“Why, I didn’t know anyone lived there,” Dan said in surprise.
“A family of four moved in about three weeks ago,” Mr. Holloway revealed. “They’re living in a shack there—the mother and father and two youngsters.”
“Rabb Island is low,” the Cub leader said. “And the river has risen several feet in the last few hours.”
“The Dustin family has a boat of sorts,” Mr. Holloway said. “I wouldn’t worry, only I know Mr. Dustin went away late this afternoon just before the storm broke. Whether he got back or not, I don’t know.”
“Then Mrs. Dustin and the two children might be on the island alone?” Mr. Holloway asked.
“That’s what’s worrying me. I don’t know.”
“Any way we can find out?”
“I intend to row over there as soon as I get things cleaned up here. But the water’s risen so fast I haven’t had a chance.”
“I’ll go over right away and check up,” volunteered the Cub leader. “That is, if I can borrow the boat.”
“Midge and I hauled it up by the boat house. The dock is under water now.”
“We’ll help you get it out,” Dan offered eagerly. “Need anyone to go along?”
“I can only take one Cub, because I may need to bring passengers back.”
“Take me,” urged Chips, who had just come out of the flooded cabin after having rescued the Indian feather headdress. “I’m a good rower.”
“Better than I am,” conceded Dan as he saw Mr. Hatfield hesitate.
“Why, yes, Chips, you may go along,” agreed the Cub leader. “Now let’s launch the boat.”
The Cubs carried the craft to the water’s edge. Chips climbed in with Mr. Hatfield who took possession of the oars. The Cubs then gave a mighty shove which sent the boat well on its way.
“That dope!” Red exclaimed belatedly.
“Who is?” demanded Brad who stood near the submerged dock watching the boat disappear into the darkness of the river.
“Chips! Didn’t he take our Indian headdress with him?”
“He did have it in his hand,” declared Dan. “But it should be safe enough.”
“Unless he absently drops it into the river! Or the boat may leak and the feathers get wet. We did a lot of work on that headdress. Only this morning Mr. Holloway told me he thought it might be one of the best items entered in the Pack exhibition.”
“Well, don’t worry about it,” Brad advised. “Chips thinks a lot of that headdress too. Depend upon it, he’ll take care of those precious feathers!”
After the boat had vanished beyond view, the Cubs returned to the cabin to see if anything had been left undone.
Every object which possibly might suffer damage from the rising water, already had been removed to the Holloway home on the hill.
“The cabin itself can’t be injured by water,” Mr. Holloway told the boys. “But it’s likely to be left in a dirty mess.”
“We’ll make a date right now to help you clean the place,” Dan offered. “Everyone show up at the next Cub meeting armed with a mop!”
Because Brad and Dan were soaked through, Mrs. Holloway insisted that they change clothing before starting home. Midge’s extra Cub uniform was a fair fit for Dan, while Brad borrowed garments from Mr. Holloway’s wardrobe. The other Cubs were provided with changes of socks.
“Sorry I can’t give you all complete outfits,” Mrs. Holloway said regretfully.
“Don’t bother,” Mack told her. “Our folks will be coming for us in a few minutes anyhow.”
While the Cubs were waiting for the arrival of their parents, Mrs. Holloway brewed hot chocolate and made sandwiches. In the warm kitchen, the boys consumed great quantities of food, and recounted the story of their exciting pheasant hunt at Mr. Silverton’s farm.
“Say, shouldn’t Mr. Hatfield and Chips be getting back?” Dan presently asked, glancing at the kitchen clock. “They’ve been gone a long while, or so it seems to me.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” agreed Mr. Holloway. “Suppose we go down to the river again and see if the boat is coming.”
Leaving the others to dry out by the stove, Dan and Mr. Holloway went down to the water’s edge. The river lapped angrily at their feet. As far as they could see there was no sign of a returning boat.
“No use to worry,” Mr. Holloway said. “They’ll be coming along any minute—unless they should have run into a bad situation on the island.”
“The river’s still rising,” Dan observed. “Though not as fast as it was an hour ago.”
He and Mr. Holloway took a last look out across the river toward Rabb Island and then turned away. On the steps leading to the house, Dan felt a strange compulsion to pause and once more gaze over his shoulder.
As he did so, he saw several flashes of light from the direction of the island.
“Wait, Mr. Holloway!” he exclaimed. “I saw something just then!”
Excitedly, he indicated the direction from whence the flashes had come. “I couldn’t tell exactly what it was, sir.”
Once more the pair returned to the water’s edge, watching intently and waiting. Perhaps three minutes elapsed and then a dim light blinked on and off several times.
“That might be a flashlight!” Mr. Holloway said. “It’s certainly coming from Rabb Island or close to it.”
“Maybe Mr. Hatfield is trying to signal us! I know he had a flashlight in his pocket.”
“It looks like code,” Mr. Holloway declared as the signals again were seen. “Morse code. Can you read it, Dan?”
“No, but Brad can. He studied it in scouting last year.”
“Then get him! But be quick about it. Those flashes are becoming weaker.”
Requiring no urging, Dan darted up the stone steps two at a time, bursting into the Holloway kitchen.
“Come quick, Brad!” he urged. “Someone is signaling from Rabb Island in Morse code. We need you to read it.”
Not only Brad but all the Cubs poured out of the kitchen and ran down to the river.
The flashes of light still were visible from across the water.
“Can you make them out, Brad?” Mr. Holloway asked. “It’s important that we read the message. Mr. Hatfield and Chips may have run into trouble.”
“The flashes are so weak,” Brad said. “I can’t get it. Yes, now I can.”
“BOAT LOST. SEND—”
“Boat lost! Send help!” Dan finished as the flashes faded completely and did not reappear. “Chips and Mr. Hatfield must have reached the island, but they’re in trouble. We’ve got to get to them right away!”
CHAPTER 15
The Grand Howl
Alarmed for the safety of Chips, Mr. Hatfield and the dwellers of Rabb Island, Mr. Holloway immediately telephoned the Coast Guard station for assistance. He was assured that a rescue boat would be sent immediately.
“It will take them at least a half hour to reach the island,” the Den Dad reported to the Cubs. “Meanwhile, a lot may be happening there.”
Decidedly