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"Dan, you made a bull's-eye!""Dan Carter and the Haunted Castle" (_See Page 44_)
Dan Carter and the Haunted Castle
by Mildred A. Wirt
Illustrated
CUPPLES AND LEON COMPANY Publishers New York
Copyright, 1951, by CUPPLES AND LEON COMPANY _All Rights Reserved_
DAN CARTER AND THE HAUNTED CASTLE
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
1 A Prize Contest 1 2 The Chimney Niche 13 3 Robin Hood's Strong Box 25 4 Laughter From the Woods 35 5 Competition 47 6 Ghost of the Castle 56 7 A Mysterious Arrow 65 8 Expert Shooting 73 9 A Neglected Duty 84 10 Checking Up On Ross 94 11 Fire 102 12 A Debt To Pay 114 13 Kill-Joy Kain 123 14 Clues 135 15 A Message 142 16 Treasure 149 17 A Valuable Collection 156 18 Billy Hides Out 165 19 A New Cub 178 20 Epilogue 191
Dan Carter and the Haunted Castle
CHAPTER 1 A Prize Contest
A stir of excitement swept the room, causing the Cub Scouts to shiftrestlessly in their seats.
The monthly meeting of the Pack was nearing its end. Not a Cub fromeither Den 1 or Den 2 had failed to attend, for Sam Hatfield, theirleader, had promised the boys "a real surprise."
Now, as a break came in the regular program, the Cubs sensed that themoment for the long awaited announcement had arrived.
"Something worth while is in the wind, that's sure," whispered BradWilber. The Den Chief spoke to a sandy-haired boy whose nose was buriedin a book. "Mr. Hatfield has kept his secret from everyone. What do youthink is up, Dan?"
"Huh?" demanded Dan Carter, coming suddenly to life. Reluctantly heclosed "The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood," a volume obtained a fewminutes earlier from the Webster City Public Library.
"Oh, don't bother that book worm," laughed Midge Holloway, another Cub inDen 2. "He never hears anything that goes on at a meeting, even if he isthe official Denner."
"I resent that slur," retorted Dan goodnaturedly. "I hear every word."
"Sure he does," declared Chips Davis, coming to the defense of hisfriend. "Dan's just smart enough never to waste any of his time."
A loud, offensive snicker greeted this remark. Looking quickly across thecave, the Cubs of Den 2 saw that the offender was Ross Langdon, a tall,gangling boy in Den 1.
Now Dan and Ross always had been athletic rivals. In a recent swimmingcontest the Den 2 boy had soundly defeated the older lad. Ross hadn'ttaken it too well. Whenever an opportunity afforded, he made belittlingremarks.
The Cubs of Den 2, Brad, Red Suell, Chips, Midge and Fred Hatfield, theson of their leader, were in no mood to "take" anything from Ross. Sothey pinned him with hard glares, and Midge muttered: "Quiet, you!"
"I didn't say a word," retorted Ross, pretending innocence. "You were theone who remarked that Dan never hears anything."
Midge would have uttered a sharp retort had not Dan given him a nudge inthe ribs. He was willing to overlook the snicker, because he'd made uphis mind to have no trouble with Ross.
Fortunately, the Pack meetings came only once a month unless Mr. Hatfieldcalled the gang together for something special.
At the regular weekly gatherings of Den 2, everything went smooth as silkbecause Ross never attended. However, the Cubs of Den 1 reported thattheir sessions sometimes were a bit rough as a result of the older boy'sdesire to boss everyone.
Before Ross could pass another remark, Mr. Hatfield took the floor.Signaling for silence, he said:
"Fellows, I have an interesting announcement to make. I don't know howthis will strike you, but a sporting goods firm--Fielding & JonesCorp.--has offered a substantial prize to the organization putting on thebest play."
"What sort of prize?" demanded Dan quickly.
"A complete archery set. Practice and tournament targets, bows andarrows--everything. All first class equipment."
"Sounds okay," nodded Brad. Thirteen years of age, the Den Chief was alsoa Boy Scout and very dependable for his years.
