“You hope it wasn’t one of the Cubs,” he completed with a questioning inflection.
“I started to say that, Dan. Then I realized that the remark would be unfair. None of the Cubs were out here today until you and Brad spotted the fire.”
“Not so far as I know,” Dan agreed. “Last night—”
This time it was the boy who did not finish his sentence. It struck him that it would be very disloyal even to hint that Ross might have been responsible for the fire. Certainly he had no proof that the Den 1 boy had been careless in clearing away brush.
“Well, we’ve saved the Castle and we can be proud of ourselves,” Mr. Hatfield declared, getting up from the ground. “The Cubs really pitched in.”
Brad and Dan asked the Cub leader how much damage had been done.
“It’s hard to tell,” Mr. Hatfield replied. “Some of the shrubs have been killed. But I don’t believe many of the trees have been damaged. As soon as the smoke clears a little, we’ll make a thorough check.”
Brad had noticed a familiar automobile driving into the grounds.
“We’ll have a little help too,” he muttered uncomfortably. “See who’s here now!”
Dan and Mr. Hatfield turned around to see that it was Mr. Kain, the bank employee, who had arrived.