The Ice-cold Case by Franklin W. Dixon

basement at a large workbench. He had computer parts strewn all around him while he concentrated on a tiny circuit board.
    â€œHey, Phil. What’s up?” Joe said.
    Phil took off his safety goggles and looked to see who had come in.
    â€œFrank and Joe, I’ve been thinking about you,” he said. “I think I’ve figured out how to heat that van of yours.”
    â€œFirst, we have something we want you to look at,” Joe said. He reached into his pocket for the page of numbers and handed it to Phil.
    â€œLooks like it’s been through the wash,” Phil said as he took the paper, which was now stiff and weather-beaten.
    â€œI went swimming in the lake,” Joe said.
    â€œAre you crazy?” Phil asked.
    â€œI didn’t exactly plan it,” Joe said.
    â€œThis list may have something to do with the robberies at the lake,” Frank said.
    â€œChet told me some house sitter got beaten up pretty bad,” Phil said. He looked at the list of numbers.
    â€œLet’s go upstairs,” Phil said as he led them to his room.
    â€œHey, can I use your phone?” Joe asked.
    â€œSure. You know where it is.” Phil waved him in the direction of the kitchen.
    â€œI’m going to see if Con has gotten anything,” Joe told his brother, and took off.
    â€œJust remember, the phone is the little white box on the counter, not the big white box on the floor that is cold and has food in it,” his brother called after him.
    Frank couldn’t believe all the electronic gadgets Phil had stacked against every inch of wall space. There were wires running everywhere.
    Phil sat down at his computer and began typing in the numbers from Joe’s list.
    â€œLet’s see if there’s any pattern to these two columns,” Phil said.
    Frank watched Phil enter the numbers into the computer. He then ran a number of mathematical tests against them.
    â€œWhat have you got?” Frank asked.
    â€œNothing so far,” Phil said.
    â€œIs it some kind of code?” Frank asked.
    â€œI doubt it,” Phil said. “You see all the numbers in the first column start with seventy-three and those in the second column start with forty. Then we have periods and another pair and another pair . . .”
    Frank looked over Phil’s shoulder at the numbers on the screen.
    â€œI can’t believe I’ve been such an idiot,” Frank said. “Phil, do you have an atlas?”
    â€œSure, why?” Phil said as he got an atlas off a bookshelf.
    â€œLongitude and latitude,” Frank said.
    Phil let out a big smile. “Of course. But we don’t need an atlas.”
    Phil pulled a map program up onto the screen. He used the mouse to create a box around the area defined by longitude 73 and latitude 40. He then enlarged the box.
    â€œNew York,” Frank said.
    Phil typed in the coordinates from the list. Then he hit the return button and the computer zoomed in closer on the map.
    â€œBayport,” Phil said as a map of their town filled the screen. “Let’s go closer.”
    Phil typed in the last digits of the first set of coordinates. He hit the enter key and the map zoomed in closer. A red X began flashing right in Pineview Lake.
    â€œThat’s your spot,” Phil said proudly.
    â€œIn the lake?” Frank asked.
    â€œYup,” Phil said.
    Joe came into the room. “I talked to Riley. He hasn’t gotten anything positive yet, but he said he’s still got a few places to call.”
    â€œGreat. Joe, take a look,” Frank said.
    â€œThe numbers on your list were latitude and longitude,” Phil explained.
    â€œDo the next one,” Frank said.
    Phil repeated the procedure and again the computer flashed a red X in Pineview Lake.
    â€œGood fishing spots?” Frank suggested half-heartedly.
    â€œWhy hide a list of good fishing spots under your mattress?” Joe asked.
    â€œTo keep them