Brad glanced down at the younger boy, surprised by the intensity of his remark.
“Sort of borrowing trouble, aren’t you, Dan?”
“I guess so,” Dan admitted with a rueful laugh. “But Pat’s a sly one. I sure hope I’m wrong, but I’m terribly afraid he intends to try to break up our Den.”
As the Cubs started home, Dan fell into step up. “If you work at the job, the Bay Shore boys may be won over as friends. That would be much better than having them as enemies.”
The Cubs were far from certain that they wanted the Bay Shore boys as friends. However, they kept their thoughts to themselves.
CHAPTER 2
IN QUEST OF A FREEZER
The Carter kitchen was fragrant with the odor of frying bacon as Dan bounced down the stairs next morning for an eight o’clock breakfast. It was Saturday and a beautiful crisp October day. Dan had plans for every hour ahead.
“Mom,” he began, sliding into his usual chair at the foot of the breakfast table. “Do you know where I can get an ice cream freezer?”
Dan’s odd requests long since had ceased to astonish Mrs. Carter. “You mean the old fashioned kind one turns with a crank?” she asked, pouring orange juice into tall glasses.
“We need a couple of large ones,” Dan explained. “Our Den is throwing a big party for the Mothers and Dads. No freezer—no party.”