Dan Carter and the Cub Honor Part 4

Dan's window offered a fairly clear view of the church bas.e.m.e.nt, so the other boys crowded about to peer down into the pillared room.

"The place has a lot of boxes," Midge observed. "Some of 'em look as if they've been smashed open. I see some tools too. A coal shovel-"

His voice broke on the last named object and an eerie silence came upon all the Cubs. Was it imagination, or had they heard a strange sound-the faint tap-tap-tap of the overhead church bell?

"What was that?" Midge demanded.

"G-ghosts," mumbled Chub, his voice choked with fright. In a hushed whisper he added the plea: "Come on, f-fellows, let's get away from here q-quick!"

CHAPTER 3 A TAPPING BELL

Chub's squeal of fright unnerved the other Cubs for an instant. But they did not give way to panic. Chips grasped the younger boy's arm, holding him as he would have fled from the church grounds.

"Take it easy," he advised. "There aren't any ghosts and we all know it."

"I-I heard something," Chub said, half ashamed. "It sounded like a bell tapping."

The Cubs stood gazing up at the belfry. So far as they could see, the rusty old bell hung absolutely motionless.

"You imagined it," Red said gruffly. "How could that bell jingle?"

"I thought I heard it tap myself," Midge said.

"Maybe the wind moved the bell," Red offered as an explanation. "It's blowing fairly strong from the direction of the river."

The other Cubs nodded agreement, satisfied that the mystery was solved.

Dan remained silent. He too had heard the metallic sound which had startled Chub, and has a.s.sumed it to be a tapping bell. But to theorize that the wind had been responsible, seemed silly.

Nevertheless, not caring to further alarm the Cubs, he did not reveal his thoughts.

"Come on, let's practice basketball," Red urged to break the uneasy silence which had fallen upon the group. "Here, Midge, catch!"

He tossed the ball to his friend, who pa.s.sed it back. The boys spread out, palming the basketball from one to another, faster and faster. Then they played "keep away" for a few minutes. Chub was less skillful than the other Cubs, frequently letting the ball slip from his fingers.

"I don't know why I'm so awkward," he said miserably.

"You'll catch on all at once," Dan encouraged him. "Here, pa.s.s me a fast, hard one now."

Chub swung the ball in a wide arch and heaved with all his strength. His aim was distressingly bad.

The ball sailed high above Dan's reach, over the bushes and through a window.

A stunned silence came upon the Cubs as they heard the crash and beheld the damage.

"Wow! You've done it now, Chub," Chips said pityingly.

"We'll all catch it from Old Terry," Midge added, staring at the jagged hole in the pane. "I guess we'll have to pay for the damage."

"It was a-all my fault," Chub admitted, close to tears. "How much do windows cost?"

"Oh, a dollar or two," Midge said vaguely. "Maybe more."

Tears began to roll down Chub's cheeks.

"Don't let it throw you," Dan said, slapping him on the shoulders.

"Breaking a window can happen to anyone."

"It's not that," Chub mumbled, his eyes downcast. "How am I going to pay?

I-I don't have hardly any spending money. And I can't ask Mrs. Lornsdale to help me. I wish I'd never joined the Cubs! Then I wouldn't be in this awful mess."

"Hey, cut out that kind of talk!" Dan said. "You're not in any mess. It's not fair either, to blame the Cubs for this. It was just an accident."

"I didn't mean that about the Cubs. I'll get the money somehow."

"Forget it," Dan advised. "It was as much my fault as it was yours that the window was smashed. I told you to throw the ball hard, didn't I?"

"Yes, but-"

"And I was standing in front of the church window, Chub. So it was more my fault than it was yours. I'll see Old Terry first thing tomorrow and settle for the window."

"Pay it all, you mean?" Midge asked in surprise.

"Sure," Dan replied. "I have some money saved. It won't strap me."

Though he spoke carelessly, the denner had struggled inwardly before making his generous offer. For weeks he had been h.o.a.rding every penny, intending to buy a basketball of his own. Now he'd have to forget about it.

"You shouldn't pay for a window I broke," Chub insisted, but he plainly was relieved by the offer. "I-I'll try to pay you back."

"Just forget it," Dan advised. "Set your mind on those tests you have to pa.s.s for Cubs. Know the Cub handclasp yet?"

Chub shook his head.

Dan showed him the grasp with the first finger extended straight along the inside of the other person's wrist.

"Tell me what WEBELOS means too," Chub said eagerly.

"The letters WBL stand for Cub ranks," Dan explained. "Wolf-Bear-Lion.

'We'll be loyal.' Get it?"

"I guess so. But what does the 'S' stand for?"

"Scout. The letters WBLS form the skeleton or framework of the Indian tribal name, Webelos."

"Cubs are supposed to be cheerful, helpful and friendly always," Midge declared.