Dan Carter and the Haunted Castle

by Mildred A. Wirt

  CHAPTER 4 Laughter from the Woods

  "I didn't hear any laughter from the woods," Brad said, gazingthoughtfully toward the fringe of trees beyond the castle. "You're sureyou heard it, Dan?"

  "Positive," the younger boy replied.

  "Maybe it was one of the Den 1 Cubs."

  "Everyone was right here watching the filming of the bridge scene. Ichecked to make certain."

  "Well, I don't see anyone in the woods," Brad said. "We might take a lookaround."

  This proposal appealed to Dan. However, before the two boys could leavethe creek, they heard an automobile drive up from the main road.

  To the surprise of the Cubs, the car stopped nearby. A stout man in agray suit alighted and came toward the group.

  "It's one of the bank officials, I'll bet a cookie!" Brad murmured. "Nowwhat?"

  Curious to learn what the stranger wanted, Mr. Holloway and Ross rejoinedthe group of Cubs. The man approached them, addressing Sam Hatfield.

  "Good morning," he greeted the Cub leader, "I am Grover Kain, sent out bythe bank to inspect the grounds here. I see you're getting in a littlearchery practice."

  "That's right," agreed the Cub leader. "We need a longer archery fieldthough."

  Mr. Kain nodded as his gaze roved over the grounds which had grown upwith bushes and were cluttered with brush.

  "I trust you'll be careful about starting fires," he remarked. "Theseason is unusually dry and brush presents a hazard. If a fire shouldstart in this area, it would be most difficult to fight it because of thescarcity of water."

  Mr. Hatfield assured him that the Cub Scouts would be careful.

  His answer did not entirely satisfy the bank official, who walked aboutthe premises making note of work that needed to be done.

  "Someone should call that broken window to his attention," Dan suggested.

  "I'll do it," offered Ross. "Having it fixed will spoil a lot of our funthough."

  Mr. Kain spent nearly ten minutes looking over the property and thenreturned to talk to Mr. Hatfield and Midge's father.

  "I don't want to put a damper on your good times here," he saidapologetically. "But in looking over the grounds I am more than everimpressed with the fire hazard. Boys don't mean to cause trouble, butthey are careless with matches."

  "Not the Cubs," spoke up Mr. Hatfield. "They know and practice the rulesof safety."

  "So much dry brush is a distinct danger. I dislike to say the Cubs can'tuse this property, but--"

  "I have an idea," proposed Mr. Holloway, well aware that the bankofficial intended to forbid the Cubs from filming their picture on thegrounds. "The boys will pitch in and clear out some of the brush."

  Mr. Kain was both pleased and astonished by the offer.

  "That would be fine!" he declared. "In that case, we have no objectionwhatsoever to the property being used."

  The three men discussed what work should be done before Mr. Kain returnedto the city.

  "Let's get at it right away," proposed Brad. "We can map our areas andhave each Cub responsible for a certain section."

  "Why doesn't the bank clean its own rubbish?" Ross growled. "I can't helpbecause I've got to go home and get into dry clothes."

  "I'll take you," Mr. Holloway offered again. "We'll pick up rakes andreturn by lunch time."

  The proposal rather displeased Ross, who never liked to work. But knowingthat the other Cubs would call him a quitter if he made an excuse for notreturning to the castle grounds, he scowled and made no reply.

  After Mr. Holloway and Ross had driven away, the others marked the areainto sections and then set about clearing away the debris.

  Loose brush was accumulated in a large bare spot near the road ready forburning. The Cubs worked with a will and by the time Ross and Mr.Holloway came back with garden tools, were fairly well along.

  "Ross, your section is that area behind the castle," Brad gave him hisassignment.

  "My section? Say, I'm all tired out from archery practice and chasingback and forth. What does that bank guy think we are anyhow? Workhorses?"

  "We gave our promise to clean up the grounds and we're going to do it."

  "Well, I'm tired," Ross said sullenly, flinging himself on the ground."Besides, it's almost lunch time."

  "You can clean your section later," Brad consented. "Just so you get thejob done in the next day or so. By the way, you told Mr. Kain about thebroken window?"

  "No, I didn't."

  Then, as Brad fixed him with a disapproving gaze, Ross added with a flareof temper: "I didn't get a chance to do it. I'll tell him the next timehe comes around."

  "Don't bother," Brad replied shortly. "I'll tell him myself when I seehim."

  As the sun rose higher, all the Cubs began to look forward to lunch.Unaccustomed to such heavy work, they felt the need of a rest.

  "All right, fellows, knock off," Mr. Hatfield advised them. "You've putin a big morning. Rest awhile and then we'll eat."

  Dan and Brad took advantage of the lull to roam around the castle. Bothboys were fascinated by its unusual design and old-world appearance.

  "It's queer about that laughter I heard from the woods," Dan commentedthoughtfully. "We've seen no one, and yet I'm sure someone was watchingus."

  "Maybe it came from the castle," Brad suggested, gazing up at the shadowyturrets. "With that window broken, any tramp could get inside."

  "How about taking another look?" Dan proposed. "We'll have time for aquick search through the house before lunch."

  "Okay," Brad agreed after a slight hesitation.

  Unfastening the window latch, the boys climbed through.

  As he straightened up, Dan sniffed the air suspiciously.

  "Say, I smell something!" he announced.

