"In a straight race, you couldn't win and we both know it!"

The remark annoyed Dan.

"Oh, I don't know," he drawled. "My stroke is improving every day. I noticed you were pretty well winded at the finish."

"Bunk. I didn't even exert myself!"

"Anyway, now that the two teams are tied, it will make a good meet when the final contest is scheduled," Dan said, trying to ease out of a disagreeable conversation.

"Sure," Ross said, his eyes flashing. "Maybe you can dig up another technical point and win the cup! You'll never earn it on merit!"

And with that challenge, he brushed past Dan and slouched out of the dressing room.

CHAPTER 5 Paper Bag Eddie

Stung by Ross' jibe, Dan spent much of his time the next few days at the "Y" pool. To build endurance and smooth out his stroke, he also swam in the river. Always on these occasions he was accompanied by Brad or Midge's father in a boat.

Now that the swimming meet was over, the other Cubs temporarily turned their attention to various Den activities. Brad tried to a.s.sist Dan in deciphering the code message which had been found in Jacques' pocket.

However, after three days of work, he gave up in disgust.

"Maybe it isn't a code after all," he said, returning the paper to Dan.

"I figure those numerals must stand for letters that spell out a message.

But I can't get the hang of it."

"I think I'll keep on trying," Dan said. "Not that it will mean much if we do puzzle out the thing. Jacques is gone, and probably we'll never see him again."

"Wonder what became of that kid anyhow?" Brad mused. "It sure was funny, finding him on the beach the way we did."

"And he never told us his name or explained anything. I'd say there was every indication someone came and took him away."

"Mr. Hatfield made inquiries," Brad added. "No one saw the boy leave the Cave. He's unknown in Webster City."

Although Dan and the other Cubs had kept a close watch of the waterfront, they had sighted no boat which resembled the one that had damaged Mr.

Holloway's craft. Therefore, the conviction steadily grew that Mr.

Manheim's speedboat might be the one involved.

"Mr. Manheim is well spoken of at the club," Midge's father told the boys. "It would be a serious mistake if we made any accusation against him or any of his employees. The boat has been repaired, and as far as I'm concerned, the matter will be dropped."

Dan and Midge said no more about the affair, but in private they often remarked that they thought Wilson Jabowski, the caretaker on Skeleton Island, would bear investigation.

"I hear he hasn't worked very long for Mr. Manheim," Dan remarked. "And folks say that when his employer is out of town, he rides around in that speedboat like a king."

"Maybe if we keep our eyes open we'll catch up with him yet," Midge said.

"He may crack into another boat."

On the regular Friday night meeting of the Den, the Cubs enjoyed the beach treasure hunt which had been interrupted at the previous gathering.

Mack and Fred came off victorious, their clues leading them to the buried chest which contained carpenter's tools.

"The Den needs a bookcase," Mr. Hatfield reminded the pair as they admired their 'find'. "We'll expect you boys to produce something handsome now that you have the tools."

"We'll do it too," Mack promised.

With the treasure hunt over, all the Cubs gathered on the beach for a council fire and "feed." Mrs. Holloway pa.s.sed out hot dog sandwiches, chocolate and thick wedges of pie.

When the boys could eat no more, they stretched out on the sand, and begged Mr. Hatfield to tell them a ghost story.

"I might tell you about the ghost of Skeleton Island," he chuckled.

"A true story?" Dan demanded.

"It may have elements of truth," the Cub leader replied. "Basically though, the tale is a product of the imagination."

"You mean you're making up the story?" Midge asked in disappointment.

"No," the Cub leader corrected. "I first heard about Skeleton Island as a boy. According to the tale, it once was an old pirate stronghold. River pirates would come upstream and hide their loot on the island."

"Was any of it ever dug up?" Midge demanded.

"Not that I ever heard. But thirty years ago, a man's skeleton was found on the island. That's how the place received its name."

"What about the ghost?" Dan inquired.

"I'm coming to that part. The old freebooters supposedly built a tunnel which connected some point of the beach with an old inn that was on the island."

"Not the hotel that's there now?" Brad interposed. "I mean the abandoned one that Mr. Manheim converted into the caretaker's premises."

"I doubt it is the same place, Brad. However, I believe that after the old inn burned down, the present building was erected in its place. That was at least fifty years ago."

"And the ghost?" Red Suell reminded him.

"The ghost? Oh, yes, to be sure. The fellow, I'm told, never was very active. On windy nights, sh.o.r.e residents reported seeing a white, misty figure moving along the beach."

"Mist-that's probably what it was," Brad said with a snort. "Anyone knows there are no ghosts. I'm more interested in that tunnel. Do you think one actually was built, Mr. Hatfield?"

"I'm inclined to think that part of the story is true, Brad."

"Then what became of the tunnel? No one has heard of it in recent years."

"I was asking an old timer about that only yesterday."

"And what did he tell you?" Dan demanded, eager for additional details.

"This old salt claimed that heavy wind storms blocked off the beach entrance to the tunnel."