Dan Carter Cub Scout Part 25

"Saul Dobbs' name wasn't spoken," Brad went on. "We don't like the man, so naturally we decide he's in on something shady."

"What do you think we should do?" Dan asked, willing to follow the older boy's advice.

"I don't know whether we should make any accusations or not," Brad returned doubtfully. "One can't go around accusing persons on flimsy evidence. I guess the best thing to do is saying nothing until we've had a chance to report this to Mr. Hatfield."

"What about this crate of pheasants?" Dan asked. "Shall we put it back in the lean-to?"

"I don't like to do that. Those birds need food and water right now."

"Why not take 'em to the barn and turn them loose with the other pheasants?" Dan suggested. "Then we can explain to Mr. Silverton later on, if we need to."

"That's a good idea!" approved Brad. "Come on, let's move along and find out what's happened to Chips."

Carrying the crate of pheasants, the three retraced their way along the dark path. At the masked entrance, there was no sign of Chips.

Brad whistled softly and the boys came quickly out of hiding.

"Where did those men go after they left here?" Brad questioned. "Did you see 'em?"

"Sure," Chips answered, staring at the crate of pheasants which Red and Dan carried between them. "They were plenty mad about something too!"

"But which way did they go?"

"Back toward the log jam and the road."

"I sure hope Mack and Fred kept out of sight," Brad said anxiously.

As the four started for the creek, he explained to Chips what they had seen and heard near the lean-to.

"Did you recognize either of those two men?" he asked Chips.

"Hardly could see their faces, Brad. They were hopping mad because you hid the crate of pheasants."

At the creek, Mack and Fred who had taken refuge among the oak trees, came out of hiding as the other Cubs emerged from the trail.

Excitedly they reported that the two men had crossed the log bridge only a few minutes before, wading through the deepening water to the parked station wagon on the old road.

"Did you get the license number?" Dan inquired.

"Couldn't," Fred explained. "Too dark to see that far. And the men never turned on their car lights."

"They had a hard time getting the motor started," Mack contributed. "The driver got mad and began berating the other fellow. Oh, they were heated!"

"You didn't hear any names spoken?" Brad questioned.

"Names?" Mack repeated. "Well, one of 'em called the other Bernie."

"That's two names we have now!" Red exclaimed. "Jake and Bernie. Ever hear of anyone by either of them?"

None of the Cubs had. Mack thought it possible that the pair were known to Mr. Silverton, and in fact, might have been employed by him to do work on the farm.

"That's possible, of course," Brad conceded. "But if they were farm workers, why would they talk about being double crossed?"

Although nearly a half hour had elapsed since Mr. Hatfield and the sportsman had gone to the house in search of dynamite, neither had returned. During their absence, Mack and Fred had made an effort to dislodge some of the logs which were causing the water to back up. Their attempts however, had been unavailing.

"The creek still is rising," Fred declared as the Cubs waded across the piled-up debris to the other side of the stream. "Wonder what's happened to Mr. Hatfield and Silverton?" Answering his own question, he added: "They may have had to go into the city after dynamite."

Talking over the matter, it was agreed that Mack, Fred, Red and Chips would wait at the log jam, doing what they could to release the smaller tree branches. Brad and Dan were to carry the crate of pheasants to the barn, and if they could find Mr. Silverton, report to him what they had seen and heard.

Splashing through the knee-deep water, the two boys picked their way through the darkness. Once, stumbling over a submerged tree stump, Dan nearly dropped his end of the shipping crate.

But finally, with no mishap, they reached the clearing.

The rising water now had flooded all the pheasant pens and was creating a large island of the house and barn.

"If the creek keeps coming up, water will start filtering into the barn in another hour or so," Brad said anxiously. "Then we'll need the Cubs to help move the pheasants into the loft."

Mr. Hatfield's car was nowhere to be seen, a fact which led the two boys to believe that the Cub leader and Mr. Silverton had driven away to obtain dynamite.

At the barn, Brad and Dan opened the crate and turned loose the two c.o.c.ks which were absorbed in the flock.

"There's nothing we can do here," Brad said. "I suppose we may as well go back to the creek."

As the pair turned to leave, they heard footsteps outside the barn door.

Thinking that it was Mr. Hatfield or Mr. Silverton, Dan called:

"Here we are! In the barn!"

No one answered his shout. But a moment later, the door of the barn was flung back, and the boys found themselves gazing into the blinding light of a gasoline lantern.

A ma.s.sive, squat figure, whose shadow was grotesque, stood silhouetted in the doorway.

"So, it's you again, my young friends!" observed a harsh, mocking voice.

"This time I've caught you red handed!"

Brad and Dan could not see the man's face for the glare of the lantern.

But there was no mistaking the voice. The one who confronted them from the doorway was Saul Dobbs.

CHAPTER 13 Accusations

"So you've been stealing pheasants while I was away!" the workman accused the startled boys. "This time you won't get off with excuses! I'm turning you over to the police on a delinquency charge!"

Saul Dobbs set the lighted lantern on the floor and moved toward Brad and Dan. Before he could lay hands upon them, the barn door creaked behind the foreman.