His call went unanswered. But now Brad distinctly could hear the crackle of flames.
Following a path which led from the rear of the stone building into the woods, he found the smoke thicker.
Then ahead, he saw a fiery, uneven line of flame.
Dried grass and leaves had ignited. The flames already covered an area nearly twenty feet across and were spreading rapidly.
Tongues of fire licked greedily at the bases of the trees, but so far had not eaten deeply into the wood.
The smoke and heat halted Brad. He realized his utter helplessness.
No water was available. He had no tools or anything with which to fight the fire.
“I’ve got to do something!” he thought desperately. “But what?”
Brad moved back into the cleared area by the Castle. The grass was green here and free of brush and leaves. If the fire could be checked at the edge of the woods, the building would be spared.
On the other hand, should the tall trees catch, nothing could stop the fire until it had done untold damage.
Sparks borne by the wind now were flying toward the stone dwelling. One fell into a tiny pocket of leaves and began to blaze.
Brad pounded out the flames and scattered the leaves with his rake. But other sparks were beginning to drop.
“The Castle will go unless I can get help fast!” he told himself. “May be someone at the adjoining estate has some equipment.”
Brad started at a run across the cleared space and then on into a field of stubble.
Unexpectedly he tripped over a pile of boards and fell flat on the ground. His extended hand groping over the top of the boards, encountered only yawning space.
Scrambling to his feet, Brad saw that the fall had saved him from a much worse disaster. The loose boards only half-covered a deep pit.
“Gosh! That was a narrow escape!” he exclaimed. “I could have tumbled in.”
Brad gave a quick glance down into the pit and then did a double take. Water!
“It’s an old well!” he thought. “Now if only we had buckets—”
The boy started on, running toward the estate where he and Dan so rudely had been dismissed by the gardener.
Reaching the road, he was just turning into the lane when a truck halted beside him.
“Say, buddy, where’s the fire?” the driver asked him.
Brad saw that it was a telephone company truck bearing five or six linesmen in addition to the man at the wheel.
“There’s a brush fire over behind that stone house,” he informed, pointing toward the area of billowing smoke. “I need help and I need it fast!”
“Hop in!” directed the driver.
The truck roared down the road and turned in at the castle grounds. Smoke now was so dense that the building scarcely was visible.
“We’ll never get it stopped now!” Brad cried.
“Maybe we will,” the truck driver encouraged him. “A trench may be the ticket. We’ve got a couple of spades somewhere in the truck.”
“But if those trees get a good start, the entire forest area will go,” Brad pointed out. “Those estates farther down the road will be in danger too.”
Piling out of the truck, the linesmen ran to the scene of the fire.
“The smoke is heavy, but the fire hasn’t spread too far—yet,” the truck driver appraised the situation. “The flames are thin and could be beaten out with blankets—if we had ’em. Or water—”
Brad told him about the well.
“Fine, but we have only one bucket in the truck. That will be about as much use as spraying with an atomizer!”
As the telephone men were getting what equipment they had from the truck, Dan Carter came running up.
“Did you get hold of Mr. Hatfield?” Brad demanded.
“Yes, and Mr. Holloway too. They’ll be out here pronto with all the equipment they can get on short order. But it looks pretty hopeless.”
“I’m afraid so,” Brad mumbled. “Oh, it makes me sick to stand helplessly by and see the Castle destroyed. We may get the blame too.”
The linesmen, having no blankets, had made use of a heavy canvas carried in the truck to protect equipment.
With it, they beat at the flames which were moving steadily closer to the stone building. Seeking to add their bit, Dan and Brad took turns carrying water from the well.
The pit was shallow. By attaching a rope to the bucket handle they could lower and dip the container. The work, however, was slow and discouraging.
“We need a dozen buckets to make any progress,” Dan declared, thoroughly disheartened. “Brad, it’s no use!”
“Yes, it is!” the older boy encouraged him. “Isn’t that a car coming this way?”
