THE STRANGER
It was reassuring to learn that Chips had a very light case of measles.
The Cubs, of course, were not permitted to see him. But Mrs. Davis
reported to the den that her son could not be kept in bed and that his
spots rapidly were disappearing.
Knowing that they all had been exposed to the disease, the Cubs kept
their fingers crossed. Days passed however, and no other den member came
down sick.
“Chips may be able to play in that last game with the Purple Five,” Dan
remarked one day as he and Brad walked to the public library together.
“Think we have a chance to win?”
“With Chips, yes. We need him badly though.”
“Chub never will make a good player that’s for sure,” Dan sighed. “I
can’t figure out that kid, Brad. He likes being a Cub, but somehow he
doesn’t catch on.”
“Not at basketball,” Brad admitted. “Something’s bothering him. Say, come
to think of it, he hasn’t been at practice the last two nights.”
“Maybe he’s down with measles!”
“Never thought of that,” Brad admitted. “We ought to find out.”
The boys returned several books to the library and then decided to hike
out to Chub’s place to inquire.
In response to their rap on the door the Widow Lornsdale came to admit
them. She assured them that Chub was quite well, though not at home just
then.
“He may be off somewhere wandering in the woods,” she added. “Poor lad!
He seems so lonesome and unhappy.”
“Doesn’t he like being a Cub?” Dan inquired.
“Oh, indeed, he enjoys the organization very much. You know, though, that
Chub’s lot hasn’t been an easy one.”
Brad and Dan had no knowledge whatsoever of the boy’s past. Remembering
Mr. Hatfield’s admonition not to ask questions, they never had tried to
pry into his background.
“I’ve done what I could for Chub,” the widow resumed. “He’s a very good
boy and deserves parents. Since Juvenile Court authorities placed him
with me, I’ve had no trouble with him whatsoever.”
Dan and Brad were startled by the reference to Juvenile Court. Was it
possible, they wondered, that Chub had at some time been a delinquent? It
hardly seemed possible that anyone so shy and reserved could have given
the authorities difficulty.
Thinking back, Dan recalled that the Juvenile Court director had spoken
to Chub when the Cubs were touring the courthouse. Other referees there
had seemed to know him too. Yet Chub never once had mentioned knowing any
of the officials.
“Won’t you boys come inside and wait?” the widow politely invited them.
“I can’t tell you when Chub will return though.”
“Just tell him we were here,” Brad directed. “We wanted to be sure he
wasn’t down with measles. Tell him we’ll be counting on him for the game
Friday night.”
“I’ll give him your message,” the widow promised.
Dusk was coming on as Brad and Dan turned homeward. The old Christian
Church, as usual, drew them like a magnet. Though they might have chosen
a shorter route, deliberately they selected the road which ran past the
deserted building.
“We never did learn what scared Pat and his bunch Halloween night,” Brad
remarked, staring at the dark, unwinking windows.
“I tried to talk to him about it,” Dan admitted. “He closed up like a
clam.”
Since that night when the two nearly had caught the Bay Shore boys in the
building, Brad had discussed the matter only once with Mr. Hatfield. He
never had given the Cub leader full information, for their conversation
had been interrupted by the arrival of a third party.
“I sure wish I knew what it was that scared Pat half out of his wits,” he
remarked meditatively. “For half a cent—”
“You’re not thinking of going in there?” Dan demanded.
“No-o, not now, anyway. I’d like to know, though, if the door to the coal
chute still is unlocked. Anyone can get in and out of that building at
will, and yet the Cubs are blamed for any damage done!”
Cutting across the church lawn, the two circled around to the rear of the
property. Brad checked the coal chute door.
“Still unlocked,” he reported in disgust.
Dan had been trying the doors. One which opened into a rear corridor,
swung inward at his touch.
“This is the limit!” he exploded. “Why any amount of damage could be done
here! The place is wide open.”
“Yet Terry puts out he’s such a good caretaker! How those church trustees
can claim to have any case against the Cubs is beyond me! It’s queer
though—”
“About the place being open? Old Terry locked the building up tight as a
drum that first day he was here with the trustees. I saw him check the
doors myself.”
“Do you suppose someone else could have a key?” Brad speculated. “That
is, someone besides the trustees?”
Dan did not answer. He stood peering in through the door he had shoved
open. The old building was as quiet as a tomb.
“Brad—”
“Yeah?”
“This would be the perfect chance to make a last check of the place.”
“We were in the building once, Dan.”
“Not in the belfry. I’d like to find out what makes that bell tap so
mysteriously. If we could learn the answer, it might clear up the case
against the Cubs.”
“And if we were caught, or even seen, what then?”
“That’s a chance we’d have to take, Brad.”
“I don’t think Mr. Hatfield would like it,” the Den chief said, deeply
troubled. “I’m as curious as you are, but it’s trespassing.”
“The Cubs already are in the soup,” Dan argued. “Unless we dig up some
evidence that will help us, the trustees will carry out their threat to
file suit.”
“Yeah, you’re right about that,” Brad acknowledged. “If you want to wait
here, I’ll make a fast foray in to see what I can learn.”
“Oh, no, you don’t!” Dan retorted. “It was my idea, so I’m the one to go
in.”
“We’ll both go,” Brad decided suddenly. “It’s safer that way. Let’s be
quick about it, and cautious.”
Having made up their minds, the boys stepped inside the hallway, closing
the door behind them. The silence of the empty building was disturbing.
Into their thoughts came a recollection that upon their last visit here,
a door had been mysteriously locked.
Dan could feel his heart pounding against his ribs. He was scared, and
unashamed of it.
Although it was still daylight, the musty church interior already was
shrouded in shadow. Every cracked marble pillar stood out in the dim
light as a fearful sentinel.
Dan nervously tested the door through which they had entered to make
certain that it had not locked behind them.
Satisfied that the exit remained free, he then followed Brad deeper into
the church.
A-tiptoe, the pair moved toward the iron stairway leading up to the
belfry. The treads, they noted, were remarkably free of dust, though it
lay heavy elsewhere. Cobwebs festooned other ironwork in the corridor.
Dan grasped the railing and began the steep ascent. His chest felt
constricted. His breath became short, and he knew it wasn’t from
exertion.
Mid-way up to the tower, the boy halted to listen. Brad, pressing close
behind, also became alert.
Neither had heard any disturbing sound. Yet they both sensed that they
would run into something, once they turned the next curve in the
stairway.
Dan waited as long as he dared, and then crept on. Another step. Two,
three, four.
Nearing the top now, he could feel a rush of cool air on his face.
Suddenly, Dan was brought up short. Above him, in the belfry, he had
heard a scraping sound, as if a heavy object had been pulled across the
floor.
Brad too, stiffened. Afraid even to whisper, the boys huddled together,
listening. From time to time they could hear slight movements in the
belfry. Once they thought someone gave a deep sigh.
Finally, Dan gathered his courage, and moved up another step. The bend in
the stairway now lay directly ahead. Once that point was passed, they
would have a clear view of the belfry.
With Brad at his elbow, Dan negotiated the last few feet. Stunned by what
he saw, he gripped the iron railing with both hands.
The great bell hung in the turret, its dark clapper motionless. Beyond
the hollow metallic vessel, almost at the edge of its flaring mouth, was
a bed of blankets!
As Dan’s gaze fixed upon the bedding, he beheld the figure of a drowsing
man. The fellow stirred sleepily, yawned and sat up.
It was then that both Cubs saw his face clearly. The occupant of the
belfry was none other than the poorly dressed stranger who had paid such
marked attention to Chub at the basketball game!