Dan Carter and the Great Carved Face Part 24

Dan quickly a.s.sembled his belongings to take to Mr. Holloway's place.

"Brad and I want to get there early," he explained. "We've been a.s.signed to buy all the groceries and take them out to Mrs. Holloway."

"Do you need help getting supplies to the camp?" his mother inquired. "I can borrow the car, if necessary."

"Brad and I won't have more than we can carry," Dan answered. "Thanks, a lot, Mom. You'll be at the pow-wow?"

"I wouldn't miss it, Dan. I aim to see you win that canoe race."

"Sure hope I don't let you down, Mom. Or the den," Dan added with a grin.

"See you later."

He slammed out of the house, whistling as he went. The morning was bright, with not a hint of a cloud in the sky. Dan drew a deep breath as he started for Brad's house. He felt fine, as if he could whip his weight in Den 1 Cubs!

At the next corner, Dan ran into Red, who had been out making a last minute collection of clothing to be sent to the Navajo reservation.

"I'm on my way to meet Brad and go to the grocery store," Dan told him.

"Want to come along?"

"Sure," Red agreed.

Brad was sweeping the garage when the two boys joined him at his home.

The job was nearly finished though.

"Got a list of what we're supposed to buy?" he asked Dan.

Dan produced the sc.r.a.p of paper Mrs. Holloway had given him the previous night.

"All right, let's go," Brad said, setting his broom against the garage wall. "I'm through here."

The three Cubs walked briskly to the corner grocery where they did most of their buying for the den. As they entered, Brad suddenly gripped Dan's arm so hard that it hurt.

At the counter, buying supplies, were White Nose and Eagle Feather.

Dan and Brad decided to greet the pair casually. Red, however, became greatly excited upon seeing the Indians.

"Let's jump 'em!" he whispered to his companions. "They're the ones who've been making trouble around our camp! Let's tell 'em a thing or two!"

"Quiet!" Dan warned, giving him a hard look.

"Pipe down," Brad muttered. "You want to get us into trouble?"

Red, however, was not to be silenced. Before Brad or Dan could stop him, he walked over to the two Indians.

"Good morning," he said, to attract the attention of the two Indians.

They responded to the greeting without friendliness, continuing with the buying of supplies. Their very indifference further angered Red.

"I want to ask you some questions," he burst out. "And I want some straight answers-see!"

"Red!" Dan remonstrated, trying to grab his arm.

Red pulled away. He had no intention of being silenced.

"First off, I want to know if you and White Nose weren't the ones that wrecked our sand painting and then remade it inside the hogan?" he demanded.

Eagle Feather now paid him the honor of being most attentive. His eyes flickered with interest as he demanded mildly:

"Sand painting?"

"Oh, you needn't pretend you know nothing about it," Red snapped. "You've both been hanging around our camp ever since you came to Webster City!"

"Your sand painting has been redone?" inquired Eagle Feather, speaking with precise English.

"Late yesterday afternoon," Red informed him. "Oh, you know all about it!"

Dan tried vainly to pull his friend away from the grocery counter. But Red, in one of his stubborn moods, would not budge.

"We know nothing about your sand painting," Eagle Feather said distinctly.

"The work was done by an Indian-we know that from the skillful way the picture was put together," Red rattled on. "It must have been you and White Nose."

"We have no skill at sand painting," said Eagle Feather. "We know one who does have cleverness in his hands-"

Red broke in, not giving the Indian an opportunity to finish.

"I'll bet you've been living in the river cave on the park reservation,"

he went on.

By this time Dan and Brad were thoroughly exasperated by the rash manner in which Red was revealing information. They were particularly annoyed because they could see that their den mate was supplying the Indians with facts of great interest to them.

"Where is this cave of which you speak?" Eagle Feather asked.

Dan stepped on Red's foot so hard that he howled with pain.

"b.u.t.ton your flapping lips!" Dan hissed into his ear.

Belatedly, Red realized that he had talked too much. He lapsed into a crestfallen silence.

But the damage had been done. Eagle Feather and White Nose were keen enough to know that Dan and Brad had sought to prevent their friend from revealing the exact location of the cave. They did not ask for more information.

Instead, they spoke together in their own language. Then without completing their purchases or paying for the ones already ordered, they hurriedly left the store.

"Now what got into them?" the storekeeper demanded, scratching his head.

"They order groceries and then go off without taking 'em along."

"And what was the idea of stepping on my foot?" Red demanded indignantly of his friends.