Part 6 (1/2)

”Why, I understood you to say that father and Dan had drawn this money,” said he, as soon as he could speak

”So they did, but my father says the loss isbreath He understood the matter now ”It isn't fair that you should pay it twice,” said he

”I haven't paid it twice; that is, I haven't paid you at all It's all right, David, you ain If I should ever have any et it 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 oing to ask you to keep my hundred and fifty dollars for et it or not”

”Of course you'll get it,” exclai the quails, are you?”

”No, but I don't know that I shallat it, for Dan and Lester can break up my traps faster than I can le one of your traps, because----”

Here Don began and hurriedly repeated the conversation which he and Bert had had with their father a few hours before As David listened the look of trouble his face had worn all that day gradually faded away, and the old happy smile took its place His confidence in his friends had not been haure fours” hich they were to be set, could be built there in the shop, Don said There were tools and a bench and everything else needful close at hand, so that the work could be done in half the time that David had expected to devote to it As fast as the traps were completed they were to be set in General Gordon's fields They would be safe there and Dan Evans or Lester Brighaet hiroes were always at work in the fields in the daytime, and if they were told to keep their eyes open and report any outsiders whoabout the fences, they would be sure to do it The best course David could pursue would be to say nothingthe quails Let Dan believe that he had becoiven up the enterprise If he wanted to knohat it was that took his brother over to General Gordon's house so regularly, David could tell hi some work there, which would be the truth; and besides it would be all Dan had any right to know

As fast as the birds were caught, they could be locked up in one of the ero cabins; and any one who found out that they were there and tried to steal theht by Don's hounds It was a splendid plan, taken altogether, and David's eyes fairly glistened while it was unfolded to hiain for their kindness and the interest they took in his success, andthem if Don had not interrupted hiin work on those traps ant you to help us one day We've had a good deal of exciteood luck since we last saw you We have recovered my canoe, which somebody stole fro on Bruin's Island”

”He rowls I never heard before,”

said Bert

”Didn't you see him?” asked David

”No We landed to explore the island, and while ere going through the cane he growled at us, and we took the hint and left We didn't have a single load of heavy shot with us We're going up there to-o fixed for his with us; I'll take un; and we'd like to have you take your single-barrel If he gets a bullet and three loads of buckshot in his head, he'll not growl at us any et a chance to shoot him, we'll build a trap and catch hio?”

Of course David would go He would have gone anywhere that Don told hio He pro, and then showed a desire to leave the shop; so Don unlocked the door, and David hurried out and turned his face toward the landing He had rocery bill should not trouble hier

”If there ever was a lucky boy in the world I aht David, whose spirits were elevated in the same ratio in which they had before been depressed ”I'll earn my hundred and fifty dollars now, and s in spite of Dan and Lester It isn't every felloho has such friends as Don and Bert Gordon But I shall have a hard time of it, anyhow Dan will be so mad when he finds out that he can't ruindesperate”

David, however, did not waste ht cos He was so wholly engrossed with his plans that it see 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 in front of Silas Jones's store As David approached, the General hirocer, as as polite and attentive to his rich customers as he was indifferent to the poor ones

”Ah, David!” exclai his hand; ”how are ti up any?”

”Y-yes, sir,” stammered the boy, who could scarcely speak at all He was not abashed by the rich man's presence, for he had learned to expect a friendly nod or a cordial grasp of the hand every ti which Silas Jones extended to him No sooner had the General released David's hand than it was seized by the grocer, who appeared to be as glad to see hih he knew that the boy had cooods worth hundreds of dollars