Dan Carter And The Money Box Part 31

"I told you I would, didn't I?"

"I'll accept your word, Jack. And here's the rifle. When you return it to Mrs. Jones, why not ask her if you may borrow it now and then? She'd likely give her consent and you wouldn't feel low and sneaking about it.

Furthermore, in season you probably could help out by bringing in game for the table."

"Maybe she would let me take it," Jack said. "Sure, I'll ask her next time. I promise."

Mr. Hatfield smiled and reached out to shake the boy's hand.

"Good luck, Jack," he said. "You'll do all right. I'm confident of it.

I-"

An odd expression came over the Cub leader's face. Without finishing what he had started to say, he stooped down to examine one end of the hollow log.

The Cubs then saw what had attracted their leader's attention. A bit of water-soaked cloth protruded from the end of the log.

"What's this?" Mr. Hatfield murmured.

As the boys watched in amazement, he removed a wadded-up garment. The Cub leader shook it out, revealing a woman's black dress trimmed in diamond-shaped jet b.u.t.tons.

"Why, that must be the costume stolen from Mrs. Jones' place!" exclaimed Brad as Mr. Hatfield spread the garment over the log.

"Sure, the same one maybe that was worn by the thief who made off with the money box!" added Dan, becoming highly excited.

Mr. Hatfield carefully examined the diamond-shaped b.u.t.tons.

"Aren't they the same as the one police found in your desk?" Dan demanded.

"They certainly look the same," the Cub leader admitted. "I wonder how this dress came to be in the log?"

"Someone must have stuffed it in here just to be rid of it," Brad ventured.

His gaze fastened upon Jack Phillips. The boy leaned on his rifle, staring at the dress with a fixed, almost frozen expression.

Observing the odd look of his eyes, the Cubs could not fail to wonder what he knew of the matter.

"Jack," said Mr. Hatfield, without mincing words, "have you ever seen this dress before?"

"Have I seen it?" the boy echoed indignantly.

"That's what I asked, Jack."

"No, I never saw the dress before!" the boy answered sullenly. "What's more I didn't put it in this old log! I had nothing to do with stealing your money box!"

"Finding this dress here gave me a bad moment," Mr. Hatfield said.

"Frankly, it's something of a shock."

"Well, blame me! I always get accused of everything whether I did it or not!"

"No one has accused you of anything, Jack. We only want to get at the truth of the matter. I have a deep-seated feeling that you might help us, if only you would."

Jack remained silent.

Mr. Hatfield examined the dress and then wrapped it into a tight roll.

"Jack, we'll walk along with you to Mrs. Jones' place," he said. "I think this is the dress that disappeared from her shed. I want to find out for certain."

"I didn't take it," Jack denied. "What would I want with a woman's dress?

If you go back and tell the widow, she'll think I stole it! She'll send me back to the Inst.i.tute!"

"Not if you tell a straight story, Jack," Mr. Hatfield rea.s.sured him.

"Come along, boys. We're wasting valuable time."

Jack did not openly defy Mr. Hatfield or the Cubs, but he made it evident by glances he directed at them that he resented their interference.

As the group approached the old farmhouse, Mrs. Jones saw the boys from afar. She was waiting at the door when they came up.

"Well, I see you caught the rascal!" she commented grimly.

"We found him," Mr. Hatfield corrected. "Jack wasn't running away though.

He said he intended to come back."

"Jack, why do you do it?" the widow asked, taking the rifle from him.

"Haven't I been good to you?"

"Yes'm," the boy responded, his eyes on the ground.

"I'll fix you some victuals. You must be hungry."

"I've had enough to eat. I'm sorry about taking so much from the refrigerator."

The tight lines around Mrs. Jones' mouth relaxed. "There! I reckon boys are all alike," she remarked. "I had three of my own once. I never could break 'em of taking cookies from the jar."

The widow cordially invited the Cubs into the kitchen. Mr. Hatfield declined the invitation for them.

"Mrs. Jones, here is something we wish to show you," he said, exposing the rolled-up black gown to her gaze. "Did you ever see this dress before?"

"Land sakes! It's the dress that disappeared from the shed!"

"You're certain it's the same one?"

"Of course I'm certain. Didn't I wear that dress for six years? Where did you find it?"

"In a hollow log not far from here."

"Well, of all places! How did it get there?"

"That's what I'd like to know myself. Dan tells me that someone in a black dress was seen leaving my place on the day the money box disappeared."