Mr. Hatfield carefully examined the diamond-shaped buttons.
“Aren’t they the same as the one police found in your desk?” Dan demanded.
“They certainly look the same,” the Cub leader admitted. “I wonder how this dress came to be in the log?”
“Someone must have stuffed it in here just to be rid of it,” Brad ventured.
His gaze fastened upon Jack Phillips. The boy leaned on his rifle, staring at the dress with a fixed, almost frozen expression.
Observing the odd look of his eyes, the Cubs could not fail to wonder what he knew of the matter.
“Jack,” said Mr. Hatfield, without mincing words, “have you ever seen this dress before?”
“Have I seen it?” the boy echoed indignantly.
“That’s what I asked, Jack.”
“No, I never saw the dress before!” the boy answered sullenly. “What’s more I didn’t put it in this old log! I had nothing to do with stealing your money box!”