The Cubs, one and all, grinned provokingly. Red subsided into hurt silence.
Then unexpectedly, Mrs. Holloway, the Den Mother, sided with Red. As she passed a plate of chicken sandwiches, she remarked quietly;
“About a half hour ago, while I was working in the kitchen, I noticed a light somewhere back in the woods. It looked for all the world like a bonfire.”
“A fire!” cried Red triumphantly. “What’d I tell you?”
“It struck me as very strange,” continued Mrs. Holloway. “With so many cottages nearby, a fire in the park could be serious unless carefully tended.”
“Then you think Red may not have imagined that face on the cliff?” inquired Mr. Hatfield thoughtfully.
“I’m wondering if an investigation might not be advisable.”
Mrs. Holloway’s observation was sufficient to completely change the attitude of the Cubs. Instead of making fun of Red, they now began to ask Mr. Hatfield when they could visit the ravine.
“Tomorrow,” he promised as the meeting broke up. “If anyone is camping in the woods without permission, we ought to find out about it. We’ll gather here after school for canoe practice and a little trip of exploration. Who knows, we may run into something interesting!”