"If I would do what?" asked Don, in amazement.

"Why, David," said Bert, "the money was all paid to you in less than
twenty-four hours after the dog was placed in your keeping."

"Paid to me?" gasped David.

"Well, no, not to you, but to your order."

"To my order!" repeated the boy, who began to think he was dreaming.

"Yes, to your order," said Don. "We left the pointer in your hands at
noon, while you were at dinner. In less than an hour afterward, Dan
came over and said that you wanted 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 some medicine for your mother, who was ill with the ague, and I
gave it to him, and I just know I made a mess of it," added Don,
bringing his hands together with a loud slap.

It was plain from the looks of David's face that he had. The boy
listened with eyes wide open, his under jaw dropping down and his
face growing pale, as the duplicity of which his father and brother
had been guilty was gradually made plain to him, and when at last his
mind grasped the full import of Don's words, he covered 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