A Debt to Pay
Mr. Kain strode directly to Mr. Hatfield and the two cubs. The angry
expression on his face left no doubt as to his attitude about the fire.
“I might have known something like this would occur!” he began. “Boys
never should be permitted to run wild in a wooded area.”
“Just a minute, Mr. Kain,” interposed the Cub leader wearily. “Don’t jump
to hasty conclusions.”
“The bank property has been damaged. We happen to own the woods, you
know. It was a mistake to allow your organization to use this land.”
“You’re assuming that the Cubs started the fire, Mr. Kain.”
“What else should I think? They’ve been here almost daily, having picnics
and starting fires.”
“That isn’t true, Mr. Kain,” Brad interposed, losing patience. “The Cubs
have been careful about fires, knowing how dry the woods are at this time
of year.”
“We’ve eaten cold food,” Dan added. “When this fire started, not a Cub
was near the place so far as I know.”
The two boys were righteously angry for they felt that the bank employee
was unjustly blaming the Cub organization without having made any
investigation of the facts.
Several of the fire fighters who had overheard the remark, were of the
same opinion.
“That’s right,” spoke up one of the telephone linesmen. “Fact is, if it
hadn’t been for these two boys, the fire never could have been stopped.
The house would have been destroyed for sure. But they saw smoke and got
help before the fire was too well started.”
This information softened Mr. Kain somewhat.
“Is the fire out?” he demanded gruffly.
“Practically so,” he was informed. “The leaves are smoldering in a few
places. But there’s no danger, if the area is watched for awhile.”
“We’ll be glad to do it,” offered Mr. Hatfield.
Mr. Kain made no reply. Abruptly leaving the group, he went to inspect
the smoking, blackened patch of burned-over ground.
Brad, Dan and the other Cubs watched him uneasily. From his manner it was
impossible to tell whether or not he accepted their statement that the
Cubs had not been responsible for the fire.
Their eyes red and smarting from the smoke, too tired to care much what
the bank employee thought, they flung themselves onto the grass to rest.
Mr. Kain presently returned. Immediately it was evident to the Cubs that
his anger remained with him.
“What’s he picked up?” Dan muttered, noticing a charred object in the
man’s hand.
“Looks like a stick,” Brad replied.
The object proved to be a half-burned shaft and arrow.
“This may or may not have significance,” Mr. Kain said coldly, addressing
the group. “I picked it up in the burned area.”
“It looks like too large an arrow to be one of ours,” said Dan
defensively.
“You’ve been using bows and arrows here however?”
“Sure,” admitted Brad. “We haven’t been starting fires with ’em though.”
“Nevertheless, the arrow convinces me that the Cubs have been roving
through the woods at will, undoubtedly lighting matches and—”
“Cubs are taught to be careful about fire,” Brad broke in. “Besides,
we’ve told you—the Cubs weren’t here today. Dan and I were the first to
arrive.”
“The fire may have been slow in starting—possibly it smoldered for hours.
But that’s neither here nor there. The damage has been done.”
“We’re mighty sorry, sir,” Dan said. “It wasn’t our fault, and we did our
best to check the fire quickly.”
“I’m grateful to you for that, boys. All the same, you see my position. I
am responsible to the bank. Of course you understand that I can’t permit
you to continue to use this property.”
The Cubs gazed at Mr. Kain, dumbfounded. It seemed utterly impossible
that he would send them away after they had worked so hard to save the
Castle.
For a long moment no one spoke. Then Dan said:
“Mr. Kain, do you mean we can’t finish the filming of our play here?”
The bank employee dropped the charred arrow onto the grass. He stirred
uneasily under the steady, almost accusing gaze of the Cubs.
“I know it will inconvenience you,” he said flatly. “But I have to think
of the bank.”
“Inconvenience us!” Chips fairly shouted, breaking into the conversation.
“If we have to go to another place, it means filming all the scenes over
again!”
“We’re already working against a deadline,” Red added angrily. “Have a
heart, Mr. Kain!”
“Sorry, boys. Is Mr. Holloway or your Cub leader around? I’ll have to
inform them that the organization is not to come here again.”
