn, but an arm caught him around the throat and started to tighten, cutting off his breath.

9 More Dirty Tricks
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    Joe was out back, trying to figure out a complicated piece of old machinery he’d spotted. He heard a strangled shout and looked up and recognized Lucky’s dirty green parka and faded red cap. Lucky had his arm in a choke hold around Frank’s neck.
    Not for long. As Joe rushed to help his brother, Frank got grips on Lucky’s wrist and elbow, then made a sudden leap to the side. An instant later he had a hammerlock on his astonished attacker.
    â€œLet go, you’re hurting me!” Lucky protested. “I’m an old man!”
    â€œYou should have thought of that before you jumped me,” Frank retorted. He releasedLucky’s arm and took two quick steps backward, ready to meet any further attack.
    Lucky scowled and rubbed the muscle of his upper arm. “You were spying on me, that’s what,” he said. “I can’t stand spies.”
    â€œWe just wanted to talk to you,” Joe said. “We didn’t mean to scare you.” The instant he said it, he realized that he had used the wrong word.
    â€œScare me!” Lucky said. “You think you scared me? Nobody scares me!”
    â€œNo, no,” Joe said hastily. “What I meant to say is that we didn’t mean to surprise you.”
    Lucky spat on the ground. “You didn’t surprise me neither,” he growled. “You don’t creep up on Lucky Moeller. I saw you coming. I heard you coming. I even smelled you coming!”
    â€œWell,” Frank said. “Now that we’re here, can we talk?”
    Lucky peered at them from under his bushy eyebrows. “What about?” he asked, suspicious.
    â€œWe were wondering what you think about the ThemeLife plan,” Joe said. “How do you think people in Glitter ought to vote?”
    Lucky’s face brightened. “You boys doing a survey? Well, I think everybody ought to vote yes. Why wouldn’t they?”
    â€œWhat do you think is good about the ThemeLife plan?” asked Frank.
    Lucky’s head bobbed up and down as he said, “The money, that’s what. The money! All those tourists coming to town with their