Part 16 (1/2)
”You mean we can do it?” Dan cried, his face cracking into a smile.
”I talked to most of the fathers. They're in favor of doing anything we can to prove that the Cubs had nothing to do with killing those pheasants.”
”When can we start, Mr. Hatfield?”
”That's for the Cubs to decide. Not much use in keeping watch too early in the day. Midge's father thought we might go on duty about four in the afternoon and stay until after dark. One of the fathers will keep the boys company on the last s.h.i.+ft.”
”May we start this afternoon?” Dan demanded eagerly.
”The woods are rather wet, don't you think?”
”We could put on slickers and boots. Anyway, the sun's out again. The ground will dry some before afternoon.”
”All right,” Mr. Hatfield consented. ”If it doesn't rain any more, find another Cub and go out there at four o'clock. I'll send someone to relieve you by six.”
”Oh, thanks, Mr. Hatfield!”
”You may not thank me by the time your stint is finished,” the Cub leader laughed as he s.h.i.+fted gears. ”It will be a tedious grind, and probably a fruitless one. Oh, yes, one thing! Keep out of sight, and be careful about leaving a lot of tracks.”
”We'll defeat our purpose if anyone learns we're watching the road.”
”Right. Well, good luck, Dan. I don't look for anything to develop today, but starting the patrol will keep the Cubs out of mischief at least.”
Elated at the prospect of action, Dan immediately busied himself on the telephone. First he called Brad, but the Den Chief was helping his father with work about the house and could not make the trip to the woodland.
”I'll take my stint tomorrow,” Brad promised.
Red, next on Dan's list, begged off because he had the start of a cold.
In the end it was Chips who agreed to go with him.
From the start, however, the vigil bored Chips. He disliked staying out of sight in the bushes near the old logging road exit, and he fretted at inactivity.
”You stay here and keep watch,” he directed Dan. ”I think I'll wander around and look for different types of leaves to press and mount in a sc.r.a.pbook.”
”Nothing doing,” Dan promptly vetoed the idea. ”We stick together.”
”But I'm tired of hunching under these hot, bug-eaten bushes! No one's come here in broad daylight and you know it!”
”We don't know when that station wagon may return, Chips. We've got to develop patience.”
”You and your preachy talk! It won't do any harm to move around a little.
My legs are getting cramped.”
”Mr. Hatfield said we'd defeat our purpose if we walk around and leave a lot of footprints. Especially when the ground is soft.”
”I'll start sprouting roots if I sit here any longer,” Chips complained.
He slapped angrily at a mosquito which buzzed around his head. ”How long are we supposed to stay here?”