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.
“We ought to have stepped on your tongue,” Brad retorted. “You’ve done it now!”
“Well, I thought they knew about it, and the sand painting too.”
“You thought wrong,” Brad said furiously. “You just fed them a lot of useful information. Now, unless I’m tangled up, they’re out for mischief.”
“Mischief?” Red echoed blankly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Those Indians came here looking for someone,” Brad told him. “When you mentioned the sand-painting and the cave, you evidently gave them just the clues they needed.”
“And now they’re on the way to find that cave,” Dan added. “If they should find the man they’re looking for there—wow! Fireworks!”
“Gee, I didn’t know,” Red mumbled. “I’m sorry.”
Brad thought fast. He handed the grocer the list of supplies, asking him to fill the order as quickly as he could.
“We’ve got to get out to the camp right away,” he told the other two Cubs. “White Nose and Eagle Feather are looking for trouble. If they find the cave and the medicine man they’re after, there’s no telling what they may do! We’ve got to get there first and warn him!”
Now that it was too late to recall the information so carelessly given, Red was distressed by his slip of tongue.
“What’ll we do?” he asked helplessly. “Can’t we stop those Indians?”
Dan already had rushed to the grocery store door. By this time the two Indians were across the street, walking very rapidly. He called to them, but they paid no heed.
“We’ve got to find either Mr. Hatfield or Mr. Holloway right away,” he declared. “If we don’t—well, Brad’s right—no telling what may happen.”