“It looks like Mr. Hatfield’s automobile!” Dan agreed, straightening up. “Oh, I hope he brought buckets!”
The boys ran to meet the car. Mr. Hatfield and a neighbor sprang out, and began to unload fire extinguishers. Chips and Red piled out of the back seat.
“Jeepers!” the latter exclaimed. “How did that start?”
Without answering, Brad demanded if the fire fighters had brought buckets.
“You’ll find several in the rear compartment of the car,” Mr. Hatfield instructed him. “Some spades, old blankets and everything I could get on short order. Mr. Holloway is following with more helpers and equipment. Without water though, there’s not much we can do.”
“We’ve found a well,” Brad told him. “I don’t know how long the water will last though.”
Mr. Hatfield and his neighbor seized fire extinguishers and joined the toiling linesmen. He ordered the Cubs, directed by Brad, to carry water.
“But don’t get too close to the fire,” he warned. “Your job is just to keep those buckets moving.”
With the additional supply of buckets, and other Cubs to help, Brad and Dan were able to keep a fairly steady flow of water in the hands of the fire fighters.
The smoke remained dense. But as Dan carried his fifth bucket of water, he noticed that the fire line among the trees had receded.
“We’re making a little progress,” Mr. Hatfield exclaimed jubilantly. “If the water only holds out we may win!”
In an endeavor to prevent the fire from spreading toward the Castle, the men had dug a narrow, wide trench.
As Brad earlier had noted, the fire, though widespread, had so far fed itself only on dry grass and brush. The fighters became increasingly hopeful that it could be put out before the trees ignited.
Within ten minutes Mr. Holloway arrived, bringing more equipment and extra helpers. In addition to two men, Midge and Ross Langdon were with him.
“Golly!” the latter exclaimed as he saw the black smoke. “Look at ’er burn!”
The remark infuriated Dan.
“And whose fault is it?” he demanded, wiping a smudge off his cheek. “If you had cleaned away the brush the way you were supposed to, the fire wouldn’t have spread so fast.”
“I did clean it up,” Ross said defiantly.
“When?”
“Last night.”
“All by yourself?”
“All by myself,” Ross repeated. “I worked nearly two hours and half killed myself.”
Dan allowed the matter to pass. Ross might be telling the truth. Since he claimed to have worked alone, no one could prove or disprove his assertion. In any case, it didn’t much matter now, for the damage had been done.
“Grab a bucket, and get to work!” he advised. “It’s going to be nip and tuck to check that fire.”
For once, Ross made no protest at being asked to work. He seized the bucket and ran back with Dan to the old well.
Brad had just raised another bucketful which was only a little over half-filled.
“The water level is going down fast,” he said. “I don’t know if we’ll have enough to see this thing through.”
“The fire’s almost licked,” Dan encouraged the others. “More help is coming too.”
Smoke had drawn a number of motorists and nearby residents to the scene. Many of the curious had remained to help.
The Cubs carried water until they no longer could get enough out of the well to make it worth while. But by that time, the fire definitely was under control. Beating at the flames with blankets and canvas, the men finally were able to extinguish the last spark.
“We’ve done it!” Mr. Hatfield exclaimed, sinking down on the grass to rest. “Dan, if that fire had had another ten minutes start, we never could have saved the Castle.”
“I wonder how it started?” the boy remarked.
“That’s what I was asking myself. I hope—” Mr. Hatfield did not finish what he had intended to say.
Dan, however, guessed at his thought.
“You hope it wasn’t one of the Cubs,” he completed with a questioning inflection.
“I started to say that, Dan. Then I realized that the remark would be unfair. None of the Cubs were out here today until you and Brad spotted the fire.”
“Not so far as I know,” Dan agreed. “Last night—”
This time it was the boy who did not finish his sentence. It struck him that it would be very disloyal even to hint that Ross might have been responsible for the fire. Certainly he had no proof that the Den 1 boy had been careless in clearing away brush.
