Dan Carter-- Cub Scout Page 15

  CHAPTER 15 The Grand Howl

  Alarmed for the safety of Chips, Mr. Hatfield and the dwellers of RabbIsland, Mr. Holloway immediately telephoned the Coast Guard station forassistance. He was assured that a rescue boat would be sent immediately.

  "It will take them at least a half hour to reach the island," the Den Dadreported to the Cubs. "Meanwhile, a lot may be happening there."

  Decidedly worried, Mr. Holloway and the Cubs established a vigil on theriver front. The flashlight signals from Rabb Island were not repeated.This however, was no consolation.

  "Mr. Hatfield's flashlight battery probably is so weak it won't operate,"Brad said.

  "Say, can't we borrow a boat from somewhere and row over there?" Dandemanded, made anxious by the long wait. "Dorman Clark keeps a motorboat."

  "But his place is two miles down stream," Mr. Holloway reminded the Cubs.

  "It would take us longer than thirty minutes to get there, launch theboat, and beat our way upstream to Rabb Island," Brad objected.

  Mr. Holloway nodded in agreement. "Our best bet is to wait here for theCoast Guard launch," he decided, "even though it's hard to remain idle."

  Little more was said by the Cubs although their anxiety was far fromrelieved. Wandering up and down the shore, they repeatedly checked thelevel of the water. Slowly but steadily, the river was creeping higher.

  "Two years ago when the floods came, Rabb Island was almost entirelysubmerged," Brad remarked, gazing anxiously at Mr. Holloway. "Do youthink there is danger it might be covered again?"

  "The river was at least two feet higher then, Brad. There's no immediatedanger of the entire island being flooded."

  "We're not positive Mr. Hatfield and Chips reached the island, though thesignals appeared to come from there," Mack remarked. "If we interpretedthe message right, something happened to the boat."

  "That's what I can't figure," said Dan. "Do you suppose it sprung aleak?"

  "Possible, but hardly likely," the Den Dad replied. "That boat was tightas a drum. I caulked the seams myself."

  "Hey!" Brad suddenly shouted. "I see a light on the river!"

  The other Cubs turned to gaze where he pointed. Far across the water theycould see a bright, moving light.

  "It's the Coast Guard launch," Mr. Holloway said in relief.

  Plowing slowly upstream against the turbulent waters, the launch kept tomidstream, churning on through the darkness toward Rabb Island.

  Their minds now partially relieved, the Cubs nevertheless waited insuspense along the shore, wondering what might be amiss.

  Finally, after at least another twenty minutes, the rescue craft was seento put off from the island.

  "She's heading this way!" Brad observed.

  A few minutes later, churning up spume, the launch halted well beyond theshallows opposite the submerged Holloway dock. In short order a smallboat was lowered. Aboard were Sam Hatfield, Chips, Mrs. Dustin, her twosmall children, and a very bedraggled dog.

  "What happened?" Mr. Holloway demanded as he and the Cubs waded out topull the boat up onto land.

  "Well, it's quite a story," the Cub leader replied, carefully assistingMrs. Dustin from the boat. "Before I go into it, suppose we get this ladyand her children into the house. They've had a harrowing time of it onthe island."

  Mrs. Dustin brushed aside a wisp of damp hair which had blown across herdrawn, care-lined face. She wore a man's coat over her housedress, butthe latter was soaked from the knees down and clung to her as she walked.

  "My husband went to Webster City late this afternoon and couldn't getback," she explained. "Then the river came up frightfully fast. Itflooded our little place, ruining everything. The children and I had totake refuge on the highest point of the island. I don't know what we'dhave done, if help hadn't come when it did."

  Mrs. Holloway slipped an arm about the woman's shaking shoulders as sheled her and the two small children toward the house.

  "Don't worry about anything now," she comforted. "You'll spend the nighthere and we'll get word to your husband. We have plenty of room."

  Having delivered the passengers safely, the Coast Guard launch nowprepared to pull away, but not before Sam Hatfield and Mr. Holloway bothhad thanked the crew for the timely rescue.

  "It's just part of our job," the boatswain replied carelessly. "Glad tohave been of service."

  After the launch had disappeared in the darkness, Brad and the other Cubsgathered about Mr. Hatfield, urging him to relate what had occurred onRabb Island.

