Mystery Map Read Online Free PDF Page A

soccer camp. He’s cool. But what’s this about a treasure?”
    Chet quickly explained about the map. “But the part with the final hiding spot got chewed off by an animal or something, so we didn’t find the treasure,” he finished.
    Joe nodded. “And I still don’t get how this Biff kid is going to help us do it,” he complained.
    â€œNot unless he’s the one who chewed off the corner,” Iola said with a giggle.
    Frank laughed. “I don’t think so,” he said. “But anyway, it’s not really Biff we need.” His eyes lit up as they turned the corner. In a yard up ahead a tall, blond kid their age was playing with a lively puppy. “It’s
him
!” He pointed to the puppy.

    Joe’s eyes lit up. “That’s a bloodhound!” he cried. “Of course! I should have remembered.”
    That was Frank’s plan. Like Joe, he’d seen Phil’s friend walking his new dog around town the past week or so. He also remembered his father talking about how a bloodhound had helped him solve one of his cases by using its super-sensitive nose to track down a missing person. Now Frank was hoping Biff’s bloodhound could follow his nose to the treasure, even if they couldn’t follow the map.
    Biff heard them talking and wandered over. “Hi, Phil,” he said, tugging on the leash as the puppy jumped around. “What’s up?”
    â€œTo be honest, I’m not sure,” Phil said. Then he introduced Biff to Frank, Joe, Iola, and Chet. “They all go to school with me,” Phil explained. “I think they might need your help. Or Chuck’s help, anyway.”
    Biff glanced down at the puppy. “His nameisn’t Chuck anymore,” he said with a sigh. “I just can’t decide what to call him. None of the names I think of seem right.”
    Frank wasn’t too interested in the puppy’s name. He was much more interested in what the puppy could do. “Does your bloodhound know how to track yet?” he asked eagerly. “Because we have a mystery we need him to help us solve.”
    Biff looked interested. “I don’t know,” he said. “My mom says he tracked down the dog treats she tried to hide in a drawer. So I guess he does know how to follow his nose. What kind of mystery?”
    Taking turns, they all told Biff about the map. By the time they finished, he was just as excited as they were.
    â€œI can’t believe there might be a real hidden treasure right here in Bayport!” he exclaimed. “That’s awesome!”
    â€œSo you’ll help us?” Chet asked.
    Biff grinned. “Sure. Come on, boy,” he told the puppy. “Let’s go!”
    Soon they were all back in the woods. Frank led the way to the little clearing where they’d lost the trail.
    â€œSee if he can sniff around and pick up any kind of trail,” Joe told Biff.
    Iola was patting the bloodhound puppy. “I think you should call him Nosy,” she said. “He definitely likes to follow his nose.”
    â€œNosy?” Chet wrinkled his own nose. “That’s a dumb name.”
    â€œOver here, boy.” Biff pulled Nosy—or Chuck—or whatever-his-name-was—over to the spot Frank had pointed out. “Find that treasure!”
    Nosy-Chuck-Whoever barked, seeming just as excited about the search as the rest of them. Maybe
too
excited. He raced around in circles, sniffing at anything and everything. When a squirrel rustledin the underbrush, he leaped at it so fast that he almost pulled Biff down.
    â€œSettle down, boy!” Joe exclaimed. “Otherwise we’ll have to name you Hyperdog!”
    Biff laughed. “That’s a pretty good name for him.”
    â€œKeep trying to get him to find the trail,” Frank urged. “Maybe he just needs a minute to settle down.”
    Biff kept trying. But it was no use. The puppy was just too