Both Mr. Hatfield and Mr. Holloway had gone to one of the cars where
equipment was being packed. Seeing the two men, Mr. Kain would have
started off to intercept them, had not Brad stopped him.
“Just a minute, Mr. Kain,” he said quietly. “I can’t feel that you’re
being fair. The Cubs have been as careful as they know how to be in using
this property. We cleaned up the brush and kept all of our promises.”
“I’m not blaming anyone,” Mr. Kain replied, ill at ease. “Boys will be
boys. I’m not saying the fire was started on purpose. But you see my
position. I’m responsible to the bank.”
“If you feel we caused the damage, let us pay for it,” Dan spoke up
suddenly. “Just give us a chance to finish our play here.”
The offer seemed to strike a responsive chord with the bank employee. He
paused a moment to consider.
“Sure,” urged Chips, “the Cubs have money we were saving for costumes and
scenery. We could use some of that to pay for the damage.”
“Well, I hardly know what to say—” Mr. Kain hesitated.
“No buildings were destroyed,” Brad said quickly. “Only a few shrubs.”
“You boys did work hard to put out the fire once it started,” the bank
man admitted. “I suppose an arrangement could be made for you to pay for
the damage.”
“Then you’ll allow us to finish our play here?” Red demanded.
“Well, if you agree to pay, I suppose I might let you stay on for a week
or two. But no longer.”
“How much will we owe?” Brad asked.
He knew that the shrubs which had burned were not rare or valuable ones.
Actually, he thought that the fire had done very little damage. Although
the blackened area was ugly and disfiguring, new growth quickly would
cover it.
“Twenty-five dollars should cover it,” Mr. Kain said, after a little
thought.
Now to him the amount seemed comparatively small. To the Cubs it
represented a huge sum. To meet the debt they would be required to pool
every cent they had earned for costumes and perhaps dip into the
organization treasury as well.
Seeing the look of consternation upon the faces of the boys, Mr. Kain
amended his calculation.
“Well, I’ll be easy on you,” he said. “Make it twenty dollars. However,
the sum must be paid to the bank no later than tomorrow.”
Brad turned to the Cubs of Den 2. “How about it fellows?” he asked. “Can
we do it?”
“We’ll have to,” decided Dan grimly. “I have three dollars and a half
saved for my costume. I’ll toss that into the kitty.”
“How about the Cubs of Den 1?” Brad asked Ross. “Will they help too?”
“You’ll have to ask them,” he replied. “I know I can’t kick in. I’ve
already used all my paper route money to buy a costume.”
“I thought Mrs. Holloway was making it for you.”
“I decided to buy it instead,” Ross answered. “No home-made job for me.”
With the exception of Ross, all of the Cubs who were present agreed to
the plan. Having pledged themselves, they then sought Mr. Hatfield to
tell him of their decision.
“If that’s what you want to do, it’s all right with me,” he agreed. “The
Cubs always pay their debts. If the bank feels we’re responsible for the
damage, then we’ll pay whatever they ask.”
“Have someone bring the money to the bank tomorrow,” Mr. Kain said. “I
don’t want to be hard on the boys, but maybe having to spend their own
cash will teach them to be more careful.”
No one replied. Decidedly uncomfortable, the bank man said good-bye and
drove away.
After he had gone, however, the Cubs had a great deal to say.
“He doesn’t want to be too hard! Oh, no!” Midge mimicked. “We worked
mighty hard for that money.”
“And now it all goes to the bank when we didn’t do a thing except cut
their old brush!” Red stormed. “It makes me sick.”
“We don’t have to do it,” Brad reminded the Cubs. “For that matter, we
can give up the play.”
This the Cubs were unwilling to do.
“If Old Kill-Joy Kain says we owe twenty dollars let’s pay it,” Dan
proposed grimly. “We’ll have to dig up every penny we saved for our
costumes. That means making out with any old materials we can lay our
hands on. Time’s too short to earn any more money now.”
“Fat chance we’ll have of winning the grand prize without decent costumes
or scenery,” Chips said gloomily. “We’ll look like a band of tattered
beggars!”
“All except Ross,” said Red, fastening his gaze upon the Den 1 boy.
“He’ll have a perfectly super costume. Maybe, after all, we should award
him the star part!”