  "What became of Mr. Holloway's boat?" Dan asked. "And why was itnecessary to send the distress message?"

  "Well--" the Cub leader hesitated, glancing briefly at Chips. "Oh, we hada little bad luck. The boat broke away after we left it on shore."

  "It wasn't bad luck exactly," Chips corrected quietly. "I was careless.Mr. Hatfield told me to fasten the boat, and I did tie it to a dockpost--only not securely enough."

  "It wasn't really your fault, Chips," the Cub leader said generously.

  "Yes, it was, sir. I should have been more careful."

  "Accidents can happen to anyone, Chips."

  "What became of the boat?" Dan asked although he knew the question was arather useless one.

  "Well, it drifted off somewhere downstream," the Cub leader replied. "Ifwe're lucky, it may lodge some place fairly close. Then again, this swiftcurrent is likely to carry it miles. If any damage is done I'll eitherbuy a new boat or see that it is properly repaired."

  "Now don't give that a thought," the Den Dad cut in. "We'll find the boattomorrow." He turned to Chips, clapping him on the shoulder. "Don't lookso glum, lad. No one blames you for the accident."

  "It's not just the boat I'm thinking about," the boy answered. "TheIndian headdress was lying on the seat when it floated away."

  "Then there goes the Den's chance to win first prize at the Packexhibition!" exclaimed Red. "Gosh! After all the work we did on thatheaddress!"

  "How did you happen to lose it?" Fred asked in a discouraged voice.

  Chips explained that he had left the feather piece lying on the boat seatwhen he and Mr. Hatfield had gone to the rescue of Mrs. Dustin and hertwo children. Upon their return, both the boat and the headdress hadfloated away.

  "We'll never enter it in the competition now," he ended in disgust. "Theboat may be found, but the headdress is sure to be a mess after lying outall night in the weather."

  Loss of the handicraft article upon which the Den had pinned hope ofvictory in the Pack exhibition, thoroughly discouraged the Cubs. However,because Chips already blamed himself for the loss, they said little aboutit.

  "There's an outside chance the boat may have lodged at the Fulton bridge,a quarter of a mile down river," Mr. Hatfield remarked thoughtfully. "Thecurrent would carry it in that direction. I think I'll drive that way onmy way home."

  Brad and Dan immediately sought permission to accompany the Cub leader.

  "I'll be glad to have you," Mr. Hatfield said. "Better telephone yourparents and tell them not to bother to pick you up. I'll drive you homeafter we've looked for the boat."

  Eager to be off, Mr. Hatfield borrowed a lantern from Midge's father.With Brad and Dan, he then selected the main highway which would take thecar across the Fulton bridge.

  "It's too late for us to make an extensive search for the boat tonight,"he remarked as they drove along. "The chances are it will drift milesfrom Rabb Island. All the same, we'll keep our eyes peeled."

  Under the pale light of the moon, the boys caught occasional glimpses ofthe racing river. At the bridge where rolling waves dashed against thestone supports, Mr. Hatfield halted the car for a better view.

  Gazing down over the cement railing, Dan and Brad saw boxes, boards, logsand miscellaneous debris swept past. Other refuse of the river had lodgedin quieter waters. Foam rose in a soapy sea around the bridge pillarswhere the waves slapped high.

  But there was no sign of the missi
ng boat.

  "Guess it was too much to expect," Mr. Hatfield said, turning away fromthe railing. "Well, nothing to do but organize a search tomorrow. I'mafraid though, that the boat will be badly battered by the time werecover it."

  Mr. Hatfield and the Cubs returned to the parked automobile and drove on.For a short distance the highway curled close to the rivers edge. At onepoint, shallow water flooded the pavement.

  The car churned through it without the engine damping out. But a shortdistance ahead they came to another area of flooded pavement, moreextensive and apparently much deeper.

  "Wonder if we can make it?" Mr. Hatfield remarked.

  Doubtful that the car could negotiate the water, he parked and walkeddown the road to investigate. Brad and Dan also alighted, following theCub leader.

  "We probably can get through all right," Mr. Hatfield said after makingan inspection. "But there's likely to be more water ahead. Perhaps we'dbetter go back and take another road."

  While Brad and the Cub leader discussed what to do, Dan, who had beengazing out across the dark ribbon of river, suddenly noticed a shadowyobject lodged some ten yards from shore.

