“It soon will be supper time,” Mr. Holloway agreed. “I’ll find enough work to occupy their time.”
Mr. Hatfield and Mr. Suell set off at once to search for the stranger who had accosted the boys at the spring.
Meanwhile, Chips and Dan helped with supper preparations, trying not to reveal their inner excitement to the other Cubs. As time wore on and neither the Cub leader nor Mr. Suell returned, it became increasingly difficult to contain their secret.
The boys were nearly through supper when the two finally appeared in camp. Slipping almost unnoticed into the group around the fire, they dished up their own suppers.
“Learn anything?” Dan asked the Cub leader in a whisper.
“Tell you later.” Mr. Hatfield’s glance warned the boy to say no more at the moment.
In silence, but with no show of uneasiness, the Cub leader ate his supper. While the other boys were clearing away the dishes, he took Dan, Brad and Chips aside to relate what he and Mr. Suell had noted in their explorations.
“Did you find that fellow we saw by the spring?” Chips questioned before Mr. Hatfield could speak.
“No, Chips. We tramped the island from one end to the other. Not a sign of him.”
“No signs?” Dan echoed.