Dan Carter and the Cub Honor Part 8

"So they're taking it out on us!" Chips said resentfully.

The walk curved and the Cubs obtained a clear view of the old building.

Dan, slightly ahead of the others, halted abruptly, dismayed by what he saw.

Not one, but half a dozen small windows had been smashed. The rainbow-hued gla.s.s of a circular, stained window had been broken too.

"Someone else did that!" he exclaimed. "No wonder the trustees are sore!"

"It's unfair to blame the Cubs," Chips declared.

The boys circled the old church, noting evidence of extensive damage.

With so many windows smashed, entry into the building itself could not be prevented.

Chips started to crawl through one of the larger openings, but Mr.

Hatfield hauled him back.

"We're in deep enough now," he said severely. "Don't make it worse."

It was well that Chips was prevented from crawling through the window, for a few minutes later, an automobile pulled up at the side entrance of the building.

Terry Treuhaft and two men the Cubs did not recognize, came over to the group.

"The church trustees, I think," Mr. Hatfield advised in a whisper.

His guess was correct. The two elderly men proved to be Elwin Maxwell and Joshia Brennan. The newcomers spoke curtly to Mr. Hatfield and ignored the Cubs completely.

Old Terry unlocked the front church door with a ma.s.sive key so that the trustees could enter. Though not invited to do so, the Cubs followed close behind.

In the vestibule a marble statue lay smashed. Plaster either had fallen of its own weight or had been knocked in ugly patches from the walls.

Pews were overturned, a stair railing broken from its supports and a stack of old hymn books scattered.

"You see what they did!" Old Terry said to the two trustees. "I've been taking good care of this place. Now look at it!"

"We had nothing to do with this," Dan said, trying to draw the attention of the trustees. "Absolutely nothing."

"These were the boys," Old Terry identified them for his employers. "They came out to my place to demand the key so they could get an ice cream freezer. When I denied it to 'em, they came here just the same and broke in."

"We came here to eat our lunch on the grounds," Dan replied, "but we didn't break in."

"You admit you broke a window?"

"One window. We didn't do all this damage."

"You were seen breaking in," Old Terry insisted. "Some folks in the neighborhood saw your gang climbing through the windows and called the police. But you managed to get away before the wagon came."

"You must have dreamed all that!" Chip gasped.

"What time was this supposed to have happened?" Dan demanded.

"You know well enough. Just about dusk."

"We were home long before that," Chips retorted. "So your story doesn't hang together."

Mr. Hatfield spoke quietly. "The Cubs have told me their version of what happened, and I believe it. Den 2 boys are honorable and truthful. I'm convinced they're not responsible for this damage. Believe me, if I thought otherwise, I'd be the last to defend them."

"You'll have an opportunity to defend them in court," Mr. Maxwell said acidly. "I don't care to discuss this matter further. See our attorney, Mr. Brady."

Mr. Hatfield knew that it would be a waste of breath to try to talk to the two trustees while they were in their present mood. He motioned for the Cubs to leave the church.

All filed out with exception of Brad, who had taken no part in the conversation with the trustees. He had busied himself at the rear of the church, inspecting an overturned pew which had caught his attention.

"Coming, Brad?" Mr. Hatfield asked.

"Be right with you," the Den Chief replied.

Even then he lingered for a moment. When finally he came outside, he seemed very thoughtful.

"What's the matter, Brad?" Dan questioned him. "You're so quiet. You don't think we wrecked the church do you?"

"Of course not."

"You're acting sort of queer. What kept you in the church, Brad? You were looking at that bench a long while."

"I found something too."

"You did?" Dan became eager. "What was it, Brad? Anything that might help clear the Cubs?"

"I don't know," Brad replied slowly. "It might not have any significance, and then again, it could."

"What did you find?"

"You'll keep it under your hat?"

"Of course."

Brad lowered his voice. "On that overturned pew I noticed some freshly carved initials. They were 'P. O.' Does that mean anything to you?"

CHAPTER 6 A CHALLENGE FROM PAT

"'P. O.,'" Dan thoughtfully repeated the initials. "The only thing that pops into my mind is Post Office."

"That's hardly what I meant," Brad replied, smiling. "The letters were freshly carved. I could tell from the color of the wood. Besides, there were tiny splinters on the floor."

Dan surged with excitement as he realized the importance of the Den Chief's discovery. Since the initials had been cut so recently, it must mean that they had been carved by the person or persons who had wrecked the church.