  "Mr. Hatfield!" he exclaimed. "Look over there! Could that be our missingboat?"

  The Cub leader flashed his light on the area in the river which Danindicated. A rowboat, plainly the one which had floated away from RabbIsland, had snagged against a bush in the backwash of the flooded river.

  "Sure enough, it's Mr. Holloway's boat!" the Cub leader exclaimed. "Youhave keen eyesight, Dan!"

  "The boat doesn't look as if it will hold there very long," Brad observedanxiously. "See! The current is teetering it back and forth now!"

  "If only we had another boat, we could go after it," Mr. Hatfield said."By morning, it may not be here."

  As the three watched, the swift current caught the craft and swung itslightly to the left.

  "It's holding by a breath and a prayer," Dan said. "Any minute it willfloat away and that may be the last we'll ever see of it."

  "Couldn't we wade out and bring the boat in?" proposed Brad. "The currentis swift, but the water shouldn't be too deep here close to shore."

  "It's over your head and mine part of the way, Brad. And neither of usclassifies as an expert swimmer."

  "But I do," spoke up Dan. Then he corrected himself: "I don't mean tohold myself out as an expert, but I'm considered pretty good at the Y.Mr. Hatfield, I could take off my shoes and wade out there. I wouldn'thave to swim except the last few yards."

  "It's too dangerous, Dan. The current is treacherously swift. It mightsweep you past the boat and on down river."

  "But if I don't try, we'll lose the boat," Dan argued. "And the Indianfeather headdress! The Cubs were counting on it to win the Packhandicraft exhibition."

  "Mr. Holloway's boat is worth considerable money," Brad added, swingingtoward support of Dan's plea. "If only we could get it now before it'sdamaged--"

  "I know I could swim out there," Dan argued. "At the Y I've done threetimes that distance without even tiring."

  "But not in a swift current, Dan," the Cub leader said.

  "I'll be swimming downstream, not against the current, Mr. Hatfield.Please let me try."

  "Dan, it's too risky. If I could swim worth a cent myself--"

  "You can't," said Dan. "That's why you're afraid to let me try. I know myown strength in the water. I can do it easily."

  Mr. Hatfield smiled and stood a moment studying the current which eddiedabout the half-submerged bush and the boat.

  "I believe there's a rope in the back of the car," he said finally. "Ifit's long enough we may be able to do something."

  Fetching the rope, he coiled it carefully and tested its length bytossing it far out into the river. It fell only a few feet short of theboat.

  "My throw was weak," the Cub leader said. "The rope actually is longenough to reach. Dan, you're dead sure you want to try this?"

  "Rarin' to go!"

  "Then strip to your shorts. You'll need freedom of movement."

  Dan eagerly pulled off his shoes and divested himself of his outergarments. Carefully the Cub leader then tied the rope about his waist andtested the knot to make certain it would hold.

  "Wade out as far as you can into the river," he instructed the boy. "Whenyou have to, swim. If you can't make it, Brad and I will pull you infast."

  "I'll make it," Dan said grimly.

  Brad and the Cub leader removed their own shoes and socks, rolled uptheir trousers, and waded out a short distance into the flood.

  "Now be careful," Mr. Hatfield warned as Dan prepared to start on alone."If you find yourself in trouble, signal with a quick tug of the rope."

  "I'll be all right," the boy replied confidently.

  While Mr. Hatfield and Brad held one end of the rope, he waded on alone,picking his way cautiously. The muddy water washed to his knees, then tohis waist, and finally came to shoulder depth.

  The next moment the swift current swept him from his feet. Dan began tostroke smoothly only to discover that the river was carrying himdownstream much too fast. Unless he exerted every ounce of his strength,he would be carried beyond his goal.

  Dan dug in. His arms dipped and swept downward to his sides in powerfuldrives. His legs, churning in the steady six-beat crawl, gave him addedpropulsion.

  The bush and the lodge boat loomed directly ahead. But the current, benton carrying him with it, seemed to take on perverse strength. Despite hisbest efforts, he saw that he would be carried past his goal.

  "Swim, Dan!" Mr. Hatfield shouted. "Swim hard!"

  Dan heard and made a supreme effort. Though his breath was coming hard,his muscles offering painful complaint, he deliberately forced himselfinto a faster rhythm. The current swung him, but as he passed the bush,the boy lunged for it.

