Dan Carter And The Haunted Castle Part 21

"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 ent.i.tled 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 a.s.signed 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,"