The Boy Trapper

, and he would not look on the dark side of things if he could help it. But he couldn't help it now. Here was more trouble. If he had been disposed to give up in despair when he f

say that he should not earn an honest dollar to give his mother, if he could? None whatever, and he would succeed in spite of them. He would get that grocery bill off his hands the first thing, and wh

he barn and there he found the boy he wanted to see. The brothers had just returned from a short ride-Don was not yet strong enough to stand

, who was always the first to

avid, trying to look

o let this thing fall through for want of a little capital to go on," said Don, who was as much

ails and boards," replied David, "but I-y

laugh. "I kept one thing secret from him and got myself into trouble by it. If I had told him of it perhaps he would have made

y to Don, but Lester Brigham's sudden appearance and the threats he

ate to talk freely to us. But what's the matter with you

king now after a desperate effort. "In the first place, th

manded Don, surpri

r Dan is o

n, opening his eyes

uld make me trouble; but he found it out by listening while I was talking about it, and wante

e would do to prev

ll steal or break the traps and kill the quails. There are plenty

e other?"

er Br

gain, and then

ave to say about it?" he asked. "Has he

g quails and sending them off North, because it will make them scarce here. He says he is going to ge

seems to me that he is taki

h. Father told me the other day that in some states they have laws to protect game, and it is right that they should have, for there are so many hunters that if they were not restrained they would kill all the birds and animals in a single season. The most of the hunters live in the city,

e, so that he can shoot them

of his killing a quail yet. He must keep his fingers out of this pie. We can't put up with any interf

courage might desert him again. "Just after you left me this morning, S

thing to do with

at if he wants his money he had better hunt up your fathe

nless I have the money in my hand to pay for it. I haven't a cent of my own, and I thought if you could

what?" asked Do

paid to you in less than twenty-four hours

me?" gasp

to you, but t

d the boy, who began t

five dollars to buy a dress for your mother, and Bert gave him the money. The next forenoon your father met me at the landing and told me you wanted the other five to buy

his face with his hands and cried aloud. Don and Bert looked at him in surprise, and then turned and looked at each other. They who had never wanted for the necessities, and who had never but once, and that was during the war, lacked the luxuries of life, could not understand why his grief should be so overwhelming; but t

tand that your father and brother came to us an

hat they did,"

ver saw a c

nt, or moth

ace up and be a man, Dave. A ten-dolla

. You don't know what the loss of it means. It means corn

Gayoso House, in Memphis-and it is one of the best hotels in the country-when c

it, as we do, they would call for something else," replied Dav

says anything more to you about it, te

uails away? That man said

said Don, placing his hands on his

'll work through somehow. I'll go home now and think about it, and if I don't e

I like. Bert and I will see you again, perhaps this afternoon. In the meantime we'll talk the matter over,

e saddles on the ponies again. "Father is down in the field," said he, to his brother, "and it may be two or three hours before he will come to the house. I can't wait

nant he became; while Don, having had time to recover a little of his usual good nature, was more disposed to laugh over it. He declared that it was the sharpest piece of business he had ever heard of, and wondered greatly that Godfrey and Dan, whom he had always believed to be as stupid as so many blocks, should have suddenly exhibited so much shrewdness. Bert declared that it was a wicked swindle; and the ear

ddle again? You appear to enjoy the exercise, but Bert d

ought he had good cause to look down-hearted, and with this introduction he went on and told David's story just as the latter had told it to him and his brother. The General listened good-naturedly, as he always did t

ut it, and we want particularly to know your opinion

eneral. "My opinion is that Master Do

I must pay it over

at, because you have

father

of his mother and gave it to him. Godfrey came to you for the other five, a

his father and brother had auth

, or else satisfied yourselves that he wanted it paid to some one else. Among business men it is customary

money I was saving for Christmas; but David needs it more than I do, and besides it belongs to him. Wh

" said the General, with a laugh. "I am afraid he couldn't, so you w

y," replied Don. "But now about Dan and Lester. How a

em, and where I would be sure to catch quails, too. If I thought I couldn't, I would set them

Don, who caught

e tore off that old corn-crib will answer his purpose better than new ones, because they are old and weather-beaten, and look just like the wood in the forest. When I was a boy, I never h

. "We knew that if there was any way out of

think of going into the house and taking a rest. He had been a close prisoner there for a whole week, and now that he had taken a breath of fresh air and stirred his sluggish blood with a little exhilarating exercise, he could not bear to go back to his sofa again. He proposed that they should

nt into the house again after the guns. When he came out again he had a breech-loader on each shoulder and David's ten

right. It could not have got away without help, for it was firmly tied to a ring in the jetty by the chain, which served as a painter, and even if that had become loosened the canoe would have remained near its moorings, for there was no current in the lake to carry it fro

e lake as far as their eyes could reach, "and that's all there is

cover. While Bert was gone after the oars, Don drew the boat up to the jetty, and having stowed the guns away in the stow-sheets, he

ward they landed on the beach in front of Godfrey's cabin. They found David wandering listlessly about in the back yard with

wear a different looking face when you hear it. After you went home, we rode down to see father, and

ke to see you at our house this eveni

David. "Was that the good n

er fearful pinch on the arm and saw his brother looking

ou much at first, but perhaps you can make something out of it by-and-by. I

xcited manner in which Don greeted him, led him to hope that he had something very pleasant and encouraging to tell, and someho

ith you, Bert?" demanded Don, as soon as the two were out

reply, "and I didn't know any other way to sto

ner! Who

the cracks between the logs that the window on the other side was open. Close to one of those crac

ins this time, hadn't he? Or, rather, he had the tro

thought that was about