  Achieving a handhold, he clung fast. The river swung his feet frombeneath him, tugging and jerking. But still Dan held on as he struggledto regain his breath.

  "The boat, Dan!" he heard Brad shout. "Get it quick! It's drifting away!"

  The boy's weight on the bush had dislodged the craft, which now wasmoving slowly off down river.

  With an indignant snort, Dan plunged downstream in pursuit. Two strokesenabled him to grasp the craft by its trailing painter.

  But the next instant, both he and the boat were brought up with a hardjerk. A sharp pain shot through his waist where the rope had been tied.

  "Hold fast to the boat!" Mr. Hatfield instructed. "We'll pull you in."

  Against the current, the Cub leader and Brad slowly pulled hand over handuntil Dan was in shallow, quiet water. There he was able to get to hisfeet and drag the boat to shore.

  "Good work, Dan!" Mr. Hatfield praised, reaching out to help him. "For aminute I thought you were going to be swept past the bush."

  "So did I," grinned Dan. "Lucky you insisted I tie that rope around mywaist. Otherwise, I'd have had a hard time of it."

  "How about the Indian headdress?" Brad demanded. "Is it safe in theboat?"

  Mr. Hatfield turned the beam of his flashlight on the craft's seat. Thefeather piece lay exactly where Chips had dropped it, undamaged by water.

  "The Cubs will be glad to hear this," Brad said in relief, retrieving thehandicraft article. "We're mighty lucky tonight."

  Dan untied the rope from his waist and began to put on his clothes. Bradand Mr. Hatfield debated what to do with the boat now that it had beenrecovered.

  "It's too large to be taken into the car," the Cub leader decided. "Iguess the best we can do tonight is to hide it in the weeds well backfrom the river's edge."

  While Dan finished dressing, he and Brad carried the craft far back fromthe rising water, overturning it in a patch of high grass.

  "I'll come for it in a trailer the first thing tomorrow," Mr. Hatfieldsaid. "During the next few hours, the river shouldn't rise much higher."

  Feeling well repaid for their exertion, the three wiped the mud fromtheir shoes and presently drove on through
the area of shallow water to aclear stretch of pavement.

  However, they had gone less than a quarter of a mile, when directly aheadthey sighted still another flooded section of roadway.

  "Oh! Oh!" said Mr. Hatfield, pulling up just before he reached the sheetof water. "This time, I'm afraid we're stuck."

  The flooded area extended perhaps seventy-five yards. At the deepestpoint of the water a station wagon had stalled. Two men were endeavoringwithout much success to push the vehicle.

  "We might lend them a hand," Mr. Hatfield suggested. "No chance ofgetting through here ourselves. We'll have to turn back."

  Dan had been staring fixedly at the station wagon. "Mr. Hatfield!" heexclaimed excitedly. "Isn't that the same car that's been going in andout of Mr. Silverton's place?"

  "It sure looks like Freeze and Bauer!" added Brad before the Cub leadercould speak. "They're stuck like a couple of whales in a puddle!"

  "Mr. Silverton intends to swear out a warrant for their arrest," Dansaid. "I'll bet an Indian head cent they're driving out of town andintend to skip!"

  "Unless we can stop them," said Brad, looking hopefully at the Cubleader.

  "We can't start a fight without good cause," Mr. Hatfield replied. "IfMr. Silverton were here, or the police--"

  Brad had noticed a lighted dwelling only a short distance from theroadway.

  "Say, why can't I sneak over there and telephone Mr. Silverton!" heproposed. "If I get in touch with him, maybe he'll decide to have thosemen arrested right now."

  "Go ahead, Brad," Mr. Hatfield urged, swinging open the car door for him."Dan and I will stay here and keep watch."

  Without attracting the attention of the two men, Brad darted up the hilland was lost to view. Dan and the Cub leader remained in the car,watching.

  The pair in the station wagon had pushed the vehicle for a shortdistance. There encountering deeper water, they gave up in disgust.

  "I think they've about decided to start off afoot now," Mr. Hatfieldobserved. "In that case, they may elude us."

  "Can't we try to stop them?"

  "We can try, Dan. But without an arrest warrant or proof that the men areguilty of any crime, there's very little we can do."

  Just then Brad came hurrying down the hillside to the car.