“Well, we’ve saved the Castle and we can be proud of ourselves,” Mr. Hatfield declared, getting up from the ground. “The Cubs really pitched in.”
Brad and Dan asked the Cub leader how much damage had been done.
“It’s hard to tell,” Mr. Hatfield replied. “Some of the shrubs have been killed. But I don’t believe many of the trees have been damaged. As soon as the smoke clears a little, we’ll make a thorough check.”
Brad had noticed a familiar automobile driving into the grounds.
“We’ll have a little help too,” he muttered uncomfortably. “See who’s here now!”
Dan and Mr. Hatfield turned around to see that it was Mr. Kain, the bank employee, who had arrived.
“Oh, oh!” Dan remarked under his breath, as the man came swiftly toward them. “His face is as black as the smudge on mine! Something tells me we’re in for it now!”
CHAPTER 12
A Debt to Pay
Mr. Kain strode directly to Mr. Hatfield and the two cubs. The angry expression on his face left no doubt as to his attitude about the fire.
“I might have known something like this would occur!” he began. “Boys never should be permitted to run wild in a wooded area.”
“Just a minute, Mr. Kain,” interposed the Cub leader wearily. “Don’t jump to hasty conclusions.”
“The bank property has been damaged. We happen to own the woods, you know. It was a mistake to allow your organization to use this land.”
“You’re assuming that the Cubs started the fire, Mr. Kain.”
“What else should I think? They’ve been here almost daily, having picnics and starting fires.”
“That isn’t true, Mr. Kain,” Brad interposed, losing patience. “The Cubs have been careful about fires, knowing how dry the woods are at this time of year.”
“We’ve eaten cold food,” Dan added. “When this fire started, not a Cub was near the place so far as I know.”
The two boys were righteously angry for they felt that the bank employee was unjustly blaming the Cub organization without having made any investigation of the facts.
Several of the fire fighters who had overheard the remark, were of the same opinion.
“That’s right,” spoke up one of the telephone linesmen. “Fact is, if it hadn’t been for these two boys, the fire never could have been stopped. The house would have been destroyed for sure. But they saw smoke and got help before the fire was too well started.”
This information softened Mr. Kain somewhat.
“Is the fire out?” he demanded gruffly.
“Practically so,” he was informed. “The leaves are smoldering in a few places. But there’s no danger, if the area is watched for awhile.”
“We’ll be glad to do it,” offered Mr. Hatfield.
Mr. Kain made no reply. Abruptly leaving the group, he went to inspect the smoking, blackened patch of burned-over ground.
Brad, Dan and the other Cubs watched him uneasily. From his manner it was impossible to tell whether or not he accepted their statement that the Cubs had not been responsible for the fire.
Their eyes red and smarting from the smoke, too tired to care much what the bank employee thought, they flung themselves onto the grass to rest.
Mr. Kain presently returned. Immediately it was evident to the Cubs that his anger remained with him.
“What’s he picked up?” Dan muttered, noticing a charred object in the man’s hand.
“Looks like a stick,” Brad replied.
The object proved to be a half-burned shaft and arrow.
“This may or may not have significance,” Mr. Kain said coldly, addressing the group. “I picked it up in the burned area.”
“It looks like too large an arrow to be one of ours,” said Dan defensively.
“You’ve been using bows and arrows here however?”
“Sure,” admitted Brad. “We haven’t been starting fires with ’em though.”
“Nevertheless, the arrow convinces me that the Cubs have been roving through the woods at will, undoubtedly lighting matches and—”
“Cubs are taught to be careful about fire,” Brad broke in. “Besides, we’ve told you—the Cubs weren’t here today. Dan and I were the first to arrive.”
“The fire may have been slow in starting—possibly it smoldered for hours. But that’s neither here nor there. The damage has been done.”
“We’re mighty sorry, sir,” Dan said. “It wasn’t our fault, and we did our best to check the fire quickly.”
