The Boy Trapper

ould be done, and he was a business man and ought to know what he was talking about. The truth of the matter was, that Silas Jones was a hard one to deal with. He wanted every cent

rust me for a dress for mother?" thought the boy; as he picked up his hammer and resumed work upon his trap. "He would have refused me sure. Now there is only one way I can pay that debt, and that is to ask Don Gordon for the ten dollars he promised to give me for breaking his pointer. That's something I don't lik

were rolled up, and he carried a frow in one hand (a frow is a sharp instrument used for splitting out shingles), and a heavy mallet in the other. He really looked as if he had made up his mind to go to work, and David could not imagine what had

ldn't wonder if he wants part of that money I am going to get from Don Gordon, but he

e you wouldn't care if I should come out and lend you

is brother had in view in offering his assistance, and he

ld, hain't you?" continued Dan.

ome of them to-night

heap of birds, a

thing about it?" demanded Davi

an' Don talki

re you at

d not care to confess that he had inten

his father and Dan. If they found out that he expected to earn so much money, they would insist on a division of the spoils, and if their demand was not complied with, there would be trouble in the cabin. H

ked Dan, as he placed one of the oak blocks upon its end and began sp

th as much good nature as he could assume. "You see they had an awful

e want to let 'em go fur

He and his friends will have a law passed keeping folks from shooting them for t

way them rich

what D

what breaks in two in the middle to do your shootin' with, an' shiny boots an' a straw hat to wear to church! I wish me an'

ed, the spoons, knives and dishes, were all dug up again and are in use now e

ry as that ar," replied Dan, w

the Gordons

hat thar bar'l. They wants to find it theirselves. How much be you goin' to get

ow all about the matter, and David took

ckon mebbe,

hink

, will you?" said Da

pe I

amount of money in prospect there was no need that any more work should be done. "That's a fortin, Davy. It's an amazin' lot fur poor folks like us, an' I

e!" exclai

's, but we kin get some better shootin' irons, me an' you kin, an' mebbe we can git a boat to hunt ducks in, an' some of them fish-poles

d David, in a tone of voice that made his brother look

enched hand. "No, sir, not by a long shot. You kin give her your shar', if you

r sh

cour

t you had any shar

!" yel

ether, coming down with his feet spread out and his clenched hands han

money, go to work and earn it for yourself. You've got six dollars and six bits

is my own. I worke

more ready money than that, and that the most of it rightfully belonged to himself, "and I have

for a fight, leaping high into the air, knocking his heels together, coming down with his feet sp

ou want me to

if you do you won't keep me from do

ng that I should have the handlin' of all the money that comes into the family. If you don't go 'have yourself it's likely you won't tech a cent of them fifty do

will have any share in it? Th

aps an' take out the quail when they're k

self, and it isn't work eit

a grin, which showed that he felt sure of his posit

; and I could have split them out in less than half the time you too

picked up the frow and mallet, "

don't want you to g

cheat me outen my shar' of the

money. It will all belong to me

these yere fields so long as you hold to

ed David, in alarm. "Wh

'I wus wrong, Dannie, an' now I'm goin' to act decent, like a brother had oughter do,' I'll give you my hand an' do what I can to help you. You've got a big

s eyes over his brother's stalwart fig

pull together; but you can't make 'em by you

Dan into partnership, divide the money with him when it was earned, and permit himself to be browbeaten and driven about as if he were little better than a dog; or he must make an enemy of him by asserting his rights. Which of the two was the more disagreeable and likely to lead to the most unpleasant consequences, he could not determine. If Dan were accepted as a partner, he would insist on handling all the money, and in that case Mrs. Evans would probably see not a single cent of it; for Dan did not care who suffered so long as his own wishes were gratified. If he stuc

l Don that I can't fill the order; and while I am about it, I might as well ask him for that money. Pe

ps toward General Gordon's house. While he was hurrying along, thinking about his troubles and the coming interview with Don Gordon, and wondering how he could word his request so that his friend would not feel hard

he rider. "Are you blind, that you run

hat country. He had been there only about a year, but during that time he had made himself heartily detested by almost all the boys about Rochdale. Of course he had his cronies-every fellow has; but all the best youngsters, like Don and Bert Gordo

who had seen it. He had four guns-all breech-loaders; a beautiful little fowling-piece for such small game as quails and snipes; a larger one for ducks and geese; a light squirrel rifle, something like the one Clarence Gordon owned; and a heavier weapon,

fallen to his rifle there. He could catch trout and black bass where other fellows would not think of looking for them, and as for quails, it was no trouble at all for him to make a double shot and bag both the birds every time. There were boys in the neighborhood who doubted th

ans, isn't it?"

plied th

to trap fifty dozen quail in thi

answer

purpose to tell you that such wo

l not al

one, and my fat

ho did not like the insolent tone assumed by th

f you have a right to trap them and ship them o

What harm

on't promise that you will let the quail alone, you will see trouble. I am going to get up a Sportsman's Club among the fellows, and then we'll keep such poachers and pot-hunters as you where you b

't," answe

now," exclaimed Lester, angrily. "We won't stand any such work. Don Gordo

hing hard about Don while I am around. He's a friend of mine, and I won't hear anybody abuse him. He's the b

en slipping his right hand through the loop on the handle of his riding-whip, pulled his feet out of

id, "and that's just the

himself firmly in the saddle. He felt safer there. "I'll be even with you for that," said he. "You shan't catch any

shaking his riding-whip at David, and