THE TURQUOISE TOAD
Dr. Evans had just come from Webster City Hospital with a report for Mr.
Hatfield concerning Old Miquel.
“The old fellow’s coming around nicely,” he informed the Cub leader. “A
day or two of complete bed rest and he’ll be as good as ever. Quite a
character! I had a long talk with him.”
“Did Dan guess right about him?”
“Absolutely. The old coot is a Navajo medicine man. He carved the face at
the ravine though he has little recollection of doing it. So far as I can
determine, he suffered a severe head blow which caused a memory lapse.
Apparently, he hopped a freight, and must have been tossed off here at
Webster City. Having no money, he took to living in the woods.”
“Did he tell you anything about the turquoise, doctor?”
“About the same as Dan learned. The tribal treasure was entrusted to him.
He sticks to his story of giving it to a trading post man by the name of
Howard Brandall. I wired him and received confirmation. The turquoise is
still in his safe. He didn’t know the tribe considered it lost or
stolen.”
“That’s fine!” Mr. Hatfield said heartily. “Then there’s no reason why
Old Miquel can’t soon return to the west?”
“None whatsoever. By the way, what became of those two Indians who tried
to avenge the tribe?”
“White Nose and Eagle Feather? No one has seen them since they left the
cave this morning.”
Dr. Evans consulted his watch. “It’s now after four o’clock,” he noted.
“They should be found, if they’re still in Webster City.”
“I’ll call the Cubs of both dens together and see if we can round them
up,” Mr. Hatfield promised. “They should be told the truth about Old
Miquel.”
Though the Pack ceremonies long since had ended, nearly all of the Cubs
had remained at the Holloway camp, swimming and enjoying the beach. By
now though, all were dressed in their uniforms again.
Summoning the Cubs, Mr. Hatfield asked them to be on the lookout for the
two Indians.
“Until they’re found, it will be unsafe for Old Miquel to be released
from the hospital,” he added.
Brad and Dan were especially eager to join in the search. Their first
mission, however, was to return to Professor Sarazen the Navajo blanket
found in the cave. After that, they went to the grocery store, thinking
that the two Indians might have been seen there.
The storekeeper informed them that neither Eagle Feather nor White Nose
had returned that afternoon.
“I’ll bet they’ve left town,” Dan remarked as the day wore on.
“It begins to look that way,” Brad agreed. “Since we can’t find ’em,
we’ll have to give up the search for the time being.”
Disheartened, the two friends started for their homes. The day had been
an exciting one, and both were tired. But they felt highly elated. Not
only had they won the silver plaque for Den 2, but they had solved the
mystery of the strange carved face. Likewise, they had the satisfaction
of knowing that Old Miquel had been restored to reason.
Presently the boys drew near the railroad tracks. A flasher light warned
of the approach of a freight train.
Had they hastened, Dan and Brad could have crossed ahead of the long,
heavy freight. Instead, being in no hurry, they waited for it to pass.
The train rumbled by, moving slower and slower as it approached the
station. Finally, it came to a jerky halt.
“Now we’ve got to wait,” Brad grumbled.
Dan did not answer. His gaze had fastened upon two lean figures. The men
had emerged from behind the tool house on the railroad right-of-way. He
recognized them as White Nose and Eagle Feather.
As Dan stared in disbelief, the two ran along the tracks. Finding an open
boxcar, they leaped lightly inside. By now the boy had come to life.
“Quick, Brad!” he shouted. “We’ve got to stop them before they get out of
town!”
The older boy also had recognized the two Indians. With Dan he darted to
the boxcar whose door had been pulled shut from the inside.
The two Cubs pounded on the barrier, calling upon those inside to “open
up!” When there was no response, Brad finally managed to shove open the
heavy door.
“White Nose! Eagle Feather!” he called.
He could not see the two Indians anywhere in the dark interior of the
car. At the same time, the freight’s heavy engine gave a sharp toot. The
long string of cars began to move.
Again Brad shouted to the two Indians. Though he could not see them, he
knew they must be in a dark corner of the car. The train was moving
faster now.
The Cubs ran to keep up.
“You must stay!” Brad shouted. “The turquoise has been found! Old Miquel
didn’t die! He’s told everything!”
The words carried, for from the darkness of the car, the two Indians
suddenly emerged. They stood framed in the open doorway, and as Brad
again pleaded with them, listened attentively.
The train now was moving so fast that the boys could not keep up.
“It’s no use,” Dan gasped. “They’re gone.”
But even as he spoke, the two Indians leaped from the train. They landed
on their feet and came back to talk to the boys.
Brad related what had occurred since the two Indians had left the cave,
stressing that Old Miquel never had been responsible for his strange
actions.
“You can’t punish him for something that wasn’t his fault,” he ended.
“Won’t you go to the hospital now—tonight—and tell Miquel that everything
is all right again? That he can go back to the tribe?”
“We go,” White Nose promised. Gravely he and Eagle Feather shook hands
with the two boys before departing.
Ten days elapsed before the Cubs saw the Indians again. Their appearance
came most unexpectedly at a weekly meeting of Den 2 at Mr. Hatfield’s
home.
“A little surprise, boys,” declared the Cub leader.
He then introduced not only White Nose and Eagle Feather, but Old Miquel
as well. The old medicine man had almost fully recovered from his
injuries and now was able to be about.
The three Indians made little talks, thanking the Cubs for the collection
of clothing which was to be sent to the Navajo reservation. White Nose
related the story of why the turquoise toad was so highly treasured by
his people, and ended by presenting Brad and Dan with small pieces of
carved gems.
“We return to our tribe tomorrow,” White Nose said in conclusion.
“Miquel too?” asked Dan.
He was assured that the old medicine man would accompany his two Indian
brothers to New Mexico, there to resume his rightful place in the tribe.
Never before had the Cubs enjoyed such an unusual meeting. Not only did
the Indians tell them many fascinating stories, but they recited chants
and gave several dances. Finally, at a late hour, the meeting broke up.
“Wow! We really picked ourselves a theme when we decided to go in for
Navajo lore!” Dan declared, collapsing into a chair. “What’s next on the
program, Mr. Hatfield?”
“Oh, that’s a secret,” laughed the Cub leader.
“Is it something as exciting as the great carved face or the cave?”
demanded Chips eagerly.
“You know we couldn’t expect to run into anything like that again in a
million years,” Midge protested.
“Oh, yes, we could!” insisted Red. “And we will, too!”
“Sure,” drawled Mack, “with Mr. Hatfield to select the Cub theme, and
Brad and Dan to carry it out, we’re certain to steer a straight course
into another ripping adventure!”
THE END
Transcriber’s Notes
--Silently corrected a few typos (but left nonstandard spelling and
dialect as is).
--Rearranged front matter to a more-logical streaming order.