Read Online The Viking Symbol Mystery by Franklin W. Dixon - Free Book Online Page A

there?” he asked excitedly.
    Everyone stared at a floating object glinting in the sunlight on the surface of the lake.
    â€œIt’s an empty gasoline drum!” said Frank.
    â€œWhat a clue!” Chet exclaimed.
    The boys stripped to their shorts, swam out, retrieved the metal cylinder, and dragged it up onto the sandy beach.
    Caribou rolled the drum over for inspection. “It’s Keating’s all right,” he announced, pointing to the Hudson’s Bay stencil 42. “This is the Fort Smith store number.”
    â€œThe gas probably was used to fuel a plane,” Frank surmised.
    â€œThe stolen float plane, I’ll bet!” Joe said elatedly. “Hey! This lake would be a swell landing spot—the crooks’ hideout could be right near here!”
    â€œOr,” Chet put in, “the gas could have been flown to another spot.”
    â€œWe look around,” Caribou said.
    They started to circle the shore again, fanning out a hundred yards apart. Frank and Joe converged in a grassy meadow when suddenly they heard rustling in a clump of shrubs ahead.
    Stalking silently through the grass, they approached the bushes. The rustling grew louder. The brothers were about to push aside the shrubbery when Frank put his hand on Joe’s arm, restraining him.
    â€œGood night!” Joe gasped.
    Several yards to their right was a huge brown grizzly bear! Beside her were two small furry cubs. The Hardys stood as if frozen, hoping that the bear had not seen them. The mother bear growled, and reared up to her full five-feet height, standing upright. Her enormous head was ferocious looking, with her jaws held open and the small ears laid back flat.
    Frank took one second to notice that the beast’s long sharp claws were extended. “Head for the woods!” he hissed, pushing Joe in front of him.

    â€œHead for the woods,” Frank hissed
    The brothers raced off for their lives. The huge bear dropped to four legs. Though awkward and lumbering, she proved terrifyingly fast as she charged after the Hardys.
    Suddenly Caribou came crashing through the bushes. The giant trapper held his hat in one hand and a large plaid handkerchief in the other. He waved them frantically, and kept shouting, “Hey! Hey!” at the top of his lungs.
    The bear’s charge faltered as she became aware of Caribou’s actions. The huge creature swerved to her right and started to lumber in the direction of the French-Canadian. “Get up a tree, fast!” he yelled to Frank and Joe. “Go on!”
    The Hardys obeyed and shinned up the nearest trees. They clambered onto stout limbs and sat gasping for breath.
    Caribou raced off in another direction and climbed up a low-branched spruce. The mother bear padded over and began to sniff around the trunk of the tree where the trapper was perched. Suddenly there was a squeal from one of the cubs. Ears perked up, the grizzly stood still, listening. The cub squealed again. This time the mother turned and trotted back to her offspring.
    â€œWhew!” said Joe in a low voice.
    â€œThat was close!” Frank whispered, expelling his breath sharply.
    The brothers remained in the trees until they saw the bear and her cubs move off in the opposite direction toward the lake.
    Frank and Joe quickly dropped to the ground. Caribou had already climbed down from the spruce and hurried to meet them. He had a wide grin on his face.
    â€œPlenty of excitement in my country, no?”
    â€œPlenty is right!” Joe exclaimed. “Grizzlies I can do without, though!”
    The Hardys thanked the veteran trapper for coming to their rescue. Caribou explained that as a rule bears are not troublesome when they have cubs.
    â€œUnless you get too close,” he said. “Then the mother will charge to protect her young. The best way to escape is to distract her and climb a tree. Grizzlies don’t climb.”
    Just then Chet came running up, out of