The First Adventure by Gordon Korman Read Free Book Online Page A

friend and replaced him with spare parts. Maybe some of that dumb story was true. Either way, it didn’t matter. There was no money in stories. Show dogs, on the other hand . . .
    He approached the structure and threw open the rickety door. “Hey, mutt, there’s a new sheriff in — !”
    The roar that came from Luthor rattled everything in Darren’s head. There was the scrambling of toenails on wood flooring, and then the Doberman was airborne, a black-and-brown shape growing ever larger in the intruder’s field of vision.
    Darren had only a split second to contemplate the two things he knew about this huge, ferocious animal: (1) the dog was fiercely loyal to Drysdale, and (2) anyone Drysdale didn’t like, Luthor probably wasn’t too fond of, either.
    He ran, propelled by a terror far greater than anything he had ever known. Behind him, there was a tremendous crash, and Luthor exploded out the door, hauling behind him the broken top of an iron water pump. It smashed the door frame as it blasted through, swinging wildly at the other end of the dog’s leash. The pump looked heavy, but it wasn’t slowing the Doberman down.
    Darren Vader had never been able to climb a tree in his life. But he went up this one, howling even louder than the animal that pursued him. He cowered on a branch, just a few inches above those slavering, snapping jaws.
    * * *
    The minute Griffin woke up, he could tell there was something wrong. “What’s going on?” he blurted.
    Marty peered in the front door. “Has anyone seen Darren this morning?”
    Griffin understood instantly. Vader, that lowlife, that snail slime, was looking for Luthor. In a whirlwind, he scrambled into his clothes and ran out of the cabin. He very nearly tripped over Savannah, who was waiting for him, nearly hysterical.
    â€œDarren’s missing! I’m
positive
he’s gone after Luthor!”
    Griffin nodded seriously. “We’ve got to go find him.”
    â€œI don’t care if Darren Vader falls off the edge of the earth!” Savannah exclaimed savagely. “It’s Luthor I’m worried about!”
    â€œThink!” he ordered. “If we can’t bring Darren back fast, the counselors will search every inch of the woods. They’ll find Vader ­
and
Luthor, and the whole plan will be down the drain.”
    Savannah looked frantic. “There are dozens of them, and only two of us!”
    â€œBut we have an advantage,” he reminded her. “We know where we’re going.”
    They slipped out unnoticed amid the chaos of the camp, and raced into the woods, turning right at the overgrown path that was now familiar to them. As they ran, distant sounds became more distinct — the barking of an angry dog and a plaintive human voice yelling for help.
    â€œIf Darren’s done anything to harm Luthor —” Savannah began.
    That wasn’t how Griffin interpreted what he was hearing. But he realized it didn’t matter who was winning and who wasn’t. From the perspective of the plan, Luthor hurting Darren was just as bad as Darren hurting Luthor. Both would bring attention to a fugitive dog and a violated court order. The only winner would be Swindle.
    When Griffin and Savannah arrived on the scene, the sight that met their eyes was almost comical — Luthor, leaping and snapping at the dangling Darren while dragging around the remnants of the broken pump.
    Savannah dropped down on one knee and gathered her beloved dog into her arms. “It’s all right, sweetie. I won’t let him hurt you.”
    â€œAre you blind?” Darren shrieked, clinging to the branch as if his life depended on it. “
Me
hurt
him
? Which one of us is in the tree? He tried to kill me!”
    â€œIf you survive,” Savannah said coldly, “it’ll be because
I
didn’t kill you, not Luthor!”
    â€œYou can blame each other later,” Griffin