Dan Carter And The Haunted Castle Part 13

"All right, we'll ask him," Brad consented. "We are trespa.s.sing though, and he's within his rights to order us off the property."

Uncertain of the reception they might receive, the two boys rapidly retraced their steps to the tool house. In walking they kept a sharp watch of the bushes. Once Dan thought he heard a giggle from the shadowy woods. But he saw no one.

As the boys reached the tool house, the door suddenly swung open.

The Cubs again found themselves confronted by the gardener.

"Back again?" he demanded unpleasantly. "Didn't I tell you to get on the move?"

"We started all right," Brad replied. "Then someone shot at us from behind!"

"What d'you mean? Shot at you?"

Dan produced the arrow.

"Oh, that," the gardener shrugged.

"Maybe you've seen an arrow like this before?" Brad inquired.

"Maybe I have," the man answered unpleasantly. "Then again, maybe I ain't. Now will you get off this property, or have I got to call the police?"

"We'll go, but first we want to know about this arrow," Dan said stubbornly. "Did you shoot it?"

"No, I didn't," the gardener retorted. "I got other things to do than shoot arrows."

"Maybe you have a son-" Brad began, but the man interrupted.

"No, I don't have a son," he said. Uneasily the man glanced toward the veranda where an elderly looking gentleman had appeared. "Now get going, or I'll call the police! This is your last warning."

Thoroughly disgusted, Brad and Dan moved away. At the bend in the lane, they glanced back and saw that the elderly man remained on the porch, watching them. Evidently he was the owner of the property, they thought.

"We should have appealed to him," Brad said. "For some reason, Old Sourpuss didn't want us to talk to his employer. Probably he's afraid we'll drop a word to the master about how he's allowed the weeds to flourish."

Approaching the place where the arrow had been shot, the boys walked warily. Nothing happened. Nor did they see anyone hiding amid the bushes.

Safely, Dan and Brad reached the main road.

"Who do you suppose shot that arrow?" Dan speculated. "I don't believe it was the gardener, and he said he has no son."

Brad could not venture a guess. He agreed with Dan, however, that the arrow appeared to be identical with the one that had been shot into the target at the castle grounds.

The meeting with the gardener had discouraged the two boys. After talking it over, they decided to abandon looking for work that day.

"We have one job lined up at any rate," Dan declared. "That will keep the Cubs busy and provide a little money."

On the following day, the boys of Den 2 joined forces to clear away the weeds and dry gra.s.s at the Wilkinson estate. So well did they do the work, that the owner engaged them to clean another larger area for him.

By the end of the day, the Cubs had netted enough to buy the materials for their costumes.

All that week Dan spent as much time as he could on the archery range near his home. He and Midge practiced too at the Holloway home, with Mr.

Holloway offering expert instruction.

"You've improved remarkably," the Den Dad praised Dan. "Just don't get excited Sat.u.r.day, and you may yet win the role of Robin Hood."

On Sat.u.r.day, not only the Cubs of both dens but the parents as well, gathered to witness the shooting contest.

Mr. Holloway had brought along his movie camera and planned to record the match.

"We'll run the contest off as much as possible as it was done at Nottingham Town," Mr. Hatfield announced. "However, the winner shall have the role of Robin Hood."

"Review the scene for us, please," Midge requested the Cub leader.

Mr. Hatfield explained that the Sheriff of Nottingham had planned the shooting contest as a trick to capture Robin Hood. Because the outlaw was known never to miss an important match, it was believed that he would not fail to appear.

"On the sidelines we have the sheriff and his men," the Cub leader said.

"When the herald blows a blast, the archers take their places. How many are to compete for the role?"

Only four boys had decided to try for it. Besides Dan and Ross, Midge and Clyde Jennings, a boy from Den 1, had finally asked for a chance at the part.

"Each boy will shoot only six arrows," the Cub leader instructed. "And the one having the highest total is the winner."

Clyde Jennings stepped to the line. His first three arrows missed the target entirely. The final three barely caught in the outer rim.

"That finishes me," muttered Clyde, deeply humiliated. "I never did that bad before. Having so many people watching, made me nervous."

Midge's turn came next. He drew his bow quickly but did not take as careful aim as he might have done. The arrow netted him only three points.

On the next five shots Midge used more care. Even so, he wound up with a total of 20 points.

"I'm out of it," he whispered to Dan. "Unless you can come through, Ross will be Robin Hood."

The crowd became quiet as Ross picked up his bow. His first two arrows landed squarely in the gold of the target.

Ross grinned at his own success and winked at one of the Cubs.

But his next shot was wild, barely catching the outer rim of the target.

On his fourth arrow he recovered form somewhat, managing to net seven points.

His total score read: 991753 or six arrows shot for a total of 34 points.

"Nice going, Ross," praised Dan. "I don't think I can better it."

The Den 1 boy's response was a proud smile. He too felt that Dan couldn't beat him.

"Shoot as well as you can, Dan," Midge whispered into his ear. "Our play will be ruined if Ross is made Robin Hood."

Dan deftly fitted the feather of the arrow to his bowstring. Taking aim carefully, he let speed the shaft. Straight it flew, but missed the target by a scant inch and nose-dived into a hillock.