Treasure
The Cubs were reluctant to tell Mr. Kain their secret, lest he feel that
they had overstepped themselves in investigating the Castle.
“Robin Hood’s Strong Box is just a name for a hiding place,” Dan
explained vaguely.
“Then one of you boys shot this arrow.”
The Cubs looked from one to another. Each boy shook his head.
“A mysterious archer has been annoying us a bit by shooting arrows during
our rehearsals,” Mr. Hatfield explained. “This shaft looks as if it may
have come from his bow.”
“But how did he know about Robin Hood’s Strong Box?” Midge muttered. “The
guy must be psychic. Either that, or he sneaks around listening to our
conversation.”
“I am quite certain this arrow was not lying near my car when I drove
into the grounds today,” Mr. Kain said. “It has been shot in the last
hour or so.”
“It’s probably a joke,” Chips commented. He wished fervently that the
bank employee would leave and be done with his prying questions. Once he
was out of the way, the Cubs could organize an intensive search!
“You boys seem to know what is meant by Robin Hood’s Strong Box. I rather
think you’re trying to keep something from me.”
“There’s nothing mysterious about it,” Brad said, reluctantly deciding to
reveal the hiding place. “Robin Hood’s Strong Box is merely a name we
gave to a niche in the fireplace.”
“Inside the Castle?”
“Well, yes.”
“Then you have been roving around inside again?”
“No, we haven’t,” Brad replied indignantly. “We found the hiding place
long ago.”
“Show it to me,” the bank employee requested.
The Cubs would have preferred to do their investigating in his absence.
But there was no escape.
Unwillingly, they walked with him back to the Castle. Dan noticed that
the broken window had not yet been repaired and remarked about it.
“I’ve ordered new panes put in,” Mr. Kain said. “Workmen have been very
slow. Rest assured though, the work will be done no later than tomorrow.
I am quite annoyed to find so much activity hereabouts.”
The Cubs would have entered through the window, but the bank official
would not permit it.
Instead, he unlocked the front door. A faint odor of smoke still lingered
in the cool empty rooms, but this Mr. Kain did not notice.
“Now show me Robin Hood’s Strong Box,” he directed. “I can’t believe this
message is anything but a joke. Nevertheless, I want to see the hiding
place that is meant.”
As the Cubs led him toward the massive fireplace, Dan brought up the
rear. Glancing from one Cub to another, he noticed that Ross was missing
from the group.
“What became of Ross?” the boy whispered to Midge.
“Why, he was with us when we started for the Castle.”
“I thought so. He’s wandered off somewhere.”
Curious to learn what had become of the boy, Dan went to one of the grimy
windows and looked out.
Ross was not to be seen anywhere on the grounds.
“Queer,” he reflected. “I’d have thought ordinary curiosity would have
made him come with the other Cubs.”
“No one can tell what Ross will do, or where he’ll go,” Midge said with a
shrug. “That lad is unpredictable.”
The Cubs gathered in a half circle about the fireplace. Brad explained to
Mr. Kain how the chimney hiding place had been found.
Before he could search the niche, the bank employee crouched down and
squinted up the dark hole.
“Nothing here,” he announced.
“You can’t see the niche,” Brad told him. “But if you run your hand up
against the wall, you can feel it.”
Mr. Kain obeyed instructions.
“Still nothing here,” he declared. He withdrew his arm and brushed
cobwebs from his coat sleeve. “Well, it’s no more than I expected.”
One and all, the Cubs were disappointed. They had hoped—indeed, had been
confident that a surprise awaited them.
“Our Castle ghost has an unpleasant sense of humor,” Midge complained.
“First he shoots arrows into the target just to show us how much better
he is at archery than we are. And now this!”
Mr. Kain asked the boys several questions concerning the strange person
who had appeared from time to time.
“We think he may have been the one who started the fire,” Brad said. “So
far, we have no proof.”
“That might be somewhat difficult to obtain at this late date,” the bank
employee replied.
Smiling in a more friendly way, he turned to leave.
“Come along, boys,” he said as they would have loitered. “I want to lock
up the house.”
Mr. Holloway, Mr. Hatfield and the Cubs followed the bank man to the
door.
Without being noticed, Dan and Brad held back. Both were unwilling to
leave the Castle without investigating the chimney niche themselves.
Dan ran his hand up the wall, groping carefully about.
“Nothing there?” Brad demanded impatiently.
“Not a thing,” the younger boy replied in disgust. “Mr. Kain was right.
Say—wait!”
As Dan spoke, his hand brushed against a tiny object far back in the
niche.
In an attempt to grasp it, he succeeded in pushing it farther back,
almost beyond reach.
“What have you found?” Brad asked eagerly.
“Don’t know yet,” Dan grunted. “My fingers touched something. Then
whatever it was slipped away from me.”
At the outside door, Mr. Kain and the Cubs were waiting.
“Come on, Dan!” Midge called.
Paying no heed, the boy groped again in the chimney niche.
This time he was able to fasten his fingers about the object.
He could feel its soft covering, and something hard inside.
Aware that Dan had made a discovery, the other Cubs quickly returned to
the living room.
As they gathered about the hearth, the boy brought the object to light.
Held tightly in his hand was a small leather pouch with a drawstring.
“It seems Robin Hood’s Strong Box does have something for us after all!”
he declared triumphantly.
The leather bag evidently had not been long in the niche for it was only
slightly soiled.
On either side were stamped strange red and black symbols.
“Gosh! What do you suppose it contains?” Fred demanded. “Treasure, I bet!
Open it quick, Dan, and pour out the gold.”