“I’m grateful to you for that, boys. All the same, you see my position. I am responsible to the bank. Of course you understand that I can’t permit you to continue to use this property.”
The Cubs gazed at Mr. Kain, dumbfounded. It seemed utterly impossible that he would send them away after they had worked so hard to save the Castle.
For a long moment no one spoke. Then Dan said:
“Mr. Kain, do you mean we can’t finish the filming of our play here?”
The bank employee dropped the charred arrow onto the grass. He stirred uneasily under the steady, almost accusing gaze of the Cubs.
“I know it will inconvenience you,” he said flatly. “But I have to think of the bank.”
“Inconvenience us!” Chips fairly shouted, breaking into the conversation. “If we have to go to another place, it means filming all the scenes over again!”
“We’re already working against a deadline,” Red added angrily. “Have a heart, Mr. Kain!”
“Sorry, boys. Is Mr. Holloway or your Cub leader around? I’ll have to inform them that the organization is not to come here again.”
Both Mr. Hatfield and Mr. Holloway had gone to one of the cars where equipment was being packed. Seeing the two men, Mr. Kain would have started off to intercept them, had not Brad stopped him.
“Just a minute, Mr. Kain,” he said quietly. “I can’t feel that you’re being fair. The Cubs have been as careful as they know how to be in using this property. We cleaned up the brush and kept all of our promises.”
“I’m not blaming anyone,” Mr. Kain replied, ill at ease. “Boys will be boys. I’m not saying the fire was started on purpose. But you see my position. I’m responsible to the bank.”
“If you feel we caused the damage, let us pay for it,” Dan spoke up suddenly. “Just give us a chance to finish our play here.”
The offer seemed to strike a responsive chord with the bank employee. He paused a moment to consider.
“Sure,” urged Chips, “the Cubs have money we were saving for costumes and scenery. We could use some of that to pay for the damage.”
“Well, I hardly know what to say—” Mr. Kain hesitated.
“No buildings were destroyed,” Brad said quickly. “Only a few shrubs.”
“You boys did work hard to put out the fire once it started,” the bank man admitted. “I suppose an arrangement could be made for you to pay for the damage.”
“Then you’ll allow us to finish our play here?” Red demanded.
“Well, if you agree to pay, I suppose I might let you stay on for a week or two. But no longer.”
“How much will we owe?” Brad asked.
He knew that the shrubs which had burned were not rare or valuable ones. Actually, he thought that the fire had done very little damage. Although the blackened area was ugly and disfiguring, new growth quickly would cover it.
“Twenty-five dollars should cover it,” Mr. Kain said, after a little thought.
Now to him the amount seemed comparatively small. To the Cubs it represented a huge sum. To meet the debt they would be required to pool every cent they had earned for costumes and perhaps dip into the organization treasury as well.
Seeing the look of consternation upon the faces of the boys, Mr. Kain amended his calculation.
“Well, I’ll be easy on you,” he said. “Make it twenty dollars. However, the sum must be paid to the bank no later than tomorrow.”
Brad turned to the Cubs of Den 2. “How about it fellows?” he asked. “Can we do it?”
“We’ll have to,” decided Dan grimly. “I have three dollars and a half saved for my costume. I’ll toss that into the kitty.”
“How about the Cubs of Den 1?” Brad asked Ross. “Will they help too?”
“You’ll have to ask them,” he replied. “I know I can’t kick in. I’ve already used all my paper route money to buy a costume.”
“I thought Mrs. Holloway was making it for you.”
“I decided to buy it instead,” Ross answered. “No home-made job for me.”
With the exception of Ross, all of the Cubs who were present agreed to the plan. Having pledged themselves, they then sought Mr. Hatfield to tell him of their decision.
“If that’s what you want to do, it’s all right with me,” he agreed. “The Cubs always pay their debts. If the bank feels we’re responsible for the damage, then we’ll pay whatever they ask.”
