The Secret of the Soldier's Gold Read Online Free PDF

were dressed much like the men whom Frank and Joe had seen earlier on their way into Lisbon—the men whom Inspector Oliveira had referred to as fascists. One was holding a leash with a snarling Doberman at the end of it.
    Startled, the Hardy boys jumped up from the sofa.
    â€œWhat’s going on here?” Frank asked.
    â€œMy sons,” Senhora de Feira announced. “Paulo, Antonio, and Rafael.”
    The three men nodded at the Hardy boys and walked into the room.
    â€œThis is Frank and Joe Hardy from America,” Senhora de Feira said. “They’re friends of Brigette Fleissner, and they’ve come here to take her suitcase of gold bars back with them.”
    At that, Senhora de Feira’s sons grinned.
    â€œHow do they propose to do that?” Paulo asked.
    For a moment the room was quiet. Suddenly Senhora de Feira looked curiously at Frank and Joe. “Boys, Paulo asked you a question. Why are you so nervous?”
    â€œIt’s the uniforms,” Frank said. “Our father’s friend, Inspector Oliveira of the Lisbon Police Department, said that only members of fascist groups wear them.”
    Paulo, Antonio, and Rafael laughed.
    â€œWe’re in a play about a fascist group,” Antonio said. “That’s why we’re dressed this way.”
    â€œYes, that’s why,” Rafael agreed.
    Frank could tell that they were lying, but he also knew that if he and Joe planned to get out of there alive, he couldn’t let the sons know what he was thinking. “Oh. Well, I wish you a lot of success with the play,” he said. “Maybe we’ll try to see it before we go back home.”
    â€œRight,” Joe said. “Maybe you could tell us where we can get tickets?”
    â€œOh, don’t worry about that. We’ll get tickets for you,” Paulo said. “But we’d like to hear more about Brigette Fleissner. Mother has really missed her.”
    Senhora de Feira nodded. “You said she gave you a map of where the suitcase is buried,” she said. “Would you please show it to us?”
    Joe withdrew his hand from his pocket. “I can’t believe this—I must have left it at the hotel!” he said. “I guess Frank and I will just have to go back there and get it.”
    â€œPerhaps you should look in one of your other pockets,” Antonio suggested. “Maybe you forgot where you put it.”
    Frank glanced quickly around the room. He and Joe were trapped.

5 Intruder in the Dark
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    Joe looked over at Frank. “Ets-lay am-scray!” he said.
    Frank grinned. Pig Latin, he thought. Perfect! “Ood-gay an-play, other-bray!” he said to Joe.
    â€œWhat are you saying?” Antonio demanded. “Speak English!”
    â€œOr Portuguese!” Paulo added. “We don’t know that language!”
    â€œOo-tay ad-bay!” Joe said. He leaned forward on the sofa, as if preparing to run a race. “Ow-nay!”
    Frank got the message. He shot off the sofa a split second behind Joe.
    Before Senhora de Feira and her sons realized what was happening, Frank and Joe were almost to the front door of the de Feira house.
    Behind them they heard the de Feiras shouting and the Doberman barking.
    Joe reached the door first. He turned the large iron knob to open the door.
    Frank, right behind him, ran out and shut it behind him, just as the Doberman reached it. The dog squealed in pain as it crashed into the thick wood.
    Frank and Joe raced down the porch steps and out to the street.
    â€œI hope there’s a crowd of people at the tram station,” Joe shouted to Frank. “Safety in numbers!”
    Frank knew he was right. He didn’t think the de Feira brothers would threaten them if there were other people around.
    When they were two blocks away from the de Feira house, Joe looked over his shoulder. He was surprised to see that nobody was coming after them. Cautiously he slowed