CHAPTER V.
DAN IS ASTONISHED.
Many times during his life had David had good reason to bediscouraged, but he had never been so strongly tempted to give uptrying altogether and settle down into a professional vagabond, as hewas when he left General Gordon's barn and turned his face towardhome. He had relied upon Don to show him a way out of his trouble,but his friend had not helped him at all; he had only made mattersworse by telling him more bad news. Nothing seemed to go right withhim. There was Dan, who never did anything, and yet he was better offin the world and seemed to be just as happy as David, who was alwaysstriving to better his condition and continually on the lookout for achance to earn a dollar or two. Why should he not stop work and letthings take their own course, as his brother did? He reached homewhile he was revolving this question in his mind, and the firstperson he saw when he climbed the fence and walked toward theshingle-pile to resume work upon his traps, was his brother Dan.
"Whar you been an' what you been a doin' of?" demanded the latter, asif he had a right to know.
"I've been over to Don's house," answered David; "and while I wasthere I found out that you and father borrowed my ten dollars."
"'Tain't so nuther," cried Dan, trying to look surprised andindignant.
"I believe everything Don and Bert tell me. They have never lied tome and you have."
"Whoop!" yelled Dan, jumping up and knocking his heels together.
"I mean every word of it," said David, firmly. "You have got me intoa tight scrape, but I'll work out of it somehow. And let me tell youone thing, Dan; you'll never have a chance to steal any more of mymoney."
"Then why don't you divide it like a feller had oughter do?" askedDan, angrily.
"Why don't you divide with mother and me when you have some?"
"Kase I work hard for it an' it b'longs to me; that's why." Andknowing by his past experience that he could not hold his own in anargument with his brother, Dan turned about and went into the house.
David worked faithfully at his traps, paying no further heed to hisbrother's movements. He tried to keep his mind on what he was doing,but now and then the recollection of the heavy loss he had sustainedwould come back to him with overwhelming force and the tears wouldstart to his eyes in spite of all he could do to prevent it. Then hewould throw down his hammer and wander about with his hands in hispockets, wondering what was the use of trying to do anything or beanybody while things were working so strongly against him.
It was during one of these idle periods that Don and Bert came up.David's hopes arose immediately when he caught sight of Don's smilingface, for he was sure that he was about to hear somethingencouraging. Indeed, Don's first words confirmed this impression; butit turned out that they had come there simply to offer him work thatwould keep him busy for two or three weeks. Of course David wantedwork, but just then he wanted money more. He wanted to pay thatgrocery bill, so that he could look Silas Jones in the face the nexttime he met him.
When the brothers got into their boat and rowed away, David went backto his traps, while Dan, who had been disappointed in his hopes ofhearing some private conversation between the visitors and hisbrother, shouldered his rifle and disappeared in the woods.
David worked away industriously until the sun told him that it wasnearly four o'clock, and then he put on his coat and started off tokeep his appointment with Don and Bert. He found them waiting for himat the General's barn, and he was not a little surprised when theyseized him by the arms and pulled him into the carpenter-shop, thedoor of which they were careful to close and lock behind them.
"Now I know we can talk without danger of being overheard," exclaimedDon. "We've got lots to tell you; but in the first place," he added,opening his pocket-book, "there's your money."
The expression of joy and surprise that came upon David's face as hehesitatingly, almost reluctantly, took the crisp, new bill that washeld toward him, amply repaid Don for the loss of the pleasure he hadexpected to derive in spending the money for Christmas presents.
"Why, I understood you to say that father and Dan had drawn thismoney," said he, as soon as he could speak.
"So they did, but my father says the loss is mine and not yours."
David drew a long breath. He understood the matter now. "It isn'tfair that you should pay it twice," said he.
"I haven't paid it twice; that is, I haven't paid you at all. It'sall right, David, you may depend upon it. They'll never fool usagain. If I should ever have any more of your money, nobody could getit except yourself."
"Or mother," added David.
"O, of course. I wouldn't be afraid to trust her."
"I was in hopes that you would have a good deal of my money in yourhands some day," continued David. "I was going to ask you to keep myhundred and fifty dollars for me; but I don't know now whether Ishall ever get it or not."
"Of course you'll get it," exclaimed Bert. "You are not going to giveup the idea of trapping the quails, are you?"
"No, but I don't know that I shall make anything at it, for Dan andLester can break up my traps faster than I can make them."
"Well, they'll not break up a single one of your traps, because----"
Here Don began and hurriedly repeated the conversation which he andBert had had with their father a few hours before. As David listenedthe look of trouble his face had worn all that day gradually fadedaway, and the old happy smile took its place. His confidence in hisfriends had not been misplaced; Dan and Lester Brigham were to beoutwitted after all.
