The Alaskan Adventure Read Online Free PDF

at the general store?” Mona began to clear the teacups from the table. “Here’s the list.”
    â€œNo problem,” Joe told her. “That’ll give us a good excuse for getting into conversation.”
    A few minutes later the Hardys left the cabinand started down the path. They hadn’t gone very far when a tattered figure in a torn red cap and filthy green parka popped up in front of them.
    â€œYou fellows moving in here?” he demanded.
    Joe recognized the old prospector they had seen right after their arrival in Glitter. What was his name—Lucky? He didn’t look lucky.
    â€œNo,” Frank answered. “We’re friends of David Natik’s, up on a visit.”
    â€œYou looking for gold?” Lucky asked, his head bobbing up and down.
    â€œNo, we’re here for the race,” Joe explained. “The Iditarod.”
    Lucky glared at him. “You like gold, don’t you? Everybody likes gold—gold dust, gold flakes, gold nuggets. I’ve found them all.”
    Joe decided to humor him. “That’s great,” he said. “But we’re more interested in the Iditarod. The dogsled race.”
    â€œI know all about the Iditarod,” Lucky snapped. “David and Gregg are running in it this year. That’s a big deal for Glitter, but there’s lots of bigger deals, if you know where to look for them.”
    â€œOh? Where’s that?” Frank asked.
    Lucky tapped his finger against the side of his nose. “That’s a secret,” he said. “I know a lot ofsecrets. What about nuggets? You like gold nuggets? Just be careful whose nuggets you put your hands on.”
    Frank told him, “We’re not looking for gold. We’re just here to—”
    Before Frank could finish his sentence, Lucky turned and walked away. Then he shouted over his shoulder, “Lots of different kinds of gold. You hear that?”
    Joe looked over at Frank. “What was that all about?” he asked.
    â€œGold,” Frank replied. “And, like the man said, everybody likes gold, but there’re lots of different kinds. I’d say we ought to keep that in mind. Come on, let’s see who else we run into.”
    Joe looked around as they walked through the town. There was a lot of atmosphere to soak up. Two little boys with eyes like black marbles stared at them from the small window of one of the cabins. It occurred to Joe that he and Frank were as exotic a sight for the townspeople as they were to them. A little farther on, an old man whose face had deep wrinkles walked by, bent almost double from the stack of firelogs roped to his back. Two huskies near the door to a cabin rose up and bared their teeth as the Hardys walked by.
    â€œYou know,” Joe remarked as they neared thegeneral store, “I thought this theme park idea sounded nutty when David told us about it. But I’m starting to understand why a lot of people might want to come here. It’s different.”
    He and Frank stepped onto the porch of the store and pushed the door open. A bell tinkled, then tinkled again as Joe pushed the door closed behind them.
    The general store looked exactly as he had imagined it would. A black potbellied stove stood in the middle of the room, with a couple of battered wooden chairs drawn close to it. The walls were hidden by wooden shelves loaded with canned goods, clocks, hammers, oil lamps, and a hundred other items. Big cloth sacks of flour, rice, and animal feed were stacked in the corners. A tall wooden cabinet with no doors held piles of parkas in all colors, thick woolen shirts, long Johns, gloves, socks, and red plaid caps. Near the back were bales of furs, which had been brought in by trappers.
    The man who stepped out from behind the counter fit right into the scene. He was about fifty, tall, skinny, and bald, wearing a blue-and-white-striped apron over a shirt and tie.
    â€œYou’ll be David