Read Online The Hunt for Four Brothers by Franklin W. Dixon - Free Book Online

this.”
    â€œI’m surprised you don’t recognize it,” the librarian said. “It’s been in the news enough.”
    â€œWhat country is it from?” Joe asked.
    â€œKormia,” the librarian replied.
    â€œWhere a civil war has been fought for the last two years,” Joe said, turning to Frank. “Jons was a mercenary in Kormia!”
    â€œThank you,” Frank told the librarian as he and Joe headed for the door. “Kormia is still a long, long way from Russia,” Frank said. “Why would Jons have gone to Kiev?”
    Joe shook his head, got into Katie’s car, and started it up. “The soap!” Joe suddenly remembered. “The return address was from some manufacturer in Kiev.”
    â€œThat’s right!” Frank exclaimed. “I’ll bet it’s Gus Jons who’s been making raids on Konawa, trying to recover his shipment from Kiev.”
    Joe’s smile faded. He stopped the car on the shoulder. “One problem, Frank. Gus Jons couldn’t have been at the asylum last night with those huskies, leaving wet boot prints. Mr. Craven said he spent most of the night talking to some guest in the lobby.”
    Frank frowned. “Could Mr. Craven be lying?”
    â€œI don’t know whom to trust, Frank,” Joe said, pulling the car back onto the road.
    â€œIf Jons really was talking all night with someone, and it wasn’t Flatts,” Frank said, “the next step is to find out who it was.”
    â€œI think the key is finding out the secret behind the package from Kiev,” Joe said. “What was in that soap?”
    â€œI have an idea how we can find out,” Frank replied.
    â€¢Â Â Â â€¢Â Â Â â€¢
    The Hardys found Chet, red-faced and sweaty, sitting on the porch, sucking down bottled water.
    â€œChet, I thought you were a soda man,” Joe said, dropping onto the bench next to his friend.
    â€œNeed water. Heat. Clearing reeds out of drainage ditch,” Chet spoke in broken sentences.
    â€œAre you being funny, or are you too tired to talk?” Frank asked.
    â€œNo more maintenance,” Chet said, grabbing Frank by the front of his shirt.
    Joe knew Chet was acting but that his exhaustion was real. “Don’t worry, buddy—Frank’s taking over the afternoon shift.”
    Chet held up a thumb, leaned back, and sprayed some water over the top of his head to cool down.
    â€œI’m taking the afternoon shift because we need you to go undercover on the housekeeping crew again,” Frank said.
    Chet turned the bottle on Frank, who backed away, laughing.
    Joe caught Chet smiling. “Chet! Chet! We knowyou’re beat,” Joe said, patting him on the back, “but we need you and Julia to find all the Russian soap left at Konawa and replace it with the regular stuff.”
    Joe told Chet everything they had discovered in town that day. “Wow! Who knows what could be in that soap,” Chet said, sitting up, his interest and energy revived. “You can count on me.”
    â€œYou’re the man, Chet.” Joe grinned.
    â€œDid you find out anything about Flatts or Tringle?” Frank asked.
    â€œI stopped Mrs. Gregory on her way down to arts and crafts,” Chet said. “Mr. Tringle is from Athens, Georgia, and has been coming here for years. He’s a chronic grouch, she says, but he doesn’t seem the type to be involved with criminal activity.”
    â€œWe know from some of our other run-ins with crooks that looks can be deceiving,” Joe mentioned.
    â€œMr. Flatts is new to Konawa this year,” Chet went on. “Mrs. Gregory said the people who sit at his table say he’s very polite but doesn’t talk much about himself. When he does talk, it’s very formal.”
    â€œIt’s not just formal, it’s military,” Frank pointed out. “Flatts uses military time and military