Tabl

s had e

orried and so w

the money box, the Cub leader had

, but detectives made it clear they were

was informed. "Furthermore, trustees of the church feel the cash should be turned over to them because it was found on church property. Now yo

rmly. "Anyway, they knew only that I took the box upstairs. I

quite decent about q

n especially considered that by finding the box he

oal pile anyway?" he berated himself. "We

thermore, we'll not waste valuable time worrying about the matter. The

usy they had little time to think

ch, they worked almost daily on their plans

f the month the two dens expected to unite their efforts for a gigantic knighting

r rivals, the boys of Den 2 assigne

armor of cardboard. The carefully cut piece

h-type trappings, fashioning garments of b

ds and mounted cardboard spea

unced. "Also, we ought to have some painted banners to hang on t

. When the weather turned warm again in the Spring, they planned to

l roofing discs onto burlap. The Cubs, frankly env

some of those discs," Midge Holloway

near a new house that's being built. I asked the c

ore of those discs?"

I didn't ta

ome," pip

chimed in. "Lead

ly. "Fact is, to get there we'd have to hike a couple of mi

dampened the enthusiasm of

e. If we had more of those roof discs, we could t

red said, his interest kindling.

is father returned. "All in

ub vote

patiently. "If we don't make it

. "Even when I was there, n

all right to take the di

ld me I might have all

with the boys that no time shou

e proposed. "On the way, we'll pass a

dressed warmly enough for the hike except Babe who had

he church in ten minutes, h

got?" Chips asked

uced several crushed

ips muttered, shaking his h

I thought I might get hungry on

nd less time feeding your face and more time studying

. "Babe is catching onto Cub ways fast. I'll wager he'll be a W

Chips complained. "I'm wo

ck. "Only maybe you ought to dig in a little harder on those

nt one. Selecting Highway 23, the Cubs, led by Brad and

short distance beyond, they passed a sparsely settled sect

Babe asked, limpin

to the older boy, but found it imposs

encouraged him. "Guess you ar

eet h

tight shoes? Better get yourself some tha

manded Red. The brisk wal

ather discs," Brad said, glancing over the

avor-" sh

alt then and there a

not far from the road. Under his direction, the boys cleared aw

over the coals, Mr. Hatfield again talked ov

of honor for this month," he told the

er!" laughed Midge, reaching into the

a more serious sense, didn't

y to defend those who could not help themselves. Th

t real battles,"

er corrected. "We must strive always to maintain

anded before he stopped to think how the question might so

the boy, gave him a

however, did n

trying to blacken my name. Quite the contrary. Their job is to investigate. I have complete confide

ter. Brad and Mr. Hatfield not only stamped out the dy

ng to an unpainted, tumble-down dwelling visible

eserted," B

with sagging porches. Roof shingles curled a

" Midge suggested with a laugh

fing discs," Brad reminded him. "If

an wait. But it does look interesting. After we ge

art moving, we won't even get our discs for

to the cleared area where four new houses had been built. All were boa

the discs?" Mr. Hatfield asked Brad doubtfu

have them all. I only took en

Hatfield said. "While you're gathe

over a large area, half b

s. With six boys and a scarcity of metal discs it becam

buy a few at a roofing supply plac

ards and broken brick, he noticed that the cella

exclaimed. "This

ough it!" shouted C

pposed to be locked. I had permission to take dis

just to peek inside

top him, the boy sh

rad shoute

ional warning. Already he h

utward, a figure lo

d only stare. The man was stoutish and wore soiled, wrinkled c

made aware of the dark eyes which

d, gathering his wits. "I-I didn

" the man dem

ful that the other boys were behind him, gathe

curtly. "You have no busines

ould make any reply, he slammed