The problem of finding an ice cream freezer still confronted the Cubs. On Thursday, only a day before the scheduled affair to honor parents, the boys admitted that they were up against it.
“We’ll have to buy our ice cream,” Brad said to the Den members as they sat discussing the matter in their clubroom. “Mr. Hatfield has been too busy to do anything about finding a freezer, and the rest of us have had no luck.”
“The party won’t be any good without homemade ice cream,” Midge said gloomily. “I wanted to turn the freezer too!”
“No use moaning about it,” Brad replied. “We’ll have a good party just the same. At any rate we’ll have the big fort on display. Fred and his helpers did a fine job building it.”
“Thanks,” Fred said, warming to the praise. “It was a lot of work making the thing.”
The fort, constructed of cut and painted sheets of cardboard, was a replica of an old pioneer historical building which the boys had visited several months before. Fred had spent weeks on the task, working out every detail with care. Now the structure was finished, ready for display at the Friday party.
“By the way, there’s one business matter to come before the group,” Brad resumed. “We have a request to consider from Pat Oswald.”
“He wants to cancel the game!” Chips guessed.
“Quite the contrary. He and his boys are taking the tournament very seriously. Pat demands a chance to practice in our gymnasium before the game.”
A silence fell upon the room. Then Red said grumpily: “Maybe he’d like to have us turn over the whole place to him!”