Dan Carter, Cub Scout, and the River Camp Page 10

  CHAPTER 10 The Man at the Spring

  A commotion in the bushes informed Dan and Chips that the man who hadthrown the stone now was retreating.

  "You see!" Chips cried excitedly, joining his friend at the pool's edge."I told you the truth, didn't I?"

  "You sure did," Dan muttered, scrambling to his feet. "If I hadn'tducked, that stone would have clipped me on the back of the head. Comeon, let's nail him!"

  Angry to think that the intruder had dared to risk injuring them bydeliberately hurling a stone, the Cubs started after him.

  Already the man was far away, moving with cat-like tread through thedense growth of vines and underbrush. Apparently familiar with theterrain, he slipped between the trees like a shadow.

  "No use trying to follow," Dan decided after they had gone only a fewyards. "We've already missed our chance to see who he was."

  "And if we trail him a long distance from camp, he might try some of histricks," Chips added in an undertone. "Dan, that man's face scared me. Helooked downright ugly."

  "He did," Dan agreed. "I only caught one glimpse of his face, but thatwas enough."

  "Ever see him before?"

  "N-o-o," Dan replied slowly. "For just a minute I thought--"

  The boy was on the verge of saying that the man had resembled "Frisk,"the associate of Paper Bag Eddie. However, his identification had beenmost uncertain.

  "You thought what, Dan?"

  "Oh, nothing. I didn't really see the man's face plainly. Wonder why he'dtry to harm us?"

  "Let's report to Mr. Hatfield."

  To this suggestion, Dan promptly agreed. Picking their way back to thepool, the boys made short work of filling the water pail and gatheringclay.

  Back in camp once more, they took Mr. Holloway and the Cub leader asideto relate what had happened.

  "The man actually hurled a stone?" Mr. Hatfield questioned, his facesober.

  "He certainly did," Dan confirmed. "It missed my head by inches."

  Very much disturbed, Mr. Hatfield and Midge's father warned the two boysto make no mention of the incident to the other Cubs.

  "I'll take Mr. Suell and explore the island," the Cub leader decided."Mr. Holloway will remain in camp with the boys. Without letting themknow that anything is amiss, keep them there."

  "It soon will be supper time," Mr. Holloway agreed. "I'll find enoughwork to occupy their time."

  Mr. Hatfield and Mr. Suell set off at once to search for the stranger whohad accosted the boys at the spring.

  Meanwhile, Chips and Dan helped with supper preparations, trying not toreveal their inner excitement to the other Cubs. As time wore on andneither the Cub leader nor Mr. Suell returned, it became increasinglydifficult to contain their secret.

  The boys were nearly through supper when the two finally appeared incamp. Slipping almost unnoticed into the group around the fire, theydished up their own suppers.

  "Learn anything?" Dan asked the Cub leader in a whisper.

  "Tell you later." Mr. Hatfield's glance warned the boy to say no more atthe moment.

  In silence, but with no show of uneasiness, the Cub leader ate hissupper. While the other boys were clearing away the dishes, he took Dan,Brad and Chips aside to relate what he and Mr. Suell had noted in theirexplorations.

  "Did you find that fellow we saw by the spring?" Chips questioned beforeMr. Hatfield could speak.

  "No, Chips. We tramped the island from one end to the other. Not a signof him."

  "No signs?" Dan echoed.

  "My statement wasn't quite accurate," Mr. Hatfield corrected. "We foundsigns in the way of footprints, a well-beaten trail, and broken bushes.But we failed to catch up with the man himself."

  "Where did the trail lead?" inquired Chips.

  "We picked it up by the spring and followed it the entire length of theisland through the woodland and marsh. It emerged not far from the oldhotel."

  "Maybe the fellow hid in there," Dan suggested.

  "That's what Mr. Suell thought. We looked the place over, but couldn'tget in. All the doors were locked and the blinds drawn. If Mr. Jabowskilooks after the place for Mr. Manheim, he doesn't hurt himself working atthe job."

  Having told the boys everything he and Mr. Suell had learned, the Cubleader again warned them to say nothing of the affair to the other boys.

  "Frankly, I can't figure out why anyone would hurl a stone withoutprovocation," he said. "I'm afraid someone may be annoyed because theCubs have camped here."

  "But we had a perfect right to do it," Dan protested.

  "Of course. Mr. Manheim granted permission. But things may be going onhere of which he has no knowledge."

  "For instance?" interposed Brad.

  "I can't say, because I don't know. It's just a feeling I have. Mr. Suelland I will take turns guarding the camp tonight."

  "Then you think the Cubs may be in danger here?" Brad asked, startled.

  "No, Brad, if I thought so, we'd break camp and pull out tonight. We'llset up a watch as a precaution. First thing in the morning, I'll go tothe mainland to have a talk with Mr. Manheim."