"How many organizations will compete?" inquired Midge.
"That's hard to guess," the Cub leader replied. "I know several churchclubs are entering the contest. Now, I thought if the fellows areinterested, we might make it a joint Den 1 and Den 2 project."
"Swell!" approved Chips Davis. "That way, we'll have a bigger field fromwhich to draw acting talent."
"Let's do it!" approved Midge, while the other boys in Den 2 noddedvigorously.
"Suppose we hear from Den 1," said Mr. Hatfield.
With the exception of Ross Langdon, all the other boys were in favor ofjoining forces to try to win the prize. Ross remained noncommittal,thinking it over.
"Now that it's settled we're to make the play a joint affair, I'm open tosuggestions," Mr. Hatfield resumed. "Any bang-up ideas?"
"Let's make it an Indian pow-wow!" proposed Ross. "We've got a lot ofcostumes already sewed that we can use."
Mr. Hatfield nodded and waited for other suggestions.
"An Indian script would be old stuff," protested Dan. "It's the firstidea that pops into one's mind. Probably a dozen other organizations willcome up with the same thing."
"Maybe you've got a better idea!" Ross scoffed.
"Well, no, I haven't at the moment," Dan admitted, and then his gazerested for a moment on the Robin Hood book. "Yes, I have too!" heannounced.
"Let's hear it, Dan," invited Mr. Hatfield. "If we're to win first prize,we need the best idea we can get."
"Why not build our play around the adventures of Robin Hood?" Danproposed. "Remember? He was the famous archer who lived with his men inthe green glades of Sherwood Forest near Nottingham Town."
"That was in the time of King Henry the Second, wasn't it?" Brad asked,taking up with the idea. "The forest setting would be dandy, and we couldhave green costumes!"
"And throw in a little real archery," added Fred. "Wasn't Robin Hoodexpert at it?"
"The very best," Dan declared, paraphrasing the book he had just beenreading. "'No archer ever lived that could speed a gray goose shaft withmore skill than he.'"
"Who wants to do Robin Hood?" Ross cut in. "An Indian pow-wow would bemore fun."
"Indians are old stuff," Chips Davis said. "Tell us more about RobinHood, Dan."
"That would take some doing, because it's a long bo
ok. I'll tell you howthe story begins though. One day Robin Hood came upon a group offoresters who twitted him about his ability as an archer. Robin Hood wona wager with them by shooting a deer. The foresters were jealous andturned upon him. One of the men shot an arrow at Robin Hood, who returnedthe shot. Unfortunately, he killed the man, and became an outlaw."
"Nothing in that idea," broke in Ross. "I'm in favor of the Indianpow-wow."
"Oh, peddle your feathers somewhere else," cut in another member of Den1. "Dan's idea sounds good! Tell us some more."
"Robin Hood always befriended the poor people," Dan explained. "The bookwould provide any number of exciting scenes, including a big archerytournament."
"What characters could we have?" demanded Red Suell.
"The main part would go to Robin Hood. Then we could have the Sheriff ofNottingham, Little John, foresters, the tinker, the king, Eric O'Lincoln,the cook, Allan-a-Dale, the merry friar, and a dozen others."
"Let's do it!" urged Brad. "The play would be a lot of fun and give thefellows a chance to practice with bows and arrows."
Mr. Hatfield brought the proposal to a vote. Ross Langdon was the onlyCub who held out for the Indian pow-wow.
"I'm willing to go along on the Robin Hood idea if I can have his part,"he said grudgingly.
"Modest, aren't you?" Midge twitted him.
"Ross probably has a good reason for wanting the lead part," said Mr.Hatfield quickly. "How about it, Ross?"
The boy flushed and looked a bit ashamed. "Oh, I don't want to be RobinHood just to have the lead part," he defended himself.
"Then why not settle for one of the foresters?" demanded Red.
"I figure the one who plays Robin Hood should be the best archer in thePack. Well, that's me."