The traps and the "figure fours" with which they were to be set,could be built there in the shop, Don said. There were tools and abench and everything else needful close at hand, so that the workcould be done in half the time that David had expected to devote toit. As fast as the traps were completed they were to be set inGeneral Gordon's fields. They would be safe there and Dan Evans orLester Brigham or anybody else who came near them, would be likely toget himself into trouble. The negroes were always at work in thefields in the daytime, and if they were told to keep their eyes openand report any outsiders who might be seen prowling about the fences,they would be sure to do it. The best course David could pursue wouldbe to say nothing more about trapping the quails. Let Dan believethat he had become discouraged and given up the enterprise. If hewanted to know what it was that took his brother over to GeneralGordon's house so regularly, David could tell him that he was doingsome work there, which would be the truth; and besides it would beall Dan had any right to know.
As fast as the birds were caught, they could be locked up in one ofthe empty negro cabins; and any one who found out that they werethere and tried to steal them, would run the risk of being caught byDon's hounds. It was a splendid plan, taken altogether, and David'seyes fairly glistened while it was unfolded to him. He thanked thebrothers over and over again for their kindness and the interest theytook in his success, and might have kept on thanking them if Don hadnot interrupted him with--
"O, that's all understood. Now, before you begin work on those trapswe want you to help us one day. We've had a good deal of excitementand some good luck since we last saw you. We have recovered my canoe,which somebody stole from me, and we have found out that there is abear living on Bruin's Island."
"He must be a monster, too, for such growls I never heard before,"said Bert.
"Didn't you see him?" asked David.
"No. We landed to explore the island, and while we were going throughthe cane he growled at us, and we took the hint and left. We didn'thave a single load of heavy shot with us. We're going up thereto-morrow, and we want you to go with us. We'll go fixed for him,too. We'll have a couple of good dogs with us; I'll take my rifle;Bert will take father's heavy gun; and we'd like to have you takeyour single-barrel. If he gets a bullet and three loads of buckshotin his head, he'll not growl at us any more. If we don't get a chanceto shoot him, we'll build a trap and catch him alive the next time hecomes to the island. Will you go?"
Of course David would go.
He would have gone anywhere that Don toldhim to go. He promised to be at the barn at an early hour the nextmorning, and then showed a desire to leave the shop; so Don unlockedthe door, and David hurried out and turned his face toward thelanding. He had money now, and that grocery bill should not troublehim any longer.
"If there ever was a lucky boy in the world I am the one," thoughtDavid, whose spirits were elevated in the same ratio in which theyhad before been depressed. "I'll earn my hundred and fifty dollarsnow, and mother shall have her nice things in spite of Dan andLester. It isn't every fellow who has such friends as Don and BertGordon. But I shall have a hard time of it, anyhow. Dan will be somad when he finds out that he can't ruin me, that he will dosomething desperate."
David, however, did not waste much time in thinking of the troublesthat might come in the future. He preferred to think about pleasanterthings. He was so wholly engrossed with his plans that it seemed tohim that he was not more than five minutes in reaching the landing.There was no one in the street, and nothing there worth looking at,except General Gordon's white horse, which was hitched to a post infront of Silas Jones's store. As David approached, the Generalhimself came out, accompanied by the grocer, who was as polite andattentive to his rich customers as he was indifferent to the poorones.
"Ah, David!" exclaimed the General, extending his hand; "how aretimes now? Business looking up any?"
"Y-yes, sir," stammered the boy, who could scarcely speak at all. Hewas not abashed by the rich man's presence, for he had learned toexpect a friendly nod or a cordial grasp of the hand every time hemet him; but he was very much astonished by the greeting which SilasJones extended to him. No sooner had the General released David'shand than it was seized by the grocer, who appeared to be as glad tosee him as though he knew that the boy had come there to buy a billof goods worth hundreds of dollars.
"It never does any good to give away to our gloomy feelings," saidthe General. "There are many times when things don't go just as wewould like to have them, but the day always follows the night, and alittle perseverance sometimes works wonders."
David understood what the General meant, but it was plain that thegrocer did not, for he looked both bewildered and surprised. He bowedto his rich customer, as he rode off, and then, turning to David,conducted him into the store with a great deal of ceremony.
"Mr. Jones," said David, who began to think that the grocer must havetaken leave of his senses, "I have come here to settle father'sbill."
"O, that's all right," was the smiling reply. "It isn't fair that Ishould hold you responsible for that debt, and I have concluded thatI will not do it. Your father will pay me some time, perhaps, and ifhe doesn't, I'll let it go. The loss of it won't break me. Can I doanything for you this evening?"