  Brad also had noticed the odor. "Smoke!" he agreed. "Something's burning!It's inside the castle too!"

  Thoroughly alarmed, the boys darted from room to room. Running through abutler's pantry they came to a huge kitchen with row upon row of shelves.

  At one end of the room was a fireplace. To the amazement of the boys, afire had been built there. A few of the larger sticks still smoldered.

  "Someone has been in here since we came!" Brad exclaimed.

  "Do you suppose one of the Cubs could have built the fire, Brad?"

  "The fellows all have been working," Brad replied, deeply puzzled."Besides, everyone heard Mr. Kain warn about starting fires."

  Dan had lowered his voice. "This just goes to prove that I was right," hedeclared. "I did hear laughter while we were filming the creek scene.Someone was watching us--either from the woods or this castle."

  "The bird still may be here too, Dan. Let's look around."

  Quietly the boys went from room to room. No one could be found on thelower floor. Yet as they climbed the circular staircase to the secondfloor, Dan again thought he heard faint laughter from below.

  "You imagined it, Dan," Brad insisted.

  "Maybe, but this house has a dozen and one hiding places. It would beeasy for anyone to keep out of our way."

  "I wouldn't want to go through this place at night," Brad said with ashiver. "It's spooky enough by daytime. The bank will be smart to getthat window fixed and board up the place."

  Decidedly uneasy, the boys tramped from one bed chamber to another. Allthe rooms were large and at least half of them had fireplaces. They foundno further evidence that anyone was in the dwelling.

  "Whoever the person was, I think he's taken himself off by now," Bradsaid finally. By this time they had examined every room, including thecircular towers at each corner of the building.

  "I guess so," Dan agreed in relief. "Let's go back to the kitchen."

  There, the two boys carefully stamped out the dying embers of the fire.

  Then, after again inspecting the lower floor, they let themselves outthrough the window.

  "I hope to see Mr. Kain tomorrow," Brad said as he walked back toward thearchery range. "That
broken window should be repaired."

  "Tomorrow's Sunday," Dan reminded him.

  "That's so. Well, I'll make a point of seeing him Monday then. The windowhas been broken for a long while, so I suppose another day won't mattertoo much."

  The Cubs had spread out their lunch at the base of a large elm tree. Bradand Dan joined the group and began to eat their sandwiches. As usual, theconversation reverted to the archery competition.

  "If the Pack expects to win a prize for having the best play, it meanswe've got to dig in and work," Mr. Hatfield warned the Cubs. "Our actingis rough, and a lot of detail has to be worked out."

  "Not to mention our archery," added Brad with a laugh. "We can standplenty of target practice!"

  The Cubs finished lunch, rested for a half hour, and then voted to returnto the archery range.

  "Dan, you have a chance to win the part of Robin Hood," Midge encouragedhis friend. "Why don't you get to work and show Ross Langdon you can beathim a mile!"

  "Easier said than done. He is good and we both know it."

  "Sure," Midge admitted grudgingly. "But don't forget he's lazy. He's socertain of winning the part, I'll bet he doesn't do much practicing."

  "I'd like the part," Dan said. "I intend to work hard to improve myshooting. All the same, I haven't much hope."

  The two Cubs were the first to reach the archery range and so had theirchoice of bows.

  Dan shot first, placing four of his arrows within the black of thetarget. Only two struck the outer rim.

  "You're getting more accurate every time, Dan!" Midge approved, steppingup to take his turn.

  Three of his arrows missed the target completely. He shot the next threemore carefully, managing to get them on the rim.

  "Friar Tuck would blush with shame if he could see me," Midge laughedruefully. "Wow! Am I lousy!"

  The two boys trotted down to the target to retrieve their arrows.

  Midge glanced at the very center of the target face and gasped inastonishment.

  "Dan, you made a bull's-eye! Your shaft went right to the heart of it!"

  "What?" Dan demanded. "Impossible!"

  "Well, look at the arrow!"

  Dan saw for himself that an arrow had pierced the target padding at itsvery center. The shot was a perfect one.

  "Midge, that couldn't have been my shot."

  "Well, it certainly wasn't mine."

  Dan had examined the arrow carefully after removing it from the target.

  "Neither of us shot it," he announced. "See, it's larger than those weused."

  "The shaft is longer," Midge agreed in awe. "Also, we shot six arrowsapiece."

  "Nine should be in the target, Midge. Instead, there were ten."

  "But who shot the tenth one?"

  Dan had no answer for the question. "It must have been there when westarted shooting," he said slowly. "Probably we didn't notice."

  "Maybe it's one of Mr. Holloway's arrows. Or worse luck--from Ross' bow."

  "Could be," Dan agreed as they picked up their arrows and left the range."All the same, I wonder--"

  His gaze roved toward the surrounding woods.

  "You wonder what, Dan?"

  "I don't believe that arrow was shot by any of the Cubs or Mr. Hollowayeither," he announced with sudden conviction.

  Midge stared at him in amazement.

  "Who else could have shot it, Dan?"

  "Well, I don't know," the other boy admitted lamely. He was reluctant totell Midge about the fire inside the castle until after he had talkedwith Mr. Hatfield.

  "You're keeping something to yourself," Midge accused.

  "I'm not sure of a thing," Dan replied, moving off in search of the Cubleader. "I wish though that we could find the person who shot that arrow!He's a natural for the role of Robin Hood!"