  After the camp work was out of the way, the Den Dads built a huge fire onthe beach. Mr. Suell then gave the boys a brief talk on Cubbing in othercountries of the world, telling them that the organization extended to 50lands.

  "And are the ideals and aims the same everywhere?" Brad questioned,tossing another stick of wood into the flames.

  "Practically so, Brad. In most countries, the Kipling Jungle stories havebeen made the basis of Cubbing. Akela is the name of the Cub leader innearly all nations. The two-fingered sign of the Wolf is the Cub signaround the world."

  Dan, who lounged on the sand beside Brad, had listened with keeninterest. But now his attention wandered.

  Beyond the rim of flickering light, he thought he saw movement. Was thatshadowy form a trick of wind and tree boughs? Or might someone be spyingupon the camp?

  "Wake up, Dan!" Brad nudged him hard in the ribs. "Mr. Hatfield justasked you to lead in the singing of 'Cheer, Cheer, the Den's All Here.'Are you asleep?"

  Dan tore his eyes from the area of darkness. After all, he told himself,he probably had fancied the shadow. Imagination played strange tricksupon a fellow.

  "Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't hear. Guess I was half asleep."

  He launched into the song which was sung to the tune of "Hail, hail, thegang's all here." The Cubs joined in, singing lustily.

  At its conclusion, the boys all repeated the Law of the Pack, and thecouncil fire came to an end.

  As the Den fathers were tramping out the last of the coals, Dan walkedover to the clump of bushes which had been directly in his line ofvision. He was relieved to find no one hiding there.

  But on the ground beneath a blackberry bush was a sheet of paper tornfrom a cheap writing tablet. Unable to read it in the darkness, Dan tookit to Mr. Hatfield.

  The beam of his flashlight picked out the scrawled words: "GET OFF THISISLAND. STAY AWAY!"

  "A warning, eh?" Mr. Hatfield commented. "This little affair has gonequite far enough!"

  "Whoever left the note must have done it only a few minutes ago," Dansaid. "I thought I saw someone in the bushes just as you asked me to leadthat song."

  "The coward!" Mr. Hatfield muttered, folding the warning and placing itin his pocket. "Afraid to show his face. Instead he throws rocks andsneaks up in the darkness."

  More annoyed than afraid, the Cub leader made a thorough inspection ofthe bush where the unknown intruder had hidden only a few minutes before.A few large footprints had been imbedded in the moist turf. But the onewho had left the note, had fled.

  "No use trying to track him down in the dark," Mr. Hatfield said indisgust. "Tomorrow I'll take this up with Mr. Manheim."

  With another reminder that no mention was to be made of the matter to theother Cubs, the leader sent Dan off to bed.

  However, the boy observed that neither Mr. Hatfield nor Mr.
Suell turnedin. Instead, the two men posted themselves near the entrance to thetents. Throughout the night, they kept a small fire burning.

  Dan was awakened by the excited shouts of the other Cubs who were donningtrunks for a pre-breakfast swim.

  At the beach he raced Brad to the raft where they rested for a moment.

  "Anything happen last night?" Dan asked, eager for a report.

  "Not that I heard of. Mr. Hatfield and Mr. Suell sat up until dawn. Noone came near the camp."

  "That's good," Dan said in relief. "If things start popping, our campingtrip will be called off. I like it here."

  "So do I, Dan. I hope the Scouts buy this site, because if they do, theCubs will get to come here often. But I know Mr. Hatfield is worried. Theway matters are going, he isn't likely to recommend the place as apermanent camp."

  "I'm thinking the same," Dan agreed. "Oh, well, maybe Mr. Manheim willtake a hand in finding out who's hiding on the island. After all, it'shis property."

  A call to breakfast sent the two boys racing full-blast for shore. By thetime they had scrambled into their uniforms, an appetizing meal of orangejuice, bacon and eggs awaited them.

  The Cubs ate their fill and then listened as Mr. Hatfield outlined plansfor the morning.

  "I'll take Dan, Brad and Chips with me to Webster City to pick up a fewsupplies," the Cub leader said. "Also to attend to an important errand.Mr. Suell has planned a hike for those who remain behind."

  "I'd rather go to Webster City," said Mack, who suspected that he wasbeing excluded from an important mission.

  "Me too," chimed in Midge. "Can't we all go?"

  "Not this time," Mr. Hatfield turned them down. "We'll make a full reportwhen we get back."

  At nine o'clock, the three Cubs and their leader were picked up bylaunch, according to an arrangement made with a member of the yacht club.Once on shore, they purchased a few small items. Thereafter, theypresented themselves at Mr. Manheim's office and were elated to learnthat the island owner was in.

  "He'll see you at once," a secretary told them. "First door to yourleft."

  The room which Mr. Hatfield and the Cubs entered through a frosted doorwas padded with rich, soft carpet.