David was more astonished than ever. Was this the man who had spokenso harshly to him no longer ago than that very morning? What hadhappened to work so great a change in him? It was the General's visitthat did it. When Don and Bert left their father, after holding thatshort consultation with him in the field, the latter took a fewminutes to think the matter over, and when his hands had finishedtheir work, he mounted his horse and rode down to the landing, tohave a talk with Mr. Jones. What passed between them no one everknew, but it was noticed that from that day forward, whenever Davidcame into the store to trade, he was treated with as much respect ashe would have been had he been known to have his pockets full ofmoney.
"Want anything in my line this evening?" continued the grocer,rubbing his hands; "a hat or a pair of shoes and stockings foryourself, a nice warm dress for mother, or----"
"O, I want a good many things," replied David, "but I shall have onlytwo dollars left after your bill is paid, and that must keep us ingroceries for at least a month--perhaps longer."
To David's great amazement, the merchant replied: "Your credit isgood for six months. As for your father's debt, I wouldn't let youpay it if you were made of money. Better take home some tea, coffeeand sugar with you, hadn't you? It is always a good plan to replenishbefore you get entirely out, you know."
"O, we were out long ago," said David, who could not help smiling atthe mistake Silas made in supposing that tea, coffee and sugarappeared on his mother's table every day. "We haven't had any in ourhouse for almost a month."
"Is that so?" exclaimed the grocer, "Then I'll put up some for you,and lend you a basket to carry it home in."
David leaned upon the counter and began a little problem in mentalarithmetic, with the view of ascertaining how much of his money itwould take to keep his mother supplied with the luxuries the grocerhad mentioned for one month, and how much he would have left toinvest in clothing for her; but before the problem was solved thegrocer had placed three neat packages, good-sized ones, too, on thecounter, and was looking for a basket to put them in.
"Now, then," said he, briskly, "what next? A dress for mother or apair of shoes for yourself? The mornings are getting to be prettycold now, and you can't run around barefooted much longer. Ah, Dan!how do you do?"
David looked up and was surprised to see his brother standing by hisside. He was surprised, too, to notice that the grocer greeted himalmost as cordially as he had greeted himself but a few minutesbefore. David was not glad that he was there, for the expression onDan's face told him that he had seen and heard more than he had anybusiness to know. David made haste to finish his trading after that,and when he had purchased a dress and a pair of shoes for his mother,and a pair of shoes and stockings for himself, he handed out histen-dollar bill in payment. Dan's eyes seemed ready to start fromtheir sockets at the sight of it.
"Never mind that, now," said the grocer, pushing it back. "Perhapsyou will need it some day and I can wait six months, if you are notready to settle up before."
Dan's eyes opened still wider, and when his brother, after thankingthe grocer for his kindness and confidence, gathered up his purchasesand left the store, he followed slowly after him, so wholly lost inwonder that he never recollected that he had six dollars in his ownpocket, and that he had come there to spend the best part of five ofit. He walked along at a little distance behind his brother, lookingthoughtfully at the ground all the while, as if he were revolvingsome perplexing question in his mind, and then quickened his pace toovertake him.
"Le' me carry some of them things," said he, as he came up withDavid.
"No, I thank you," replied the latter, who knew that Dan never wouldhave offered to help him, if he had not hoped to gain something byit. "I can get along very well by myself. The load is not a heavyone."
"You're an amazin' lucky feller, Davy," continued Dan. "What you beena doin' to Silas, to make him speak so kind to us poor folks?"
"I haven't done anything to him. I don't know how to account for it,any more than you do."
"What's the matter, now? Forgot something?" asked Dan, as his brothersuddenly stopped and looked toward the landing, as if he had half amind to turn around and go back there.
Yes, David had forgotten something, and it was very important too, hethought. He knew that Dan was always on the lookout for a chance tomake a penny without work, and David was afraid that he might betempted to repeat the trick which he and his father had played uponDon and Bert with so much success.
It would be a very easy matter for Dan to make up some plausiblestory to tell the grocer, and perhaps on the strength of hisbrother's almost unlimited credit, he might be able to obtain a fewlittle articles of which he stood in need. David had never thought toput Silas on his guard.
"I'll hold them things fur you, if you want to run back thar," saidDan, reaching out his hand for the basket.
"No, I'll let it go until the next time I come down," answered David."A day or two will not make much difference."
"Whar did you get them ten dollars, any how?" asked Dan, as the twoonce more turned their faces homeward.
"That's the money you tried to cheat me out of," replied his brother."Don says the loss was his and not mine."
