Pat had become chained lightning itself. He eluded Dan and time after time dropped the ball close, if not through the basket. When the final whistle blew, the score stood: 10 to 6 in favor of the Purple Five.

"I tried, but I couldn't hold Pat down," Dan confessed, as he sank down on a bench to catch his breath.

"You did fine, Dan," Mr. Hatfield said, throwing an arm around his shoulder. "I was proud of you. And of all the Cubs. Except for a few minutes toward the end, it was a good, clean game."

The Cubs hid their disappointment over loss of the game. They congratulated the Purple Five on the victory, and Dan made a point of speaking to Pat.

"You're just too good," he said with a grin. "It takes a better guard than Dan Carter to hold you."

Pat seemed surprised by the praise. "You were pretty fair yourself," he replied. "I missed a lot of baskets because of good guarding."

"Chips may be back for the third and deciding game of the series," Dan went on. "Now that both teams have a victory, that contest should be a honey."

Hot cocoa was being served the Cubs upstairs in the church dining room.

Mr. Hatfield invited Pat and his teammates to join the other boys.

"Thanks," Pat answered, looking rather embarra.s.sed. "I-I guess we won't.

Next time, maybe."

"Then we'll count out your share of the receipts-"

"Skip it," Pat growled. He moved quickly away.

In leaving the gymnasium, Dan saw Chub talking to the strange man who earlier had drawn his attention. As he came up, the two separated. Chub waited for him, his face troubled.

"Anything wrong, Chub?" Dan inquired.

Chub shook his head. "Only that I lost the game for the Cubs."

"No such thing," Dan said cheerfully. "Was it your fault Chips came down with the measles? Anyhow, I thought you played your very best game."

"Did you?" Chub brightened. "I tried awfully hard."

"Anything else bothering you?"

"Well, that man-he was asking me such funny questions."

"I noticed him during the game," Dan returned. "He paid a lot of attention to you."

"It gave me a queer feeling, talking to him."

"Queer? How so?"

Chub shrugged and could not explain. "He kept calling me Charles for one thing, just as if he knew me well. I never saw him before, but I had the strangest feeling as if I'd really known him a long while."

"Did he tell you his name?"

"No, but he asked me a dozen questions. He wanted to know where I lived, the school I attended-everything. The last question was the funniest of all. He said: 'Chub, are you _happy_ here in Webster City?'"

"What did you tell him?"

"I didn't answer. You came up just then, and he went off."

"Don't let it bother you, Chub," Dan said. "The guy must have been a screw-ball."

"He was real nice, Dan. I-I liked him ever so much."

"Well, don't keep your mind on it," Dan said, linking arms with the boy and pulling him toward the stairway. "Come on, let's have some hot cocoa."

Chub went willingly enough. In fact, as they entered the dining room together, he failed to notice that the stranger still loitered in the outside vestibule.

Dan however, had seen him. He observed too that the man's gaze was following Chub's every move.

"Who can he be?" he speculated. "Why is he so interested in Chub?"

Dan gave himself a mental memo to try during the next few days to learn more about the stranger. Meanwhile, why let it bother him? Following his advice to Chub, he brushed the matter entirely from his mind, and joined the other Cubs at the cocoa table.

CHAPTER 16 THE STRANGER

It was rea.s.suring to learn that Chips had a very light case of measles.

The Cubs, of course, were not permitted to see him. But Mrs. Davis reported to the den that her son could not be kept in bed and that his spots rapidly were disappearing.

Knowing that they all had been exposed to the disease, the Cubs kept their fingers crossed. Days pa.s.sed however, and no other den member came down sick.

"Chips may be able to play in that last game with the Purple Five," Dan remarked one day as he and Brad walked to the public library together.

"Think we have a chance to win?"

"With Chips, yes. We need him badly though."

"Chub never will make a good player that's for sure," Dan sighed. "I can't figure out that kid, Brad. He likes being a Cub, but somehow he doesn't catch on."

"Not at basketball," Brad admitted. "Something's bothering him. Say, come to think of it, he hasn't been at practice the last two nights."

"Maybe he's down with measles!"

"Never thought of that," Brad admitted. "We ought to find out."

The boys returned several books to the library and then decided to hike out to Chub's place to inquire.

In response to their rap on the door the Widow Lornsdale came to admit them. She a.s.sured them that Chub was quite well, though not at home just then.

"He may be off somewhere wandering in the woods," she added. "Poor lad!

He seems so lonesome and unhappy."

"Doesn't he like being a Cub?" Dan inquired.