“Have someone bring the money to the bank tomorrow,” Mr. Kain said. “I don’t want to be hard on the boys, but maybe having to spend their own cash will teach them to be more careful.”
No one replied. Decidedly uncomfortable, the bank man said good-bye and drove away.
After he had gone, however, the Cubs had a great deal to say.
“He doesn’t want to be too hard! Oh, no!” Midge mimicked. “We worked mighty hard for that money.”
“And now it all goes to the bank when we didn’t do a thing except cut their old brush!” Red stormed. “It makes me sick.”
“We don’t have to do it,” Brad reminded the Cubs. “For that matter, we can give up the play.”
This the Cubs were unwilling to do.
“If Old Kill-Joy Kain says we owe twenty dollars let’s pay it,” Dan proposed grimly. “We’ll have to dig up every penny we saved for our costumes. That means making out with any old materials we can lay our hands on. Time’s too short to earn any more money now.”
“Fat chance we’ll have of winning the grand prize without decent costumes or scenery,” Chips said gloomily. “We’ll look like a band of tattered beggars!”
“All except Ross,” said Red, fastening his gaze upon the Den 1 boy. “He’ll have a perfectly super costume. Maybe, after all, we should award him the star part!”
CHAPTER 13
Kill-Joy Kain
Well aware that the other Cubs were out of sorts and annoyed at him, Ross immediately took issue with Red’s pointed remark.
“Is it my fault I happened to buy my costume before this place went up in smoke?” he demanded. “Why shouldn’t I be entitled to it?”
“Ross is right,” Brad spoke up quickly. “He’s just luckier than the rest of us. At least we’ll have one good costume for the play.”
“Yeah, but Ross should pay his share of the damage,” Red protested hotly. “After all, he’s as much to blame for the fire as we are—maybe more so.”
“What do you mean by that crack?” Ross demanded.
“You were assigned to clean up the brush in your section. Well, that was where the fire started!”
“I didn’t do it! Furthermore, I came out here last night and raked brush until I was blue in the face!”
“You probably started a little fire and thought you had put it out—”
“That’s not so,” Ross flung at his accuser. “You can’t prove it. I never touched a match.”
“Cut it out, Red,” Brad quietly advised the other Cub. “Ross’ word is good with me. You have no right to accuse him when you haven’t any evidence.”
“Okay,” Red muttered, rather ashamed of himself, “I guess I did speak out of turn. Sorry, Ross.”
The Den 1 boy made no reply. Turning quickly, he walked to one of the cars.
“We’re all out of sorts and dead tired,” Dan said. “It makes us all jumpy, especially after Mr. Kain came out here and delivered such a sock.”
“I’m sorry I accused Ross,” Red said again. “All the same, we know how he acts—”
“Never mind,” broke in Brad severely. “Mr. Hatfield is signaling us from the car. He’s ready to leave. I for one will be glad to get home and clean up.”
“Remember, we have to deliver our money to Mr. Kain tomorrow morning,” Dan warned the Cubs as they started off to the waiting cars. “I suppose we ought to meet at Mr. Hatfield’s house and all go to the bank together.”
After the other boys had scattered, he and Brad gathered up the empty buckets. Several men who lived not far away had offered to keep watch of the smoldering woods area, so the Cubs no longer would be needed.
“I’d like to know how that fire actually did start,” Brad remarked. “Dan, do you think Ross had anything to do with it?”
“Not intentionally.”
“No, of course not. I mean, do you think he came out here last night as he said to clear up the brush?”
“I rather think he did, Brad. Maybe that’s one reason the fire didn’t spread terribly fast despite the dryness of the season. He could have dropped matches or something, but you were right in saying we shouldn’t blame him. We’ll probably never know how the fire started.”
“Not unless we dig up a clue later on when we can search the area.”
“Everything is burned over. Not much chance of that, Brad.”
