Dan Carter and the Haunted Castle

by Mildred A. Wirt

  CHAPTER 18 Billy Hides Out

  Led by Ross and Mr. Hatfield, the Cubs rapidly combed the woods in theimmediate vicinity of the Castle.

  The boy had completely vanished.

  "We're wasting time searching for him among the trees," Dan offered hisopinion. "I have a hunch he went straight down the road, maybe to theBrekenridge estate."

  "I think so too," Ross supported the opinion. "I heard him running as ifhe expected to be followed."

  The Cubs set off at a fast pace through the burned area. Mr. Kain, inpoor physical trim, found it difficult to keep pace.

  "Incidentally, here is where the fire started," Dan pointed out to thebanker as they passed the remains of the small bonfire where the weinerhad been roasted.

  "Why, this isn't on bank property," Mr. Kain noted. "Possibly I have beenunjust in blaming the Cubs."

  The boys reached the end of the road without seeing anyone.

  Disappointed, they halted at the edge of the Brekenridge estate.

  "The boy may have taken off in any direction from here," Mr. Kain saiddoubtfully. "Who lives at that house with the pillars?"

  "I believe the place is rented by a Colonel Brekenridge," Mr. Hollowaysupplied. "I've never met him."

  "Any children?"

  "I wouldn't know."

  Through the trees the Cubs could see someone seated on the veranda.

  "That may be Mr. Brekenridge," the bank man commented. "Let's ask him ifhe's seen anyone pass this way in the last ten or fifteen minutes."

  "We may not get a chance to talk to the estate owner," Dan hinted. "Thegardener there doesn't care for visitors."

  Not to be deterred by this warning, the men pushed on, followed by theCubs.

  Scarcely had they started up the lane from the entrance gate than a dogbegan to bark.

  "We'll be announced all right," Brad said. "This place is well guarded."

  As the Cubs expected, the barking of the dog brought the gardener to seewhat was amiss.

  Immediately he recognized Dan and Brad, who walked somewhat in advance ofthe others in the group.

  "I thought I told you to stay away from here," he said angrily.

  "It's important that we see Mr. Brekenridge," Brad insisted.

  "Well, you can't talk to him and that's final," the man snapped.

  By this time the others in the group had come up. Seeing such a largedelegation, the gardener did not know what to make of it. Nevertheless,he was determined that his authority should not be questioned.

  "We should like to see the master of this estate," requested Mr. Hatfieldpolitely.

  "Mr. Brekenridge's orders are to keep everyone off the estate."

  "Why is that?"

  "Because he likes privacy, the colonel does. Now move along and don't bemaking me any more trouble."

  Some distance away an elderly man could be seen reclining on a porchchair. Mr. Hatfield was convinced that it must be Mr. Brekenridgehimself.

  "Will you please tell the colonel that visitors are here?" the Cub leaderrequested. "After all, we would not insist upon seeing him but the matteris important."

  "If it's a business matter, you can tell me. I'll report to Mr.Brekenridge."

  "What we have to say is for the colonel's ears alone."

  "Well, the colonel's ears ain't going to hear it!" the gardener retorted."I'm in charge here and I say you're not to bother the master. He's notwell enough to talk to anyone."

  "In that case, we'll not press the matter," Mr. Hatfield accepteddismissal. "However, since Colonel Brekenridge is up and about, Ithought--"

  "Visitors worry him," the gardener cut in. "I ain't aiming to beunfriendly, but my orders are to see he's not disturbed."

  "We'll go," the Cub leader said. "But first, tell us if you've seen a boypass this way in the last ten minutes."

  "I've been trimming a hedge. I ain't had time to be looking for anyone."

  "I see," said Mr. Hatfield, aware that the man would give no information."Thank you."

  All the Cubs started to leave. As they moved away, they heard a faintcall from the veranda.

  "Oh, Pete!"

  The gardener became somewhat confused upon seeing that ColonelBrekenridge was beckoning to him.