"Did he give you ten do
llars more?" exclaimed Dan.
"Not ten dollars more, for this is the first he has given me. You andfather got what I ought to have had."
"An' you never spent none on it, did you? I seen Silas shove it backto you."
"Yes, I've got it safe in my pocket. I'm going to keep it, too."
"Wal, I'll bet a hoss you don't," was Dan's mental reflection. "I'doughter have some on it, an' if you don't give it to me without myaxin' you, I'll have it all. I'm the man of the house now, an' it'sthe properest thing that I should have the handlin' of all the moneythat comes in."
Of course Dan was much too smart to say this aloud. He knew that anythreats from him would put his brother on his guard, and then hemight whistle for the ten dollars. He said no more, and the twowalked along in silence until they came to General Gordon's barn.Just as David was going into it, he met Lester Brigham riding out ofit. Lester scowled down at him, but David did not scowl back. He wasquite willing to forget that they had ever had any difficulty and tobe friendly with Lester, if the latter wanted him to be. It isprobable, however, that he would have had different feelings, if hehad known what it was that brought Lester over to Don's house.
David, as we have said, turned into the barn, and Dan, who had morethan his share of curiosity, would have given almost anything hepossessed to know what business he had there; but he could not go into see, for he dared not face Don and Bert after what he had done, sohe kept on toward home.
David deposited his basket and bundles on the steps that led to theloft, and making his way around the north wing of the house, knockedat the door, which was presently opened by Bert. David asked if Donwas in, and receiving an affirmative reply, was ushered into thelibrary, where his friend, wearied with his day's exercise, wastaking his ease on the sofa, which had been drawn up in front of acheerful wood fire. David declined to accept the chair which Bertplaced for him, and opened his business at once.
"Don," said he, "would you be willing to take that money you gave meand keep it until I call for it?"
"Of course I would," replied Don, readily. "You haven't paid thatgrocery bill, then? Well, I wouldn't either. You are not responsiblefor it."
"I offered to pay it, but Mr. Jones wouldn't take the money. He saysmy credit is good for six months."
"Why, what has come over him all of a sudden?" said Don, who did notknow that his father had had an interview with Silas that very day.
"I wish I knew. There's the money, and you won't let anybody have it,except mother or me, will you?"
"You may be sure that I will take good care of it this time. Don'tforget that bear hunt, tomorrow."
"No. I'll be on hand bright and early. Good-by."
David hurried out, and picking up the basket and bundles he had leftin the barn, started for home. When he got there, he was surprised tosee that Dan was at work. He had pulled off his coat, rolled up hissleeves and with a frow and mallet in his hands, was busy splittingout shingles. David said nothing to him, but went into the house toput away the tea, coffee and sugar and place the articles he hadbought for his mother in a conspicuous position, so that she would besure to see them, the moment she entered the door. While he was thusengaged, Dan came in smiling, and trying to look good-natured. Davidwas on his guard at once.
"I'll tell you what I've made up my mind to do by you, Davy," saidDan, "an' when you hear what it is, if you don't say I'm the bestbrother you ever had, I want to know what's the reason why. I ain'tgoin' agin you like I told you I was."
"I am very glad to hear it," said David.
"No, I ain't. I'm goin' to be pardners with you, an' I'm goin' togive you half the money we make outen them quail. I'll give you halfwhat I've got hid away, too."
"I have no claim upon that," replied David. "It belongs to DonGordon, and if you are honest you'll give him every cent of it."
"I can't do it," said Dan. "Kase why, I give pap three an' a half ofit, an' spent six bits myself."
"Then give him what you have, and tell him that you will hand him therest as soon as you can earn it."
"Not by no means, I won't," said Dan, quickly. "Ten dollars ain'tnothing to him."
"That makes no difference. It is his, and he ought to have it."
"Wal, I'll tell you what I'll do: I'll pay him outen them fiftydollars we're goin' to get fur them quail. An', Davy, if you'll giveme the money you've got in your pocket, I'll hide it with mine wharnobody can't find it, and then it'll be safe."
"It is safe now."
"But if I go halves with you, you had oughter go halves with me.Let's go out to them traps agin, and we kin talk it over while we'reworkin'."
"I am not going to do anything more with those traps."
"You hain't give it up, have you? You ain't goin' to let them fiftydollars slip through your fingers, be you?"
"What encouragement have I to do anything after what you said thismorning? I have made other arrangements. I am going to work over atthe General's."
David expected that his brother would be very angry when he heardthis, but if he was, he did not show it. He looked steadily at Davidfor a moment and then turned and walked around the corner of thecabin out of sight.