The Den Chief stooped to pick up the charred arrow which Mr. Kain had dropped on the grass. Carefully he studied it.
“You think that may have significance?” Dan asked after a moment.
“Maybe so. Maybe not. The arrow could have been lying out in the woods a long while. We know our mysterious Robin Hood has shot plenty of them.”
“Say! That’s an idea, Brad!”
“What is?”
“Maybe the fire was started by the fellow who has been roving around here—the Ghost of the Castle!”
Brad smiled, for the thought had occurred to him when first he saw the charred shaft.
“We know the Ghost is a very real person,” he commented. “We also know he roams over this property and the Castle at will.”
“He could be a tramp.”
“I’ve thought the same thing, Dan. We certainly shouldn’t blame Ross for that fire, until we’ve made as complete an investigation as possible.”
“Let’s see what we can discover right now,” the younger boy proposed.
Brad however, vetoed the proposal. He pointed out that Mr. Holloway and Mr. Hatfield both were ready to leave for town.
“We’re all tuckered out now,” he said wearily. “Let’s come back tomorrow. Then we’ll have plenty of time to comb the burned area for clues.”
“Providing the bank sticks by its agreement,” Dan added, sunk in gloom. “Even if we do dig up our money, the officials may change their minds about allowing us to use this place.”
The destructive fire was disheartening not only to Dan and Brad, but to all of the Cubs. Even if satisfactory arrangements were made for their continued use of the premises, they felt that they would remain under a cloud of suspicion.
Also, try as they would, they could not muster their former enthusiasm for presenting and filming the Robin Hood play. Without elaborate costumes and scenery they felt they would not have a very good chance to win first prize.
Mr. Holloway and Sam Hatfield also were troubled. It seemed rather unjust to them that the bank should hold the Cub organization responsible for the fire. Both offered to make good the loss themselves.
The Cubs however, were of one mind on this matter. They would not hear of the organization leaders assuming the bill.
“Maybe Mr. Kain will soften up when we take the money to him,” Dan said hopefully.
By pooling their earnings, the boys of the two Dens were able to accumulate twenty-one dollars and seventy-five cents. Ross was the only Cub to make no contribution.
“My paper route isn’t doing well any more,” he complained. “I’ve decided to give it up.”
“While you’re giving things up, you might cut out candy,” Chips reminded him, noticing that even as he talked Ross was nibbling at a chocolate bar. “I guess you have enough spending money.”
Brad gave Chips a warning glance and he subsided into silence. Nevertheless, the seeds of resentment were deeply planted among the other Cubs. Nearly all of the boys felt that Ross was taking a most selfish attitude.
“All set to go to the bank?” Brad asked the group.
The boys had gathered at Mr. Hatfield’s house to pool their money. Now, accompanied by the Cub leader, they walked three short blocks to the bank.
At such an early morning hour, few customers were in the institution. Mr. Hatfield inquired for Mr. Kain and was told he would be found upstairs in a balcony office.
The Cubs trooped up the stairs, presenting themselves at the official’s desk.
“Good morning, boys,” Mr. Kain said, but his voice, they noted, was not very friendly.
“We’ve brought the money,” Brad said, taking out his wallet.
“Oh, the money,” Mr. Kain repeated vaguely. He frowned. Then he said: “I’ve been thinking the matter over since I talked with you. The bank feels that it would be better not to allow the Cubs to use the property again. We’ll forget the amount you owe.”
“But you said if we paid the twenty dollars we might finish the filming of our picture!” Dan burst out. “We’ve raised the money. We’re keeping our part of the bargain.”
Mr. Kain stirred uneasily in his swivel chair.
“I’ve made further investigation since I talked with you boys yesterday afternoon. A farmer who lives not far from the castle grounds, reported to me that he saw a boy in the woods shortly before the fire started.”
“A Cub?” Brad demanded.
“Well, I suppose so.”
“None of the Cubs were there!” Dan said indignantly. “We’ve all given our word on that. Brad and I were the first to arrive on the scene. The fire had a good start then.”
