“I’m sorry I accused Ross,” Red said again. “All the same, we know how he acts—”
“Never mind,” broke in Brad severely. “Mr. Hatfield is signaling us from the car. He’s ready to leave. I for one will be glad to get home and clean up.”
“Remember, we have to deliver our money to Mr. Kain tomorrow morning,” Dan warned the Cubs as they started off to the waiting cars. “I suppose we ought to meet at Mr. Hatfield’s house and all go to the bank together.”
After the other boys had scattered, he and Brad gathered up the empty buckets. Several men who lived not far away had offered to keep watch of the smoldering woods area, so the Cubs no longer would be needed.
“I’d like to know how that fire actually did start,” Brad remarked. “Dan, do you think Ross had anything to do with it?”
“Not intentionally.”
“No, of course not. I mean, do you think he came out here last night as he said to clear up the brush?”
“I rather think he did, Brad. Maybe that’s one reason the fire didn’t spread terribly fast despite the dryness of the season. He could have dropped matches or something, but you were right in saying we shouldn’t blame him. We’ll probably never know how the fire started.”
“Not unless we dig up a clue later on when we can search the area.”
“Everything is burned over. Not much chance of that, Brad.”