The Alaskan Adventure Read Free Page B

“Gee!”
    Ironheart led the team to the right.
    Frank turned halfway around and asked, “What do you say for left?”
    â€œHaw,” David replied. “That’s one of the first things a sled dog has to learn.”
    â€œThis is so cool! ” Joe exclaimed.
    â€œYeah,” David answered. “About twenty degrees below zero.”
    They laughed as the team continued angling diagonally across the Yukon. The trail looked well worn. Frank wondered if this was where David did most of his training for the Iditarod. But there must be other mushers in town, too, who used the same dogsled trails to collect firewood from across the river or to do other errands. The Yukon really was a highway, winter and summer alike.
    â€œWe’ve got company,” David said.
    Frank and Joe looked around.
    â€œOff to the left,” David added. “It’s Gregg.”
    Frank craned his neck and saw another dog team moving along the river, on a trail closer to the bank. “Is he trying to race you?” he asked.
    â€œNo, just out giving his team a run,” David told him.
    â€œFunny coincidence that he’s doing it right now,” Joe said. “He’s moving pretty fast, isn’t he?”
    David looked over again, then said, “I don’t think he’s carrying a load. That’s not the way I train-a team, but I guess he has his own ideas.”
    Frank twisted to get a better look at Gregg and his dogs. As he did, something else caught his eye. “David?” he called. “What’s that smoke in the town?”
    David looked over his shoulder. “Whoa!” he shouted. “Whoa!” The sled lurched as he jammed his foot on the blade brake, which dug into the snow-packed trail.
    Ironheart and the rest of the team stopped.
    â€œSomething’s wrong,” David said as he studied the column of black smoke rising from the edge of town.
    â€œWhat is it?” Joe said.
    â€œWe’d better get back fast,” David said. “That looks to me like Uncle Peter’s cabin.”

3 Throwing Snow on Fire
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    David ran toward the head of the dog team. As he passed the sled, he yelled, “Come on! Lift the sled. I’m going to turn the team around.”
    Frank and Joe climbed out on either side of the sled and followed David as he ran.
    David grabbed Ironheart’s harness and led him around in a wide circle over the rough ice. The team followed, then stopped. Frank and Joe hoisted the sled into the air and carefully maneuvered it in a half turn that left it facing back toward Glitter.
    As the Hardys were clambering back into their places on the sled, David grabbed the handholdand started to push. “Ironheart!” he shouted. “Hike! Hike!”
    Ironheart leaned into the straps around his muscular chest and dug his paws into the trail. The rest of the team did the same. They surged forward.
    Downriver the smoke from the Windman cabin smeared the sky with an ugly black blotch.
    David pushed the team to full speed. “Pull, Ironheart! Pull! Pull!”
    Ironheart strained against the harness. He and the other dogs seemed as aware of the emergency as David and the Hardys.
    â€œWhat do you think happened?” Frank asked.
    â€œI don’t know,” David replied. “It could be anything. But fire is about the worst thing that can happen. The whole town is made of wood.”
    Frank noticed Gregg across the ice, still mushing his team away from town. “We should tell him about the fire,” he said, pointing.
    â€œHe won’t hear us,” David said. “Wait until we get closer.”
    They raced along the slick ice trail, skimming over the frozen river. When they had shortened the distance, David shouted, “Gregg!”
    His rival didn’t even turn his head.
    â€œGregg! Gregg!” David called again.
    Gregg ignored him and continued driving his team away from town.
    â€œI guess he didn’t