Dan Carter and the Cub Honor Part 12

Gradually, under the coaching of Brad, the team began to shape up. Dan and Midge, having the best eye for basket shooting, were a.s.signed as forwards. Red and Chips, both being st.u.r.dily built, were to guard. Brad would play center, as he had a long reach, and was taller than any of the younger boys.

Chub and Fred were a.s.signed as subst.i.tutes. Neither was very adept at handling a basketball. Both attended practice sessions faithfully, but Fred in particular had no deep interest in the game, preferring to read.

Mr. Hatfield attended the work-outs whenever he could. He was very busy, however, and frequently was summoned to special meetings with Scout leaders, court officials and attorneys. That the Cubmaster was deeply worried over the pending lawsuit was obvious from his preoccupied manner.

Though basketball had become an absorbing interest, Brad and Dan did not neglect other Cub activities. They made plans for "Know Your Neighborhood" visits, and launched the building of a cardboard fort in the clubroom. Fred enthusiastically took charge of the work, gathering materials and supervising the construction.

"We're pretty well set for our Mom's and Dad's party, if only we had an ice cream freezer," Dan remarked one afternoon. "Mr. Hatfield intended to find one, but he's been too busy to give it any thought."

"Let's try to rustle it ourselves," Brad proposed. "How about a house to house canvas?"

"I've already tried almost every home in our block."

"We could work a new neighborhood, Dan. How about the locality of Old Christian Church?"

"Why there, Brad?"

"Thought we could do a little investigating at the same time. On the pretext of asking for an ice cream freezer, we can question folks in the neighborhood about whether or not there were any witnesses to the damage that was done."

"Not a bad idea," Dan approved.

The boys hiked to within a block of the old church and then began ringing doorbells. At each house they voiced a double inquiry. First they asked if an old fas.h.i.+oned ice cream freezer could be borrowed, and then they inquired for information regarding the recent trouble at the deserted building.

After nearly twenty unfruitful calls, Dan and Brad began to grow discouraged. No one it seemed had an ice cream freezer, and the only comment they obtained relative to the church damage was that "a group of Boy Scouts did it."

"No witnesses apparently," Brad said, losing heart. "It begins to look mighty bad for Den 2, Dan."

"Let's try one more house," Dan suggested.

The one he indicated stood directly across from the abandoned church.

Purposely, the boys had left it to the last, so that their tour would end near a bus stop.

Going up the winding walk, Dan and Brad rapped on the door. A man in s.h.i.+rt-sleeves, a newspaper in his hand, came to the door. The two boys repeated their inquiries which by now had become a routine speech.

"I don't know where you can find an ice cream freezer," the man turned them down. He stared at the blue uniforms which the boys wore. "Say, you boys are Cub Scouts, aren't you?"

"Yes, we are," Dan replied proudly.

"Were you in the gang that was supposed to have ripped the church building apart?"

"We were not," Dan returned. "Our organization has been falsely accused.

We're trying to prove we had nothing to do with it."

"Can't you?"

"It's not so easy. You see, a few of us visited the grounds before the real damage was done. We accidentally smashed a window. After we left, the place was wrecked, and we were accused."

"It happened just after dark," the home owner said. "I know because I heard windows being smashed. A half dozen kids, more or less, were in the gang, running wild over the place. I called police, but they got away before the wagon arrived."

"Did you see any of the boys?" Brad asked eagerly.

"Only at a distance."

"You didn't see anyone in Cub uniforms?"

"I was too far away to tell. The boys mostly were large fellows. Too old to be Cubs, I'd judge."

Brad and Dan asked the man for his name and address, intending to give it to Mr. Hatfield. If their case actually came to trial it might be that he could be called to testify in behalf of the Cubs. His information, though, was meager.

After leaving the house, the two boys went across the street to peer at the church building again. Since their last visit, all the windows had been repaired.

"Not too much damage has been done." Brad said, gazing about. "Those trustees are just trying to build up a big case without much to go on."

Dan pressed his face against a bas.e.m.e.nt window, peering down into the storage room.

"Those freezers are still there," he announced. "I sure wish we could borrow 'em for the party."

"Well, we can't," Brad returned. "I wouldn't ask those trustees for a favor, even if we never find a freezer."

"Here either," Dan agreed. "Say, I see our bus coming. Let's grab it."

During the next two days, the Cubs were kept very busy at school. Each afternoon was spent in the gymnasium. On several occasions, they saw members of Pat's crowd watching from the windows. The boys never would come inside, but plainly were studying the game and tactics of the Cubs.

"They're trying to study out our plays," Dan reported to his teammates.

"Well, let 'em. We'll beat them fair and square."

On Sat.u.r.day morning, Mr. Hatfield took all Den members to Juvenile Court on the first visit scheduled in the "Know Your Neighborhood" series of excursions.

The boys watched a hearing in progress, listened to a little talk on traffic safety, and then met a judge.

Later, they crossed a corridor to another cl.u.s.ter of offices. Mr.

Hatfield explained that private hearings were conducted for boys and girls who had committed misdemeanors. He led the Cubs into the office of Harold Greene, court director.

"Boys, I want you to meet an old friend of mine," he introduced them.

The Cubs were grateful that the Juvenile Court official made no reference whatsoever to the incident involving the old Christian Church. He knew about it, they were certain, but purposely was being tactful.

Mr. Greene shook hands which each Cub in turn. When he came to Chub, he nodded and smiled and said:

"Why, Chub, I'm glad to see you again. Getting along fine, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir," Chub mumbled nervously.

"You like the place where you are living now?"

"Y-yes, sir," Chub muttered again. He seemed very ill at ease and acted relieved when Mr. Hatfield steered the boys on to another office.

The Cubs could not fail to note that Chub was well known to the Court director. Was it possible, they speculated, that at some time he had been before the court? Could that explain why Mr. Hatfield had warned them not to inquire into the boy's past?