Dan Carter and the Cub Honor Part 7

Mr. Hatfield came into the meeting room, his gaze sweeping the semi-circle of expectant Cubs.

"I am sorry to be late, boys." He spoke stiffly, and in an oddly subdued tone of voice.

The Cubs knew instantly that something was wrong. Mr. Hatfield didn't seem at all his usual pleasant, easy-going self. His lips were drawn into a tight line of disappointment and he was unsmiling.

"We thought something had happened to you," Brad remarked. "Shall we start the meeting with a song or the pledge of allegiance?"

"No, it's too late for a meeting now," Mr. Hatfield replied. "We have a very important matter to discuss."

The Cubs became most attentive, aware that for some reason the group had incurred the leader's displeasure. As Mr. Hatfield's gaze swept the semi-circle it lingered for a moment on Dan. The boy had an uncomfortable feeling that he was being singled out for attention. Had Old Terry Treuhaft complained about the window perhaps?

"Boys, I've just come from an unpleasant meeting," Mr. Hatfield said. "I was on my way here when I received a telephone call, asking me to stop at the office of Richard W. Brady."

"The lawyer?" interposed Brad, recognizing the name.

Mr. Hatfield nodded and went on: "Mr. Brady represents the trustees of the Christian Church."

Dan felt a cold lump come into his throat. So his hunch had been right!

Old Terry Treuhaft had made trouble about the window.

"I've had a most uncomfortable half hour," Mr. Hatfield resumed. "Mr.

Brady has accused our organization of some very dishonorable acts. To put it concisely, he's threatening to sue for $20,000!"

CHAPTER 5 A THREATENING SUIT

Mr. Hatfield's blunt announcement electrified the Cubs. For a moment no one spoke and then there was a buzz of excited conversation. Everyone talked at the same time, demanding details.

"I can't tell you very much," Mr. Hatfield replied. "Mr. Brady said two of the church trustees came to him this morning, asking that he place their complaint before the Scout organization. The trustees insist that Cub Scouts visited the church grounds Sat.u.r.day and did a great deal of damage. They demand a settlement of their claim, or they'll sue."

"Twenty thousand for a broken window?" Dan demanded. "Why, that's crazy!"

"Those old trustees are out of their heads!" Red added furiously.

"More than a single window is involved," Mr. Hatfield informed the Cubs.

"Statues were broken, the attorney said, and at least three of the large stained-gla.s.s windows."

"But that's impossible!" Dan cried.

"We only broke one tiny little window," Red added.

"Start at the beginning and tell me everything," Mr. Hatfield ordered.

"Who went out to the church Sat.u.r.day?"

"I planned the hike," Dan confessed. "Brad and Fred couldn't go. Chips, Chub, Midge, Red and myself were the only ones."

"You were after an ice cream freezer the attorney said."

"That's right. We asked Mr. Treuhaft if we could borrow a couple that are stored in the bas.e.m.e.nt. He was busy and told us to come back later."

"After he turned you down, did you try to break into the church?"

"We certainly didn't," Dan denied indignantly.

"We just ate lunch there and tossed my basketball around a little while,"

Red contributed. "Chub made a bad throw and broke a window. That's all there was to it, except that Dan said he'd pay for it."

"I tried," Dan took up the story. "Yesterday I went to Old Terry's place.

He wasn't there, but his wife refused the money."

"Has anyone returned to the church since the group left there Sat.u.r.day?"

the Cub leader inquired.

"I went past once on my way from Mr. Treuhaft's place," Dan answered.

"That was Sunday."

"Did you see anyone around the premises?"

"Why, no." The questioned surprised Dan. "No person," he amended. "I did see a sort of shadow moving away toward the graveyard. It might have been a person or an animal or-"

"Or a ghost?" interposed Midge, half teasingly.

The other Cubs however, were in no mood for his joke.

"How could the trustees threaten to sue for twenty thousand dollars?"

Brad asked, deeply troubled. "Why, it's silly! Anyway, they haven't a chance of collecting, because we don't have twenty dollars, much less twenty thousand."

"They're threatening to bring a court action against the entire Scout organization," Mr. Hatfield explained. "The Scout treasury by coincidence has almost exactly twenty thousand. The money is in a special building fund."

"Mr. Brady knew that!" Dan exploded. "That's why he's demanding so much."

"Perhaps," the Cubmaster agreed. "But any way we look at it, this is serious business. The honor of our Den is at stake."

"How can they blame us for something we didn't do?" Midge demanded.

Mr. Hatfield a.s.sured the Cubs that he believed their story that only one window had been broken.

"I'm driving out to the church now to see for myself how much damage has been done," he announced. "Who wants to ride along?"

Because it was nearing the dinner hour, only Brad, Dan, Fred and Chips elected to go.

The sun was riding low in the sky by the time the automobile reached the church grounds. Mr. Hatfield parked along the main road, and the boys walked up the broken front walk.

"Twenty thousand, of course, is a ridiculous figure to demand," Mr.

Hatfield remarked, following the Cubs. "I doubt the property is worth much more than that, including the land. The trustees have been trying to sell it for nearly two years, and haven't yet found a buyer."