“The Cubs will be glad to hear this,” Brad said in relief, retrieving the handicraft article. “We’re mighty lucky tonight.”
Dan untied the rope from his waist and began to put on his clothes. Brad and Mr. Hatfield debated what to do with the boat now that it had been recovered.
“It’s too large to be taken into the car,” the Cub leader decided. “I guess the best we can do tonight is to hide it in the weeds well back from the river’s edge.”
While Dan finished dressing, he and Brad carried the craft far back from the rising water, overturning it in a patch of high grass.
“I’ll come for it in a trailer the first thing tomorrow,” Mr. Hatfield said. “During the next few hours, the river shouldn’t rise much higher.”
Feeling well repaid for their exertion, the three wiped the mud from their shoes and presently drove on through the area of shallow water to a clear stretch of pavement.
However, they had gone less than a quarter of a mile, when directly ahead they sighted still another flooded section of roadway.
“Oh! Oh!” said Mr. Hatfield, pulling up just before he reached the sheet of water. “This time, I’m afraid we’re stuck.”
The flooded area extended perhaps seventy-five yards. At the deepest point of the water a station wagon had stalled. Two men were endeavoring without much success to push the vehicle.
“We might lend them a hand,” Mr. Hatfield suggested. “No chance of getting through here ourselves. We’ll have to turn back.”
Dan had been staring fixedly at the station wagon. “Mr. Hatfield!” he exclaimed excitedly. “Isn’t that the same car that’s been going in and out of Mr. Silverton’s place?”
“It sure looks like Freeze and Bauer!” added Brad before the Cub leader could speak. “They’re stuck like a couple of whales in a puddle!”
“Mr. Silverton intends to swear out a warrant for their arrest,” Dan said. “I’ll bet an Indian head cent they’re driving out of town and intend to skip!”
“Unless we can stop them,” said Brad, looking hopefully at the Cub leader.
“We can’t start a fight without good cause,” Mr. Hatfield replied. “If Mr. Silverton were here, or the police—”
Brad had noticed a lighted dwelling only a short distance from the roadway.
“Say, why can’t I sneak over there and telephone Mr. Silverton!” he proposed. “If I get in touch with him, maybe he’ll decide to have those men arrested right now.”