Fleeced Read Online Free PDF

lodge.’ Gertrude was panting.
    Glade House had a big veranda. Nearby was a river with a swing bridge. Tomorrow morning ,they would cross that bridge, Zoe told them, smiling. She wasn’t even puffing and she smiled a lot.
    Being ‘nice’ for four days to people like Stan must be a hard job.
    â€˜Zoe, after the season finishes here, what do you do?’ Mum switched off the camera.
    â€˜I work in ‘The Goldfields.’ replied Zoe.
    â€˜The Goldfields?’ Christopher imagined going down mine shafts.
    â€˜A restaurant in Johannesburg.’ smiled Zoe. ‘Same city where Big Jon played rugby.
    My step-dad’s South African. He owns the restaurant.’
    â€˜D’you get paid in gold?’ joked Christopher.
    â€˜Johannesburg’s got diamonds.’ Amy did a diamond project last term.
    â€˜Miners have to be searched so they don’t smuggle any out of the mines.’
    â€˜Gold nuggets come from there too,’ said Zoe.’Miners have to shower after their shifts. Gold dust is collected from their clothes and bodies when they shower. It adds up over the month.’
    Christopher thought about drawing a gold- recycling shower in his sketch pad.
    â€˜Probably nuggets here too, in the rivers,’ Dad looked through his view finder.
    â€˜There’s gold colour in that water.’
    Zoe nodded. ‘Perhaps. The odd nugget has been found. Because it’s a national park, any gold nuggets found, belong to the Government.’
    â€˜An American guy was arrested for smuggling gold nuggets out of New Zealand, just recently.’ Mum read every newspaper. ‘Had them made into nails and put in a box. Looked just like brass nails.’
    â€˜Hammered?’ asked Christopher wondering if they’d break.
    â€˜No. Holes were drilled first.’
    â€˜Was Big Jon playing rugby in Johannesburg when you were there?’ asked Amy.
    She knew South Africa was a big place, like Australia, but ...
    â€˜Wrong season’ replied Zoe, ‘But he hit the headlines. Fans stole clothing from his hotel room. A belt or watch or something.’
    Amy remembered that later. Solving a mystery was like doing a jigsaw. At first you just had coloured bits that didn’t fit. Later, piece by piece, you started to see the picture.
    While they rested their packs on the veranda, hut- numbers and bunks were given out. Unluckily, Christopher was in with Stan and four others. Amy was in a female dormitory.
    â€˜Dinner at 6, sharp!’ said Zoe. They wandered off to find their bunks, unpack, shower or just relax in the Rec. Room.
    With a flourish, Stan signed the Visitors’ Book on the front table. After Amy signed her name, she flicked through. Each page had the date and the tour guide’s name.
    Would the Loser’s name be in here somewhere? How many groups ago? How would she find Ex -108 with the not-very hairy legs? Would a diabetic have a special diet?
    Maybe she could chat to the cook?

    Stan was in the shower. Christopher could hear the water running. Stan’s backpack was open on the lower bunk. His bum-bag was unzipped. His passportwas half way out of the bum-bag. Stan was a very careless traveller.
    Christopher glanced around. The others had gone. Quickly he opened the passport.
    Stan hadn’t visited many countries, at least on this passport. The twins had far more stamps. That photo did NOT look like Stan. Could he be someone else?
    Was he just pretending to be Stan the Dork?

    Minutes later, in the hut bathroom , Amy carefully soaked off the American stamp.
    The envelope floated. It seemed a bit thick. There was a piece of paper inside. A letter. But now it was all soggy. The ink was smudged and unreadable. How could she dry it quickly?
    Mum disapproved of reading others’ mail. But how could you be a sleuth without sleuthing?
    Minutes later, Amy pushed open the Drying Room door. Inside were racks with boots, tops, and rows of socks. A damp