Part 24 (1/2)

”If Ross is innocent, the Cubs are doing him a terrible injustice,” Brad said to his friend early Sat.u.r.day. The two boys had walked to the Castle grounds, and by intention were there ahead of the Pack.

”I wish we could find how the fire really started,” Dan replied soberly.

”So much time has elapsed now, all clues probably have been destroyed.”

”We may find some more of those arrows, Dan. They may or may not have significance.”

The two boys were hopeful of coming upon evidence to indicate that the fire had been of accidental nature or had been started by the mysterious ”ghost” of the Castle.

Their task proved most discouraging. As they wandered through the blackened, charred area, they found not a single clue. They did observe that the damage to shrubs and trees had been relatively slight.

”It looks to me as if Ross told the truth about cleaning up the brush,”

Brad declared, pausing beside a large pile of charred sticks and debris.

”See! He must have gathered it all here in this one place.”

”And maybe touched a match to it.”

”Ross wouldn't be that stupid. He knows better than to start a fire in a wooded area. Anyway, you can see the fire didn't start in this pile of brush. It spread from some distance back.”

Dan agreed with his friend's observation. Both could see where the fire had followed a line of least resistance along a winding road.

”Say, I wonder where that road leads?” Dan speculated. ”I never noticed it here before.”

Curious to learn whether or not it joined the main road, they followed it for a short distance.

Before the boys had gone far, they discovered that it twisted in among the trees, leading behind the Castle. From there it swung to the right, presently coming out within view of the adjoining estate. By this time the Cubs had learned that the property was owned by a Colonel Brekenridge.

”No sense going any farther,” Brad said, halting. ”For all we know, we may be trespa.s.sing on Brekenridge land. If the Colonel's gardener should spot us, he'd make trouble.”

”The road hasn't been used much of late,” Dan said, noting that it was clogged with gra.s.s.

Pausing in the clearing, the boys gazed toward the pillared Brekenridge home. No one was to be seen either in the yard or on the veranda.

After a casual inspection, the pair started back the way they had come.

They had covered about two-thirds of the distance to the Castle, when Dan abruptly halted to study a charred irregular area at the side of the road.

”Say, it looks as if someone had a camp fire here!” he exclaimed.

”Recently too, because rains haven't disturbed any of the ashes.”

Brad turned to gaze at the area his companion indicated.

Immediately he noticed a snake-like black tail of burned ground leading toward another charred area.

”Dan, this must be where the fire started!” he cried.

”The wind was blowing toward the Castle all right.”