  A heavy-set man with steel-blue eyes sat in a swivel chair behind a deskat the window. Recognizing the Cub leader, he smiled in welcome.

  "Hello, Sam! What brings you here so bright and early? Anotherproposition to buy that camp site on Skeleton Island?"

  "Not exactly, Mr. Manheim. We're not so sure it's a safe place."

  "Skeleton Island not safe?" Mr. Manheim demanded. "What gave you thatidea? Sit down and tell me all about it." He waved everyone into chairs.

  Mr. Hatfield introduced the three Cubs and then went directly to thepoint. He related how a stone had been tossed at Dan and showed Mr.Manheim the warning note.

  "Why, someone is playing a joke on you," the island owner said afterreading the message. "Don't tell me you take this seriously?"

  "We did and do, Mr. Manheim."

  "I see nothing to cause alarm. Probably some boys from a rival troop arehaving a little fun at your expense."

  "The stone was hurled by a man," Dan interposed. "I saw his face quiteplainly."

  "It's possible that tramps have taken up quarters in the underbrush," Mr.Manheim said reluctantly. "Jabowski's orders are to keep hoodlums awayfrom the island. I'll jack him up a bit if he's been remiss in his duty."

  "Jabowski is your caretaker at Skeleton Island?" Mr. Hatfield inquired.

  "Yes, he lives there with his nephew."

  "We saw neither of them. In fact, the old hotel building seemed to belocked up."

  "Jabowski has orders not to leave the island without notifying me," Mr.Manheim said, frowning. "He must be there."

  To Mr. Hatfield and the Cubs it became obvious that the information theyhad brought was displeasing to the island owner. Apparently to end theinterview, he arose and said:

  "Now don't worry about a thing. I'll get in touch with Jabowski and havehim ascertain that the island is free of trespassers."

  "Thank you, Mr. Manheim. We wouldn't have troubled you only--"

  "No trouble at all," Mr. Manheim interrupted the Cub leader. "I alwayslike to help out the Cubs or Scouts. Fact is, I've been thinking forseveral weeks I'd like to give 'em a bang-up time--a regular jamboree."

  "Jamboree?" Mr. Hatfield repeated, rather mystified.

  The island owner ignored the Cub leader, turning to Brad, Dan and Chips.

  "How would you boys like a beach barbecue? A really big affair?"

  "Swell!" Chips agreed.

  "We'll invite all the Cubs in Webster City. Make it a bang-up affair.Tonight, shall we say?"

  "You're moving a bit fast for me," said Mr. Hatfield. "How can you plansuch an affair on short notice?"

  "Leave that to me," said Mr. Manheim, pressing the desk buzzer. "We'llcall in a caterer, a friend of mine who will take care of every detail.Your job, Mr. Hatfield, will be to have the Cubs there on the island."

  "I don't doubt the boys will jump at the chance for a barbecue even onshort notice," Mr. Hatfield replied. "But what about transportation?"

  "My motorboat will be available. And Jabowski can take the overflow on amotor raft he has at the island."

  "Well--" Mr. Hatfield gazed dubiously at the Cubs. "I hardly know what tosay. It's such short notice--"

  "The trouble with you, Sam, is that you're not in the habit of makingquick decisions," the other said jovially. "You have your boys at thedock at seven o'clock. I'll take care of everything else."

  "All right," Mr. Hatfield agreed. "I'll get in touch with the Cub leaderof Den 1. I only hope you aren't biting off more than you can chew."

  "Never have yet," the island owner said, escorting the party to the door."See you tonight. We'll have a jamboree that will give those Cubs thethrill of their young lives!"

  "But what about that man we saw at the spring?" Dan half-protested. "Ifhe should be hanging around--"

  "Leave that to Jabowski," Mr. Manheim dismissed the subject. "Don't givethe matter another thought."

  The island owner bowed the Cubs out. When the door had closed firmlybehind them, they eyed each other a trifle askance.

  "Well, that was fast work if you ask me," Brad said, sucking in hisbreath. "Mr. Manheim takes care of everything!"

  "In typical Manheim style," added the Cub leader unhappily."Unfortunately, I've learned from past experience that his plans don'talways pan out right."

  "Then you're afraid the barbecue won't come off tonight?" Chips asked asthe four started down the hallway.

  "Oh, it will be held after a fashion," Mr. Hatfield replied. "But Mr.Manheim is apt to leave too many details unplanned. Another thing--"

  "That man at the spring?" Dan supplied as the Cub leader hesitated.

  "Yes, I'm not entirely satisfied that Jabowski will attend to him. Forthat matter, where is Jabowski?"

  "No one has seen him since we landed on the island," Brad replied.

  "It all adds up to an uncertain picture," Mr. Hatfield said soberly."Everything may go well tonight. I hope so. But between you and me andthe gate-post, I'm wondering if Mr. Manheim's barbecue may not be amistake!"