“If it hadn’t been for Brad and Dan, I think the bank would have lost their building,” Mr. Hatfield interposed quietly. “To replace it at present costs would require in the neighborhood of a hundred thousand dollars, I should judge.”
“The house has no such value as it stands,” Mr. Kain said. “However, the bank is grateful to the Cubs. It’s not that. But you see our position. With so much at stake, we can’t risk having irresponsible—”
“The Cubs are not irresponsible,” Mr. Hatfield said firmly.
“Well, I’m sorry.” Mr. Kain spoke with finality.
“Then you won’t let us finish our film at the Castle?” Brad demanded.
“I can’t allow you to go there. As I say, I’m sorry—”
The Cubs waited to hear no more of his apology. Completely discouraged, they started down the balcony steps.
“It’s unfair!” Red stormed. “This bank gives me a pain!”
Unnoticed by the Cubs, a heavily set man in gray, which matched the color of his hair, had met them squarely on the stairway.
“What’s this about not liking the bank?” he inquired.
Embarrassed, Red stammered out that Mr. Kain wasn’t being fair to the Cubs. And he added bitterly: “That’s all the thanks we get for saving their old house!”
The remark troubled the man, for he said: “We must look into this. Come with me, and we’ll talk to Mr. Kain.”
By this time the Cubs began to suspect that they had encountered another official of the bank. They were sure of it, when as they approached Mr. Kain’s desk again, the man quickly got to his feet.
“Good morning, Mr. Hammond,” he said respectfully.
Mr. Hammond, the boys learned a moment later, was vice president of the bank. A man of precise mind, he first asked Mr. Kain for his version of the disagreement. Then he listened to what Red and the other Cubs had to say.
“I didn’t annoy you about this matter, Mr. Hammond, because you were busy,” Mr. Kain said uneasily. “I thought for the protection of the bank—”
“Mr. Kain, you lose sight of several facts,” replied the bank official. “First, the Cubs give their word they had nothing to do with the fire. Second, had it not been for them, the Castle undoubtedly would have been destroyed. And third, it’s important that they finish the movie they’re making.”
“I only did what I thought was best for the interests of the bank,” Mr. Kain said, his eyes smoldering with resentment.
“I have a nephew who is a Cub Scout in another city,” Mr. Hammond continued. “He’s a dependable youngster and so are the other Cubs in his outfit. I’ll take a chance on such lads any day.”
“Very well,” said Mr. Kain stiffly. “The decision is yours to make—not mine. However, I must say that it’s tempting fate to turn loose a pack of boys on the premises.”
“We’ll not turn them loose exactly,” smiled the bank official. “I assume they will be under the direction of their leaders.”
“That’s right, sir,” Brad assured him.
“Also, I’ll assign you, Mr. Kain, to accompany the boys and watch over the property during the filming of the various scenes,” Mr. Hammond added. “I’m sure you’ll guard the bank interests most diligently.”
With that, he nodded to Mr. Hatfield, and moved on to his own private office.
It was plain to the Cubs that Mr. Kain resented their interference. This, he indicated, by the cold formal manner in which he addressed them.
“You heard what Mr. Hammond said?” he demanded. “He very generously has allowed you the use of the premises under my supervision. May I ask when you will film the next scenes of your play?”
“Probably Saturday if the weather is pleasant,” Mr. Hatfield informed him. “By that time we should have costumes and scenery ready. I assure you we’ll wind up the filming as quickly as possible.”
“Very well. Saturday then, I’ll be on hand to see that everything is kept in order. Oh, yes, there’s one more matter—the twenty dollars.”
“Well, for crying out loud!” Red muttered, but at a stern look from Mr. Hatfield, he subsided.
Now all the Cubs were certain that Mr. Hammond had not intended them to pay the sum. However, they were too proud to argue.
Without saying a word, Brad opened his wallet and gave the money to Mr. Kain.