"You are a modest little guy!" Midge snorted. "I bet you can hit thebull's-eye every time at three paces back!"
"I'm good and you know it!" Ross insisted.
"You're good and _you_ know it," Midge growled. "Of all the conceit--"
"Never mind, boys," said the Cub leader, breaking off what promised to bea lively argument. "We'll not quarrel about who has this or that part.When the time comes, they'll be assigned."
"But don't you think Robin Hood should be good with a bow and arrow?"Ross demanded. "In the tournament scene, wouldn't it be something if hecouldn't hit the target?"
"I agree that the part of Robin Hood should be played by the Cub mostskilled with a bow and arrow," Mr. Hatfield said. "We'll determine thatby having a preliminary contest."
"Suits me," grinned Ross, pushing back his chair. "I'm the same as RobinHood right now!"
"Oh, one more surprise," Mr. Hatfield said, as the boys started to leavetheir places. "One of the Den Dads, Mr. Holloway, has a moving picturecamera. He will make a movie of the play as we work it out."
"Where will we take the pictures?" Dan asked. "Here at the Cave?"
The room which the Cubs used in summer time for their meeting place washigh over the beach, reached by a long flight of stairs. Barely largeenough to hold all the boys at one time, it never would provide asuitable background for the Robin Hood play.
"We'll have to find ourselves a forest primeval to double for SherwoodForest," Brad chuckled. "I know just the place too."
"Where?" demanded Dan.
"Out west of the city near the Haunted Castle."
"The Haunted Castle!" repeated Midge with keen interest. "Never heard ofsuch a place. How'd it get that name?"
Brad admitted that it was one he had made up. "The forest adjoins an oldplace that resembles a deserted castle," he explained. "When last Ivisited the area, no one lived there."
"Is it really haunted?" asked Chips.
"Now what do you think?" laughed Brad. "I've yet to meet anhonest-to-goodness ghost. But if there were any, the Castle would be anideal home for the old boy."
"Suppose we investigate the Haunted Castle and the forest," proposed Mr.Hatfield. "The setting sounds first class to me, if we can get permissionto use the grounds. Who owns the place, Brad?"
"I don't know sir, but I can find out."
"I wish you would before our next meeting. If we're aiming to win theprize, we'll have to get busy on the play right away."
"I'll look into the matter today," Brad promised.
Enthusiastic over the prospect of acting in Robin Hood, the other Cubsurged Mr. Hatfield to call another Pack meeting that coming Saturday.
"I'll tell you what," he consented. "Let's have a hike. How would youlike to go out to the Haunted Castle and look over the place? If Rosscares to bring along his archery set, we might get in a little practice."
"Sure, I'll fetch the equipment," Ross offered willingly enough. "You'llsee I wasn't boasting when I said I can hit the bull's-eye."
"We'll give you a thorough test," Mr. Hatfield responded dryly.
The hour had come to close the meeting. After singing one of their songs,the Cubs said good-bye to Mr. Hatfield and started off in little groups.
Descending the steps to the beach, Brad and Midge walked with Dan. Justahead, they could hear Ross complaining to a Den 1 Cub that the RobinHood idea wasn't nearly as good as the one he had proposed.
"Oh, forget it," the other boy advised. "Indians are stale."
"I suppose the Robin Hood idea is original," Ross retorted.
Brad, Dan and Midge knew Ross well enough to realize that he was notlikely to let the matter drop.
"I have a hunch he'll make trouble before we're through," Brad said in anundertone. "If he gets to be Robin Hood, he may go along. If not--well,he'll kick up a lot of dust."
"Let him try," replied Midge.
"Chances are Ross will win the part fair and square," Dan said. "We allknow that despite his boasting he probably handles a bow and arrow betterthan anyone in the Pack."
"If he gets the part, the play is the same as ruined," Midge predicted.
Brad, however, refused to take such a pessimistic view.
"Maybe Ross won't win," he said cheerfully. "It hasn't been proven yetthat he's the best shot. Wait until Saturday. Once we get to the HauntedCastle he may whistle a different tune."