  "I reached Silverton and he's called police!" he reported breathlessly."A cruiser or patrol car should come along in a few minutes. Silvertonand Dobbs are driving over too. They're ready to swear out a warrant."

  "Good!" Mr. Hatfield exclaimed. "But will we be able to hold the pairuntil help gets here?"

  Freeze and his companion, apparently abandoning all hope of pushing thestation wagon to dry pavement, had begun to unload their luggage.

  "They _are_ skipping town!" Dan declared anxiously. "I guess they musthave wised up after they failed to find the crate of pheasants at Mr.Silverton's place."

  "Here they come now," Brad muttered a minute later as the two mensplashed through the water toward the car. "Oh, heck! If we don't thinkof something, they'll get away!"

  Mr. Hatfield, however, did not intend to allow the pair to escape withoutat least an attempt to hold them. Warning the Cubs to remain in the car,he stepped out onto the road just as the two waded up carrying theirheavy luggage.

  "Stuck?" he inquired casually.

  "Looks like it, don't it?" growled Jake Freeze. "You can't get throughwith your car. I'd advise you to turn around and go back the way youcame."

  "Guess I will," Mr. Hatfield said easily. "You're abandoning your stationwagon?"

  "We're in a hurry to catch a train," Freeze answered. "We'll have ittowed in by a garage."

  "Maybe I can give you a lift to town," Mr. Hatfield offered, stalling fortime.

  "Sure, we'll appreciate it," Bauer growled. "I'm tellin' you we've had arotten run o' luck tonight."

  Mr. Hatfield turned his car around in the narrow road, taking as long ashe possibly could. Then he swung open the rear door for the two men toenter.

  As Freeze settled himself, he gave Brad and Dan a sharp glance, noticingtheir Scout uniforms.

  "Cubs!" he exclaimed. "Say, haven't I seen you kids somewhere?"

  "Why, we wouldn't know," Brad answered. "Unless maybe it was in WebsterCity."

  "Cubs!" the man repeated. "Now I got it! Dobbs was telling us that theywere swarming over the Silverton place and might make trouble--"

  "Trouble?" Dan interposed innocently. "What sort of trouble?"

  But neither Freeze nor his companion was to be trapped into furtherspeech.

  Suddenly suspicious, they started to get out of the car.

  "Thanks for offering a lift," Freeze muttered, "but we'll telephone for atow car."

  Mr. Hatfield had observed the headlights of two approaching vehicles.

  "It won't be necessary to telephone," he said with quiet jubilation. "Irather think help is coming now."

  Even as the Cub leader spoke, Mr. Silverton's car drove up, followed by apolice cruiser.

  Freeze and Bauer, abandoning their luggage, made a dash for the hill.Belatedly they realized that they had fallen into a trap.

  Mr. Silverton and Saul Dobbs had leaped from the sportsman's car.Deliberately, they cut off escape.

  "Just a minute!" the owner of the pheasant farm said, stepping in frontof Freeze and Bauer. "I have a few questions to ask you two."

  "Such as?" Freeze demanded insolently.

  "For one thing, I want to know why you've been shipping my pheasants outof town? And trespassing on my property?"

  "I don't know what you're talking about," Freeze muttered, trying withoutsuccess to shove past the sportsman.

  "We don't know nothin' about any pheasants," Bauer added.

  "I think you do," Mr. Silverton corrected. "You needn't deny that you'vebeen trespassing. Dobbs already has confessed his part."

  "Why, you dirty double-crosser!" Freeze accused, starting for theworkman. "I'll get you for this!"

  Before he could lay hands on Dobbs, he was firmly grasped by a policeofficer who informed him and Bauer that they both were under arrest.

  "This is an outrage!" Bauer protested bitterly. "You've no evidenceagainst us. Dobbs has been telling lies to try to save his own skin."

  "We'll let the judge decide about that," the policeman retorted. "Comealong without any fuss, or we'll use the handcuffs."

  Aware that resistance would be quite useless, the two men sullenlysubmitted to arrest. They were loaded into the police car and taken away.

  Mr. Silverton then turned to express his appreciation once more to theCubs and their leader.

  "From now on, I want it understood that the Cubs are free and welcome tocome and go whenever and wherever they please on my property," hedeclared. "And I want to help the Cub movement here in Webster City.Tomorrow I'll send the organization a check for one hundred dollars."

