The Alaskan Adventure Read Free Page A

do . . . ”
    â€œIt’s not that,” David said. “I was wondering if maybe you’d like to go for a ride.”
    â€œYou mean, with the dogs?” Joe asked eagerly.
    David nodded.
    â€œBelieve it!” Joe said. “When?”
    â€œHow about right now?”
    â€œYou’re on!” cried Joe. The walk back to the huskies seemed to take much less time. Once there, Frank and Joe helped David carry a sturdy oak sled from a storage shed. They set it on a flat piece of ground next to the trail.
    â€œIt’s so long,” Joe said, sounding surprised.
    â€œThat’s to hold supplies,” David explained, “and it’s long enough to sleep on, too, when you’re on the trail.”
    He started laying out a long series of connected harnesses. The huskies began barking eagerly and leaping up, then falling back as they reached the end of the ropes that kept them close to their houses.
    â€œYou want to help hitch them up?” David asked. “Here, we’ll bring them to the sled one byone, in order. The ones closest to the sled are called the wheel dogs. We’ll take them over first.”
    David grabbed one of the huskies, untied him, and led him to the slot just in front of the sled. The dog stood quietly while David put the padded harness around his powerful chest.
    â€œYou have to let them know you’re in charge,” David said. “Once they know you mean business, they’re fine. Joe, why don’t you bring Big Foot over? And Frank, you can fetch Gray Dawn.”
    Frank and Joe went over to the dogs David pointed out, took them by the collars, and led them to the sled, where David harnessed them. Soon it was the turn of Ironheart, the lead dog. Frank scanned the rig and estimated at least forty feet between Ironheart and the front of the sled. Dogsledding needed a lot of room.
    By now the team of huskies had turned into a powerhouse of energy and enthusiasm. Tails wagging, the eager dogs jumped up against the harnesses, ready to get moving. This was what they lived for. This was what they loved.
    â€œThey need a good run,” David said. “You two will take the place of the weight of the supplies.”
    Joe sat in the seat, while Frank squeezed in front of Joe. David stood at the rear of the sled, next to the runners.
    â€œWhat, no steering wheel?” Joe called out. “No accelerator?”
    â€œNo seat belt or airbag?” Frank added.
    They all laughed.
    Ironheart looked over his shoulder at his master and panted. It looked to Frank as if the husky, too, was enjoying the joke.
    â€œHere we go,” David said. “Hike! Hike!” he shouted at the dogs.
    The huskies dug their feet into the packed snow of the trail and lunged forward. The sled was soon bouncing along a rutted path toward the river. Frank and Joe were so startled at the sudden speed of the team that neither of them said a word.
    â€œHike! Hike!” David called again.
    Frank glanced back at him. David had his left foot resting on the runner. With his right he kicked at the trail to help push the team along.
    Frank fastened the neck tab on his parka and pulled the hood tighter around his ears. The icy wind had already numbed his nose and cheeks. The path plunged down the riverbank and onto the ice. For a moment the sled felt as if it had become airborne. Frank grabbed the sides of the sled.
    Behind him Joe shouted, “Waa-hoo!”
    As the dogs felt the sled move onto the slickersurface of the river ice, they picked up the pace. “Hold on!” David shouted.
    The white expanses of snow and ice glittered blindingly in the winter sunlight. Frank narrowed his eyes to slits and looked around. The wild silence of unending Alaska surrounded them. Nothing broke the stillness but the steady high-pitched hissing of the sled runners on the ice.
    Just ahead the trail branched. “Gee!” David called out to Ironheart.