“Silverton is in a spot,” the Cub leader declared. “When I saw that log jam in the creek, I was afraid something like this would happen.”
“Mr. Hatfield, do you think the Cubs could help?” Dan asked breathlessly. “If only we could round them up!”
“We can and will, Dan. Jump into the car! We’ll make a whirlwind trip into Webster City and see how many boys we can find!”
Driving as fast as the slippery pavement permitted, the two soon reached the city. Notified as to the emergency at the pheasant farm, Red, Chips, Mack and Fred immediately offered their services.
“Wear your slickers and either high boots or galoshes,” the Cub leader advised the boys. “It’s plenty moist out at Silverton’s place and the creek still is rising.”
Mr. Hatfield, in stopping at his own home to pick up his son and a pair of hip boots for himself, paused long enough to telephone Mr. Holloway and Midge. The information received from across the river was disconcerting.
“They can’t come with us,” he reported to the Cubs. “The river is rising fast, and Mr. Holloway is afraid the cabin may be flooded within a few hours. He and Midge are sticking close to look after things there.”
“Gosh all fish hooks!” Red groaned as he piled into Mr. Hatfield’s car with the other Cubs. “If the flood reaches the cabin, some of our Den equipment may be ruined. Especially our handicraft work.”
“I left the pheasant feather war bonnet there somewhere,” Chips added with concern.
“Mr. Holloway and Midge will look after your things,” the Cub leader reassured the boys. “The water hasn’t reached the cabin yet. As soon as we’ve done what we can to help Mr. Silverton, we’ll drive over to Mr. Holloway’s place.”
“After the way Silverton talked about the Cubs, he doesn’t deserve too much help—” Chips began, but a glance from Mr. Hatfield silenced him.
Taking the longer route which entered the Silverton property from the higher level road, the Cub leader was able to drive his car within a hundred yards of the pheasant farm barn.
“Wow! The water’s even higher than it was when I left!” Dan exclaimed in dismay.
Already, many of the pheasant pens were partially submerged by the creeping, chocolate-colored water.
Brad and Mr. Silverton, wet to their waists, had used grain to coax some of the more valuable pheasants into traps or carrying crates.
Sorely beset, they had been unable to free the penned pheasants or to carry any of the crates to higher ground.
“We sure are glad to see you!” Brad exclaimed as the Cubs tumbled from Mr. Hatfield’s car. “Boy! Can we use a little help.”
“Where shall we take the pheasants?” the Cub leader asked, quickly surveying the situation.
“I think the barn is the best place,” Mr. Silverton decided. “Turn them loose there. The water shouldn’t come that high.”
“Get busy, boys,” Mr. Hatfield instructed the Cubs.
Handling the crates carefully, the boys carried them one by one to the barn. There, after making certain the doors and windows all were closed, they set the startled birds free on the ground floor.
Meanwhile, along the pheasant runs, Mr. Silverton aided by Brad and Mr. Hatfield, had been collecting the traps. As rapidly as the pheasants were caught, the Cubs carried them to the barn where they milled with the others.
“We’ve done all we can here,” Mr. Silverton decided as deepening shadows made it difficult to locate straggling pheasants. “Some will take refuge in the trees and bushes.”
“The water’s still coming higher,” Mr. Hatfield observed as he prepared to move his car. “If the gorge were cleared out, the level should drop fast.”
“Let’s see what can be done,” Mr. Silverton proposed.
Both men moved their cars to higher ground lest flood waters continue to rise. Then, followed by the Cubs, they circled around to the old logging road, approaching the dam from the upper and drier side.
“Why Dobbs would leave a mess like that in the stream, I can’t figure!” Mr. Silverton exclaimed in disgust as he caught sight of the jam. “He must have known about it, but he never spoke of it to me.”
Mr. Hatfield casually pointed out that the logs formed a natural bridge, adding: “Almost as if they had been laid deliberately.”
“They do at that!” the sportsman agreed. “Let’s have a closer look.”
While Mr. Hatfield and the Cubs waited on dry land, he waded out to examine the accumulation of debris. When he returned to the group a few minutes later, his expression was grim.
“You’re right, Mr. Hatfield,” he declared. “I’m convinced those logs were placed deliberately. Apparently, more has been going on here than I suspected!”
“Any chance to dislodge them?” the Cub leader questioned.
“Not without a crew of men. But a stick of dynamite would do the trick. I think Saul Dobbs has some locked up in the tool house.”
While the Cubs waited, the two men started back to the house to obtain the dynamite.
“What I can’t figure, is why anyone would go to the trouble of making a log bridge at this particular point,” Dan said, frowning as he watched the water spill over the makeshift dam. “Farther up stream, there’s a perfectly good foot bridge.”
“This section is near the restricted part of the woods,” Brad commented. “Mr. Silverton keeps his best Germain pheasants there. And say! I wonder if they’re safe?”
“The water’s backing up fast in that direction,” Red observed.
“Maybe we ought to investigate,” Dan proposed. “Think it’s safe to cross the dam?”
“The water isn’t more than ankle deep,” Brad decided. “We can get across if we’re careful.”
Joining hands, the Cubs cautiously waded through the shallow sheet of water which coursed over the top of the dam.
“Mack, you and Fred stay here to wait for Mr. Hatfield and Silverton,” Brad instructed. “Otherwise, they’ll wonder what became of us.”
Though disappointed to be left behind, the two Cubs made no protest. Brad, Dan, Chips and Red, then went on alone.
“Chips, I wish you’d show us again where you and Red picked up those pheasant feathers,” Brad said suddenly.
“Sure, providing the place isn’t under water,” the other agreed. “I guess it won’t be, because we’re moving into higher ground.”
The four Cubs continued for a short distance, and then Red and Chips fell into an argument as to the exact place where they had found the feathers.
“It was right here,” Red insisted, indicating a small clearing.
“No, it wasn’t,” denied Chips. “It was farther on.”
Dan paid no heed to the two Cubs, for he had made an interesting discovery of his own.
“Fellows, come here!” he called excitedly. “See what I’ve found!”
CHAPTER 11
Dan’s Discovery
Dan stood at the entrance to a path which had been masked with a pile of dead brush.
“Just what have you found?” Chips demanded as he and the other Cubs hurried over. “I don’t see anything to make a howl about.”
“Then look at this!”
Dan