  "Tell those folks to come here," the master of the estate called.

  "You heard him," the gardener muttered, annoyed that Colonel Brekenridgehad interfered. "He's willing to see you. Why, I wouldn't know, aftertelling me to keep folks away."

  The Cubs and the three men went on to the pillared veranda.

  Colonel Brekenridge, once a large man now wasted to a shadow of hisformer self, lay in a specially built reclining wheel chair. He woreglasses and had been reading, for several English magazines and _TheSpectator_ were spread on a table beside him.

  "You were sending these people away, Pete?" the master of the estateasked the gardener. "Did I not hear them ask to see me?"

  "You know you're not to over-tire yourself, Colonel Brekenridge," the manreplied. "I was only trying to look after your best interests."

  "I'm sure you were," the colonel replied kindly. "Sometimes I fear youare inclined to be over-zealous in your duty. At any rate, I am feelingmuch better these days and welcome interesting visitors."

  "I trust we'll prove interesting then," said Mr. Hatfield with a smile."In any case we will endeavor to be brief."

  Colonel Brekenridge waved the three men into porch chairs. The Cubs saton the steps in front of them.

  "I'm not as much of an invalid as my gardener would have you believe,"the colonel said with a smile. "When I first came here to live, I wasseriously ill and required absolute quiet. Now, I'm happy to say, Iappear well on the road to recovery."

  The three men introduced themselves and presented the Cubs. Mr. Hatfieldthen explained that the boys had been using the adjoining property inrehearsing for a play which they hoped soon to put on.

  "You had a fire over there the other day, didn't you?" the colonelinquired. "I saw smoke and was a little worried lest this property be indanger. Fortunately for my interests, the wind carried it in the otherdirection."

  "We're still trying to learn how that fire started," Mr. Hatfield said."That is not our reason for coming here today though. We're searching forsomeone who hid a small bag inside the Castle, and then ran off in thisdirection."

  "We thought you might have seen him come this way," Mr. Kain added.

  "No, I can't say I have. I must admit I dozed off for fifteen or twentyminutes."

  The Cubs now felt that they were at a complete dead-end in their searchfor the elusive archer. Believing that Colonel Brekenridge was unable toprovide any useful clues, they arose to leave.

  At this point, however, Mr. Kain brought out the small leather bag.

  Even before the bank employee explained anything about it, the colonel'seyes fastened attentively upon the pouch.

  "That little bag has a familiar look," he remarked.

  "It isn't yours by chance?" inquired Mr. Kain in surprise.

  "Those symbols remind me of a bag I once owned. May I see it please?"

  "Certainly." Mr. Kain offered the coin-filled leather pouch.

  "This certainly looks like a bag I once bought from an Indian on one ofmy trips through the west," Colonel Brekenridge said. "Come to think ofit, I don't know what ever became of it either."

  "You are a coin collector perhaps?" interposed Mr. Holloway.

  "No, I have no hobbies. In my younger days I enjoyed travel and picked upa few curios. But in no sense of the word could you call me a collector."

  Curiously, Colonel Brekenridge felt of the coins inside the bag. Mr. Kainbade him open the pouch.

  The colonel poured the coins out onto the robe which covered his wheelchair.

  "Well!" he exclaimed. "These too have a somewhat familiar appearance."

  "Then the coins are yours?" asked Mr. Kain.

  "No, but I think I recognize them. They belonge
d to my son."

  "Is the boy here now?"

  Colonel Brekenridge smiled as he moved his wheel chair so that the sunwould not shine directly into his eyes.

  "Oh, my son is a grown man," he replied. "At present he is abroad servingin the army."

  "This puzzle grows more confusing by the minute," declared Mr. Holloway."Suppose we tell you exactly how we came into possession of the bag ofcoins."

  The Den Dad then related how the arrow with a message attached had beenshot near Mr. Kain's car.

