Dan Carter and the Cub Honor Part 17

"You may look around, if you like," Mr. Hatfield invited.

"Thanks, I'll do that," he replied.

Old Terry inspected the clubroom and then to the deepening annoyance of the Cubs and their parents, went down into the bas.e.m.e.nt. Finally, he seemed satisfied that the missing freezers were not in the building.

"Mr. Treuhaft, won't you have some cake and a dish of store ice cream?"

Midge's mother invited graciously.

"No, Ma'am, I won't," he declined the invitation. "I'm leaving now."

He stomped out, allowing the door to bang behind him.

"Good riddance," Red exclaimed.

The Cubs began to straighten the clubroom, preparatory to leaving.

Everyone was tired and a little discouraged even though the party had been a success.

"Old Terry spoiled everything," Dan said, expressing the sentiment of his Cubmates. "Do you suppose he could have been right?"

"About those stolen freezers belonging to the Christian Church?" Mr.

Hatfield inquired.

"That's what I was thinking."

"I have a hunch they were the same ones, Dan."

"Then we actually were using stolen freezers?"

"I'm afraid of it, Dan. Someone played a joke on us. Not a very nice joke either."

"Then we're guilty of what they said!"

"We're not guilty of anything, Dan. If those freezers were taken from the church and delivered here, how were we to know who brought them or why?

We accepted the gift in good faith."

"The trustees will have a better case than ever against us now."

"They may try to make something of the incident. However, I don't propose to worry about it."

"Think how much worse it would have been for us, if Old Terry actually had found the freezers," Brad chuckled. "As it is, he has no evidence."

"That's so," Dan agreed relaxing. "Whoever swiped the ice cream, did us a small favor. I only wish I knew for sure whether or not Pat had a finger in the deal."

"Given a little time, we may learn that too," Mr. Hatfield replied, smiling.

Though the Cubs pressed him for an explanation, the Cub leader would not reveal what was in his mind.

"Wait and we'll see," he suggested. "And while you're waiting, don't forget to practice hard at basketball. It's more important than ever now, that we prove to Pat and his boys that Cubs can win honorably!"

CHAPTER 10 OLD TERRY'S DEMAND

The loss of the two ice cream freezers and the mystery surrounding them, distressed the Cubs. A dozen questions plagued their minds. Had someone stolen the freezers from the church and given them to the organization just to cause trouble?

Who had tipped Old Terry that the containers would be found at the Cub party? The Cubs kept mulling over the affair and the conviction grew upon them that Pat Oswald had been responsible.

"I wish we never had agreed to play the basketball series," Midge said gloomily one afternoon the following week when the boys were at the gymnasium. "We'll be the laughing stock of Webster City if we lose."

"Not if we lose fair and square," Dan returned, undisturbed. "It's no disgrace not to win. After all, it's only a game."

"Pat and his boys from Bay Sh.o.r.e way have all but ruined our reputations in this town!"

"The organization is under a cloud," Dan admitted.

The situation actually was more serious than he liked to acknowledge.

Since the night of the party, word had spread throughout Webster City that Old Terry had caught the Cubs with property stolen from the Christian Church bas.e.m.e.nt.

Friends and acquaintances of the Den 2 boys knew that the tale was untrue. Whenever the Cubs encountered others repeating the story, they denied it vigorously. How well their a.s.sertions were believed, they could not tell.

Never by word nor act had Mr. Hatfield even hinted that he doubted the Cubs. Repeatedly he a.s.sured them that the truth would come out in the end. Yet, sometimes the Cub leader looked so worried, the boys wondered if he weren't keeping really bad news from them.

Since the night of the party, Dan had seen Pat Oswald only once. The Bay Sh.o.r.e boy had come to the Cub clubroom to ask if the Purple Five might have a final practice in the gymnasium before the Friday night game.

"I suppose so," Dan had told him. "You'll have to talk to Mr. Hatfield about it."

Pat had loitered too long to please the Cubs. Deliberately, he looked over the exhibits, the achievement lists, and especially Fred's fort.

"Heard your party was a bust the other night," he twitted Dan. "Someone stole your ice cream, eh?"

"It was a low down trick." Dan looked the Bay Sh.o.r.e boy squarely in the eyes and Pat's gaze wavered. "You wouldn't know anything about it, would you?"

"Who, me? What an idea!" Pat laughed uproarously.

He slipped out the clubroom door before Dan could fire any more questions at him.

The Bay Sh.o.r.e boys practiced the following night at the gymnasium. Brad, who witnessed the workout, reported to the Cubs that the team had improved considerably.

"That Friday game will be no push-over for the Cubs," he warned. "Dig in!"

The Cubs spent every spare hour at the gymnasium, practicing baskets and working out their team plays. Both Dan and Midge were certain of final selection as forwards. Red and Chips too were improving daily in their ability to guard. Brad, at center, though he did less practicing than the others, was the surest of all the players at handling the ball.

It was Chub who gave the Cubs concern. The youngster tried hard enough, but his fingers seemed coated with grease. Even if he received an easy, straight pa.s.s, he missed as often as he caught the ball.

"We'll have to use Chub as a subst.i.tute," Brad told his teammates. "The only thing is, what if one of the regulars can't play? Or if he goes out on a foul?"