“There go our costumes,” remarked Red pointedly.
“Eh?” inquired Mr. Kain, busily writing out a receipt.
No one repeated the remark.
Brad accepted the receipt, and the Cubs left the bank.
Red and Midge were in favor of protesting to Mr. Hammond. However, the Cub leader would not allow them to do that.
“All the same, Old Kill-Joy-Kain is taking advantage of us,” Red opined as the boys disconsolately walked down the street. “He’s sore now, and he’ll see to it that we have no privileges at the Castle.”
CHAPTER 14
Clues
Dan and Brad shared the opinion of the other Cubs that their “fun” times were nearly at an end at the Castle.
Parting company with the other boys, they discussed the matter as they walked toward their homes.
“I’ll bet a cent Mr. Kain won’t allow us to go poking around in the woods,” Brad remarked. “I especially wanted to see if we could find any clues as to how the fire started.”
“Why don’t we go out there now by ourselves?”
“I’d like to,” Brad replied. “I sure would. But it wouldn’t be cricket. Mr. Kain takes it for granted we’ll only go there when he’s around to watch-dog us.”
“I guess you’re right,” Dan admitted ruefully. “What we could do though, is to get there early on Saturday. If we’re lucky, we might get an hour’s jump on Mr. Kain.”
During the next few days, the Cubs made what arrangements they could for costumes. The mothers of the two Dens came through splendidly, fashioning garments of whatever materials they had on hand.
On the whole, the Cubs felt that the play would not be quite the flop they had feared. Nevertheless, resentment flared again when Ross displayed the elegant costume he had purchased at a theatrical supply store.
Among some of the boys it was whispered that Ross still expected to be awarded the star role in the play.
And though Dan and Brad tried to quiet such rumblings, the Cubs continued to hint that he might have had something to do with starting the disastrous fire.
“If Ross is innocent, the Cubs are doing him a terrible injustice,” Brad said to his friend early Saturday. The two boys had walked to the Castle grounds, and by intention were there ahead of the Pack.
“I wish we could find how the fire really started,” Dan replied soberly. “So much time has elapsed now, all clues probably have been destroyed.”
“We may find some more of those arrows, Dan. They may or may not have significance.”
The two boys were hopeful of coming upon evidence to indicate that the fire had been of accidental nature or had been started by the mysterious “ghost” of the Castle.
Their task proved most discouraging. As they wandered through the blackened, charred area, they found not a single clue. They did observe that the damage to shrubs and trees had been relatively slight.
“It looks to me as if Ross told the truth about cleaning up the brush,” Brad declared, pausing beside a large pile of charred sticks and debris. “See! He must have gathered it all here in this one place.”
“And maybe touched a match to it.”
“Ross wouldn’t be that stupid. He knows better than to start a fire in a wooded area. Anyway, you can see the fire didn’t start in this pile of brush. It spread from some distance back.”
Dan agreed with his friend’s observation. Both could see where the fire had followed a line of least resistance along a winding road.
“Say, I wonder where that road leads?” Dan speculated. “I never noticed it here before.”
Curious to learn whether or not it joined the main road, they followed it for a short distance.
Before the boys had gone far, they discovered that it twisted in among the trees, leading behind the Castle. From there it swung to the right, presently coming out within view of the adjoining estate. By this time the Cubs had learned that the property was owned by a Colonel Brekenridge.
“No sense going any farther,” Brad said, halting. “For all we know, we may be trespassing on Brekenridge land. If the Colonel’s gardener should spot us, he’d make trouble.”
“The road hasn’t been used much of late,” Dan said, noting that it was clogged with grass.
Pausing in the clearing, the boys gazed toward the pillared Brekenridge home. No one was to be seen either in the yard or on the veranda.
After a casual inspection, the pair started back the way they had come.
They had covered about two-thirds of the distance to the Castle, when Dan abruptly halted to study a charred irregular area at the side of the road.