  Colonel Brekenridge's amazement increased as he learned that the bag hadbeen hidden inside the chimney of the bank-owned dwelling.

  "These coins are very valuable," he assured the Cubs. "I am certain itwas never my intention to give them away. As I said, they belonged to myson."

  "Can you explain how the bag came to be in the hiding place?" Danquestioned.

  "When last I saw that bag it was reposing in a drawer of a deskupstairs," Colonel Brekenridge replied. "But I might have a theory--yes,it amounts practically to a conviction."

  The invalid winked at the gardener. "We do have an archer in our family,I believe?"

  "Aye, that we do," the man admitted with a heavy sigh. "Many a time he'snearly winged me with his arrows."

  Colonel Brekenridge requested the gardener to call his nurse.

  A rustle of stiffly starched white uniform heralded her arrival a momentlater. The young woman bore a glass of milk and two tablets on a tray.

  "Oh, you have visitors, Colonel," she observed somewhat disapprovingly."Aren't you afraid of over-exerting yourself?"

  "Not in the least," he rumbled. "Never felt better. I suspect I've beendying of boredom these last few months. What I need is more visitors."

  "Colonel, it is time for your medicine."

  "Medicine, be hanged! I'm sick of those ghastly concoctions the doctorhas been forcing down me. And no more of that wretched milk!"

  "You are feeling better, Colonel! Such spirit!"

  "I'm deep in a mystery," the colonel smiled. "With your help though, Ithink we may be able to solve it. Miss Aldringham, will you find mygrandson, Billy, and send him here?"

  "I'll do my best, Colonel. That boy has a way of disappearing for hoursat a time."

  During the absence of the nurse, Colonel Brekenridge told the Cubs alittle about himself. He said he had rented the house six months earlier,but had not been too pleased with the quarters.

  "For one thing, my grandson has had no playmates," he explained. "The boycame to me three months ago from England."

  At Dan's look of surprise, the colonel explained that Billy was anAmerican by birth. He had spent many years in England and other foreigncountries however, in company with his father.

  "Billy hasn't been very happy here," he remarked sadly. "He's a live wireand hasn't had enough to do. Then I must admit I've been so ill I'vescarcely concerned myself with his social needs."

  Miss Aldringham returned to the porch to report that she could not findBilly anywhere.

  "His room is empty," she said. "I couldn't find him on the groundseither."

  "Drat that boy!" the colonel exclaimed. "Sometimes it seems to me hedeliberately hides out! Since he's been up to mischief, he probablyfigures he'll be punished."

  The Cubs might not have learned the answer to their many questions fordays to come. At that moment, however, Dan's alert gaze chanced to rovetoward a clump of bushes behind the veranda.

  The Cub was startled to catch a glimpse of a touseled brown head of hair.A pair of blue eyes gazed squarely into his own from amid the foliage.

  Then the face was gone.

  "I saw someone in that rhododendron bush just then!" he exclaimed.

  "Nail him!" commanded the colonel.

  Dan and the gardener both made a dive for the bush.

  They emerged with a small boy in tow. Not more than eleven years of age,he wore English cut trousers which he had rolled to the knees. Hisfreckled, deeply tanned face was smeared with dirt.

  "Well, Billy, I guess you knew you were wanted," the colonel saidseverely. "Hiding out, weren't you?"

  "Yes, sir," replied the boy.

  His curious gaze moved from one Cub Scout to another and finally came torest on the leather pouch which his grandfather held.

  "Billy, you have a few matters to explain, I believe."

  The boy grinned at his grandfather.

  "Oh, sure," he admitted, undisturbed. "I'll tell you whatever you want toknow--only first you have to promise not to punish me."

  "You'll drive no bargain with me, young man. Sit down!"

  "Yes, sir," Billy gulped, collapsing on the steps.

  "Before we delve into other matters, there is one question I will ask,"said the colonel severely. "Did you or did you not have anything to dowith starting a fire at the Castle?"