Part 22 (1/2)
Angry to think that the intruder had dared to risk injuring them by deliberately hurling a stone, the Cubs started after him.
Already the man was far away, moving with cat-like tread through the dense growth of vines and underbrush. Apparently familiar with the terrain, he slipped between the trees like a shadow.
”No use trying to follow,” Dan decided after they had gone only a few yards. ”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 his tricks,” Chips added in an undertone. ”Dan, that man's face scared me. He looked downright ugly.”
”He did,” Dan agreed. ”I only caught one glimpse of his face, but that was 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 a.s.sociate of Paper Bag Eddie. However, his identification had been most uncertain.
”You thought what, Dan?”
”Oh, nothing. I didn't really see the man's face plainly. Wonder why he'd try to harm us?”
”Let's report to Mr. Hatfield.”
To this suggestion, Dan promptly agreed. Picking their way back to the pool, the boys made short work of filling the water pail and gathering clay.
Back in camp once more, they took Mr. Holloway and the Cub leader aside to relate what had happened.
”The man actually hurled a stone?” Mr. Hatfield questioned, his face sober.
”He certainly did,” Dan confirmed. ”It missed my head by inches.”
Very much disturbed, Mr. Hatfield and Midge's father warned the two boys to 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 them know that anything is amiss, keep them there.”
”It soon will be supper time,” Mr. Holloway agreed. ”I'll find enough work to occupy their time.”
Mr. Hatfield and Mr. Suell set off at once to search for the stranger who had accosted the boys at the spring.
Meanwhile, Chips and Dan helped with supper preparations, trying not to reveal their inner excitement to the other Cubs. As time wore on and neither the Cub leader nor Mr. Suell returned, it became increasingly difficult to contain their secret.
The boys were nearly through supper when the two finally appeared in camp. Slipping almost unnoticed into the group around the fire, they dished 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 at the moment.
In silence, but with no show of uneasiness, the Cub leader ate his supper. 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 their explorations.
”Did you find that fellow we saw by the spring?” Chips questioned before Mr. Hatfield could speak.