pheasants were shipped out of town for sale, just as the Cubs thought?”
“I don’t know where they were sold,” Dobbs said. “Freeze and Bauer never told me any of the details of their business, and I didn’t ask. Mostly they drove in here at night, using the old logging road.”
“You let them know when the coast was clear, so to speak?”
“They made me do that. But believe me, Mr. Silverton, I never let ’em have as many pheasants as they wanted.”
“Very considerate of my interests,” the sportsman said sarcastically. “You knew about the log jam in the creek, of course.”
“Freeze and Bauer put the logs in so they could cross the stream at that point and reach the lean-to. I was afraid it might make trouble, but I didn’t look for the rains to be so heavy.”
“You left the two pheasant cocks in the lean-to and then went away late this afternoon? That was to give your friends a chance to come here while you were away?”
“They ain’t friends of mine,” Dobbs insisted. “I told you, they’ve been making life mighty hard for me.”
“Where do the two live?”
“At a little hotel on Brady Avenue in Webster City.”
“I’ll swear out a warrant for their arrest immediately,” Mr. Silverton declared. “As for you, Dobbs—”
“Don’t be too hard on me,” the workman pleaded. “I told you the whole truth. I never would have got mixed up in the dirty business only they kept after me. I’ll be glad to see ’em behind bars.”
“Will you testify against them?”
“I will if you’ll let me off, Mr. Silverton. I swear it!”
“All right,” the sportsman agreed, impatient to be finished with the discussion. “I want no scandal, so I’ll let you off. But understand this! You’re through here—fired. Now get out! My secretary will send you your final pay check.”
“Thanks, Mr. Silverton,” Dobbs mumbled, shuffling toward the door.
His heavy boots sloshed through a trickle of water which had seeped unnoticed into the barn.
“The creek’s still rising!” he exclaimed, startled.
As Dobbs thrust open the barn door, more water trickled in.
Mr. Silverton seized the lantern from the floor. As he flashed it out-of-doors, he saw that the entire area near the house and barn was flooded.
“It’s coming up fast!” he exclaimed in dismay. “We’ve got to dynamite the log jam right away or the water will keep rising!”
CHAPTER 14
Trouble on Rabb Island
The rapidity with which the creek waters had flooded the low area and the higher ground where the barn was situated, alarmed Mr. Silverton and Sam Hatfield.
“Where is Fred?” the Cub leader asked anxiously. “And the other boys?”
“We left them at the creek, not far from the log jam,” Dan explained. “They’ve probably moved to higher ground somewhere along the old logging road. We told them to wait.”
“We’ve got to get back there and work fast!” Mr. Silverton said, starting hurriedly away.
“Mr. Silverton, let me dynamite the jam for you,” Dobbs offered unexpectedly. “It’s dangerous work and you ain’t used to handling the stuff.”
Mr. Silverton hesitated, apparently on the verge of refusing the request.
“Please let me help,” Dobbs urged. “It’s the least I can do to make amends.”
“Very well,” the sportsman agreed. “We need your help. The dynamite is in my car. Be careful it doesn’t get wet, because it’s all I have.”
“I’ll set off the blast,” Dobbs said, starting away. “Just be sure all the boys are out of range when she goes off!”
“We’ll round the Cubs up now,” Mr. Hatfield said. “What about these pheasants here in the barn?”
“Dan and I can move them up into the loft,” Brad offered eagerly.
“If we can dynamite the dam, it may not be necessary,” Mr. Silverton said. “First, let’s see what can be done at the creek. If we fail there, we’ll have to come back and move everything out.”
Dobbs obtained the dynamite from Mr. Silverton’s car, and the party set off for the creek. Failing to see Fred, Mack, Chips and Red by the dam, Mr. Hatfield gave the familiar Pack whistle.
From higher land far up the logging road came an immediate response.
“Round up the Cubs, Brad,” Mr. Hatfield instructed the Den Chief. “Then keep them all together until after Dobbs sets off the dynamite.”
“Sure,” Brad agreed. “Coming, Dan?”
Leaving the log jam where an avalanche of water was pouring over the pile of debris, the two boys quickly found the other four Cubs.
“We thought you never would get back,” Red said. He was wet to the waist and covered with mud, having fallen down on the slippery road. “The creek came up so fast, we moved out.”
Brad and Dan recounted their own experiences at the barn, and ended by telling Dobbs’ confession.
“And all the while that guy was trying to put the blame on us!” Chips exclaimed indignantly. “What a nerve! He drove us away from here because he was afraid we’d learn the truth.”
“And we did, thanks to Mr. Hatfield’s suspicions about the logging road,” declared Brad. “But if Dan hadn’t noticed the shipping tag on that crate, I doubt Dobbs ever would have confessed.”
“What happened to Freeze and Bauer?” Fred questioned. “They got away?”
“Temporarily,” Brad answered. “Mr. Silverton knows their address though. So unless they wise up and slip out of town, he’ll swear out a warrant for their arrest.”
Keeping together, the Cubs returned to the creek, the banks of which had dissolved into a dark, murky, ever-spreading lake.
On the log jam, endeavoring to place the charge of dynamite, were Dobbs, Sam Hatfield and Mr. Silverton. Seeing the Cubs, Mr. Hatfield shouted to Brad to come and hold the lighted lantern. The others, he warned to keep far away.
Carefully Dobbs placed the dynamite charge, having trouble in keeping it dry until the fuse could be lighted.
“Now everyone get out of here quick!” he ordered. “I’m sticking until the last minute.”
As the long fuse began to burn, Mr. Silverton, Brad, and Sam Hatfield, quickly waded back to the waiting Cubs. Together, all
