The Second Adventure by Gordon Korman Read Free Book Online Page B

floor at his attackers as Melissa and Logan rushed over.
    Melissa immediately noticed a red scratch by Luthor’s collar. “He’s hit!”
    â€œHe seems okay to me!” Logan observed, hauling on the leash to urge the Doberman away from the opening, toward the back stairs.
    â€œNo, he doesn’t!” Melissa exclaimed. “He isn’t fighting — he isn’t even growling at us! That’s not Luthor!”
    Sure enough, the big dog’s eyes were glazed, his movements slowed.
    â€œWell, I like him better this way!” Logan said feelingly. “Call me crazy, but I’ve got a thing about having my head bitten off!”
    They could hear the lift mechanism still laboring, but knew there wasn’t much time before the two drivers hopped down and came around to intercept them. The only way out was the steps. The dog had refused those before, but now he did not balk at the staircase, even though his legs buckled a little. The glancing blow from the dart had delivered some of the dose of the tranquilizer, but not all of it. It did not put him to sleep, yet it was affecting him, making him drowsy and docile.
    They reached the bottom of the stairs just in time to see the two drivers charging up the central aisle of the theater toward them. Logan hauled Luthor outside and Melissa slammed the door shut behind them, jamming a fallen tree limb where the bar had once been.
    There was a crash from inside, followed by loud pounding. The branch shook but held firm.
    â€œLet’s get out of here!” urged Melissa.
    â€œYeah, but to where?” Logan demanded, breaking into a jog, leading the sluggish dog. “What hiding place could ever be good enough? Once the Showdown starts, we’ll be tied up, and those two guys will be free to search the camp one blade of grass at a time!”
    â€œKeep moving!” Melissa panted. He had a point, but there was no time to think the matter through. Pretty soon, the bus drivers would give up on the back door and exit through the front. When that happened, Luthor had to be
gone
.
    Desperately, she looked around. They could try to stash Luthor in the maintenance shed or equipment shack, or stuff him under a bunk in one of the cabins. What was the least likely place the dognappers would check? Would Luthor stay put there? What if one of the counselors walked in on him? It left a lot up to chance.
    No, they needed more control. They had to be able to keep an eye on the Doberman every minute. But how?
    The barbecue was winding down. Soon it would be time to break into teams for the Showdown, but right now the campers stood in clusters, chatting, joking — anything to suppress preperformance jitters. One of the larger groups included Mary Catherine, Athena, Bobby, and several other key players in the Ta-da! revue. Melissa took the leash from Logan and headed toward them, Luthor stumbling drowsily behind.
    â€œYou can’t let anybody
see
him!” Logan hissed after her. When he realized her destination, his whisper became even more urgent. “You can’t let the
Klingon
see him! She’s the enemy!”
    She led Luthor right into their midst and gestured urgently for them to form a circle around him. “We have to hide this poor dog!” she begged.
    Mary Catherine’s eyes bulged. “Are you crazy? There are no dogs allowed at camp! Where did you get it?”
    â€œHe’s from one of the farms around here,” Melissa explained, inventing rapidly. “And the farmer is
cruel
to him!” Okay, it was a lie. But if the dognappers got hold of Luthor, they’d bring him to Swindle, who’d be every bit as cruel as her imaginary farmer. So there was truth at the core of the fiction.
    â€œDog abusers, dognappers,” Mary Catherine scoffed. “What is it with you two and dogs?”
    â€œWe thought Mickey Bonaventure was working for the farmer,” Logan put in. “That’s why I called