"Don't turn me over to the authorities, Mr. Silverton," the man pleaded.

"I've worked for you two years-doing the best I could. I did make mistakes-I admit it, and the worst one was ever getting acquainted with those two yellow dogs, Jake Freeze and Bernie Bauer."

"Now we're getting somewhere, Dobbs. So you admit you worked with them in stealing my pheasants?"

"If I tell you the whole story, will you let me off?" Dobbs tried to bargain.

"We'll see," his employer returned coldly. "Unless you do tell me, I'll call the police. I promise you that!"

Dobbs drew a deep breath and said sullenly: "Well, it was like this: I knew Freeze and Bauer several years ago before I came to work for you.

During the war I was employed by a man named Willis who had an estate north of here."

"I've heard of him," Silverton nodded.

"He had deer in his forest. Meat was scarce then, and it seemed a shame for folks to go without, just for want of a few ration stamps."

"So you made a deal to supply deer to Freeze and Bauer?" Mr. Silverton demanded, guessing at the story.

"That's about the size of it," Dobbs admitted. "Only they came to me with the proposition. I never liked the business, so I pulled out and came to Webster City."

"Then you got mixed up in pheasant stealing?"

"Not intentionally. Believe me, Mr. Silverton, I've worked hard trying to keep things running smoothly here."

"You receive a generous salary for your work, I believe?"

"Oh, I ain't complaining," Dobbs said uncomfortably. "You've been decent to me-mighty decent."

"How did you get mixed up with Freeze and Bauer again?"

"They learned I was working for you and followed me here. At first I wouldn't listen to 'em, but they kept threatening if I didn't play along, they'd tip off to you about my previous black market activities. Then I knew I'd lose my job."

"So you made a deal with them?"

"They forced me into it. I never got much out of it myself."

"How long has this stealing been going on, Dobbs?"

"Only since last fall. At first Freeze and Bauer didn't take many pheasants. Lately, they've pressured me into letting them have more and more."

"The pheasants were shipped out of town for sale, just as the Cubs thought?"

"I don't know where they were sold," Dobbs said. "Freeze and Bauer never told me any of the details of their business, and I didn't ask. Mostly they drove in here at night, using the old logging road."

"You let them know when the coast was clear, so to speak?"

"They made me do that. But believe me, Mr. Silverton, I never let 'em have as many pheasants as they wanted."

"Very considerate of my interests," the sportsman said sarcastically.

"You knew about the log jam in the creek, of course."

"Freeze and Bauer put the logs in so they could cross the stream at that point and reach the lean-to. I was afraid it might make trouble, but I didn't look for the rains to be so heavy."

"You left the two pheasant c.o.c.ks in the lean-to and then went away late this afternoon? That was to give your friends a chance to come here while you were away?"

"They ain't friends of mine," Dobbs insisted. "I told you, they've been making life mighty hard for me."

"Where do the two live?"

"At a little hotel on Brady Avenue in Webster City."

"I'll swear out a warrant for their arrest immediately," Mr. Silverton declared. "As for you, Dobbs-"

"Don't be too hard on me," the workman pleaded. "I told you the whole truth. I never would have got mixed up in the dirty business only they kept after me. I'll be glad to see 'em behind bars."

"Will you testify against them?"

"I will if you'll let me off, Mr. Silverton. I swear it!"

"All right," the sportsman agreed, impatient to be finished with the discussion. "I want no scandal, so I'll let you off. But understand this!

You're through here-fired. Now get out! My secretary will send you your final pay check."

"Thanks, Mr. Silverton," Dobbs mumbled, shuffling toward the door.

His heavy boots sloshed through a trickle of water which had seeped unnoticed into the barn.

"The creek's still rising!" he exclaimed, startled.

As Dobbs thrust open the barn door, more water trickled in.

Mr. Silverton seized the lantern from the floor. As he flashed it out-of-doors, he saw that the entire area near the house and barn was flooded.

"It's coming up fast!" he exclaimed in dismay. "We've got to dynamite the log jam right away or the water will keep rising!"

CHAPTER 14 Trouble on Rabb Island

The rapidity with which the creek waters had flooded the low area and the higher ground where the barn was situated, alarmed Mr. Silverton and Sam Hatfield.

"Where is Fred?" the Cub leader asked anxiously. "And the other boys?"

"We left them at the creek, not far from the log jam," Dan explained.

"They've probably moved to higher ground somewhere along the old logging road. We told them to wait."

"We've got to get back there and work fast!" Mr. Silverton said, starting hurriedly away.

"Mr. Silverton, let me dynamite the jam for you," Dobbs offered unexpectedly. "It's dangerous work and you ain't used to handling the stuff."