Dan Carter And The Money Box Part 30

However, as they came presently to a rise of ground, they glimpsed him off to the right not far from the main road.

"He's taking it easy," Brad said in relief. "I guess he doesn't suspect we're following him."

"Shall we show ourselves?" Dan demanded.

"No need to yet, Dan. The minute we do, he'll either defy us or start to run. We'll just keep him in sight until Mr. Hatfield catches up."

"Sure, that's what he told us to do," Midge said nervously. "No telling how the kid may react."

Without glancing around, Jack made his way directly to the road. Once he paused to stare at the crotch of a tree which had been split by lightning.

Another time, hearing the crackle of a stick, he looked quickly over his shoulder. Brad, Dan and Midge froze in their positions and the boy did not see them.

"He's heading for the road all right," Brad observed. "We've got to beat him to it."

Dropping back into the hollow, the three Cubs hastened on. Presently, they emerged at a point where they had calculated Jack would come out of the woods.

Nor were they mistaken. In a moment, before they fully had caught their breath, they saw him coming.

Jack was whistling a slightly off-key tune. Seeing the three boys in front of him, he broke off and stopped dead in his tracks.

The moment was a tense one for the three Cubs. They were relieved though that Jack made no attempt to draw his rifle.

"What's the idea?" he demanded, trying to shove past them.

The Cubs stood their ground.

"Mr. Hatfield wants to talk to you," Brad said pleasantly. "You raised a few points."

"You'll learn nothing more from me!" Jack retorted. "I told you that! Let me past!"

Brad, Dan and Midge refused to move. Jack glared at them, and then whirled, evidently intending to run.

However, he found retreat also blocked.

During the brief conversation, Mr. Hatfield, his son, Fred, Chips, Red and Babe quietly had come up from the rear.

"What's the big idea?" Jack repeated furiously. "You got nothing on me!"

At a signal from Mr. Hatfield, the Cubs closed about the boy in a tight circle.

"Hand over the rifle, Jack," the Cub leader ordered. "You handle it very well for a boy of your age, but you shouldn't have taken it from Mrs.

Jones without her permission."

"Aw, she never used it."

"Nevertheless, it was her property. The rifle, Jack."

The boy seemed on the verge of defying the Cub leader. Then, he thought through the matter, and with a gesture of contempt, extended the weapon.

"It ain't loaded," the boy muttered. "You got nothing to worry about."

Mr. Hatfield checked the rifle for himself, finding that Jack had spoken the truth. Evidently he had used his last shot on the rabbit.

"What d'you aim to do? Turn me over to the cops again?"

"That depends on what you tell us, Jack. From the start, we've tried to give you the benefit of every doubt. Your remarks about the tin box, however, were disturbing."

"I didn't take the money!"

"No one has accused you, Jack. It's clear though, that you know plenty about the matter."

"I read about it in the paper."

"I think you know more than the facts you have read, Jack. Why don't you come clean?"

"You turned me in!"

"We're law abiding citizens, Jack," Mr. Hatfield argued. "What else could we do?"

"I help only my friends."

"We are your friends," the Cub leader insisted. "At least we want to be.

Sit down, Jack, and let's talk this over."

Mr. Hatfield brushed off a hollow log which had fallen near the fence, and made room for Jack. The other boys gathered around close enough so the Inst.i.tute lad could not hope to make a break for freedom.

"Jack, can't you realize that we're trying to help, not make things hard for you," Mr. Hatfield attempted to reason with him. "You must return to Mrs. Jones' home."

"I was going there anyhow," the boy muttered, his gaze on the ground.

"You weren't running away again?"

"'Course not," Jack said irritably. "I wouldn't go away and take her rifle. I'm not a thief. She's been good to me in her way-better than anyone else."

"I'm glad to hear that!" Mr. Hatfield exclaimed. "I knew you had good stuff if you'd just give it a chance to come out. Now about the money box-"

"I don't know anything about it."

"But you hinted-"

"I was just blowing," Jack said, avoiding Mr. Hatfield's direct gaze.

"All I know is what I read in the newspaper."

The Cubs were disgusted. But Jack, they knew, did not abide by their standards of honor and fair play.

"Let me go now," Jack muttered, getting up from the log. "You got no right to keep me."

"Do we have your word that you'll return to Mrs. Jones' house?" the Cub leader asked.