  "That's entirely too generous," Mr. Hatfield protested. "After all, theCubs only tried to do what was right."

  "And it's right that I should make the contribution," insisted Mr.Silverton. "I'd gladly pay double the amount for the service the Cubshave rendered tonight."

  Mr. Hatfield, Brad and Dan, rather worn from their adventures, followedthe police cruiser and Mr. Silverton's car into Webster City.

  In backtracking along the highway, they encountered two extensive patchesof flood water. However, it rose only to hub-cap depth, and they reachedthe city without further delay.

  During the next two days, events moved with supersonic speed for theCubs. True to his word, Mr. Silverton sent the organization a check forone hundred dollars. With it came an urgent invitation for the Cubs tovisit the farm whenever they wished, with exclusive right of obtainingpheasant feathers or wood.

  "Say, we all can make fancy Indian headgears now!" declared Fredenthusiastically.

  From Mr. Silverton, the Cubs learned that both Freeze and Bauer hadpleaded guilty to stealing pheasants and were to be sentenced on alarceny charge within a few days. Dobbs, relieved of his job, had l
eftWebster City to seek employment where he was unknown.

  Now that their names had been cleared in the community, the Cubs centeredall their thoughts upon the coming Pack meeting and exhibition ofhandicraft articles.

  All the Den members were plugging for Chips and Red to win a prize withtheir entry. However, on the night of the exhibition, when they saw themany fine items entered by other contestants, they were filled withmisgiving.

  The collection of Indian articles was one of the best ever shown inWebster City. In addition to many elegant feather bonnets, there werebuckskin shirts, shields, Indian leggings, baskets, beaded belts andcarvings of bone.

  "Chips and Red have one of the best entries," Brad told Dan after he hadinspected all the items on display. "But they may not win a prize. Thatbuckskin shirt shows a lot of work."

  "And the judges have gone back to look at it at least three times," Danagreed gloomily.

  At last came the all important moment for the awaited announcement of thecontest winners.

  Raising his hand in signal for silence, the Cub master read off the namesof minor prize winners.

  "And now, the grand prize--the silver trophy which will be awarded to theDen which entered the over-all handicraft article deemed by the judges tobe the best." The Cub Master paused for effect as all the Cubs waitedtensely. Then he gazed directly at Red and Chips and added: "Den No. 2wins the trophy with its entry of a pheasant feather war bonnet!"

  The Cubs let out a whoop which could be heard half way across the river.Everyone clapped Red and Chips on the shoulder, congratulating them ontheir victory.

  "We're sure proud of you," Brad declared. "And of the trophy!"

  "Maybe you and Dan will win something yourselves," Chips hinted broadly.

  "But we had no entries. Only a couple of Indian bows which weren't anygood. They didn't take any prize."

  "Wait and see," Chips chuckled.

  The Pack meeting resumed, with Mr. Hatfield telling the boys of his pridein their accomplishments.

  "Honor is a Cub's most precious possession," he ended his little talk."And that brings me to an important moment. The Cubs sincerely feel thathad it not been for the untiring efforts of two of our members, the honorof the organization might have been tarnished."

  As if drawn by a magnet, all eyes now focused upon Brad and Dan. The twoboys shifted uneasily, already beginning to feel uncomfortable. Theirfaces were flushed with embarrassment.

  "Let's give 'em the Grand Howl!" proposed Mr. Hatfield.

  Now as Brad and Dan knew well, the Grand Howl was reserved only fordistinguished guests or individuals the Pack wished to honor.

  Before they could protest, all the Cubs formed a circle about the pair.Squatting down, each boy made the familiar two-finger Cub sign. Then,like young wolves, they gave a long and lusty howl:

  "A-h-h--kay Laa! W-e-e-l d-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-r Best!"

  The final word was yelled sharply and in unison. Then the Cubs leaped totheir feet in a double hand salute, ending at attention.

  "Brad and Dan!" Chips shouted boisterously, "They're tops in the gang!"

  "And here's to the Cubs!" responded Dan, uttering a wild yip of his own."Long may they howl!"

  Transcriber's Notes

  --Silently corrected a few typos (but left nonstandard spelling and dialect as is).

  --Rearranged front matter to a more-logical streaming order.