as bad as I do, how quick I'd jump at it! I wish pap was here. He'd
tell me how. He's as jolly as a mud-turtle on a dry log on a sunshiny
day, Dave is, while I---- Whoop!" yelled Dan, jumping up and striking
his heels together in his rage. "Howsomever, I'll have them ten
dollars afore I take a wink of sleep this blessed night----"

Here Dan stopped and looked steadily at the pointer for a few
minutes. Then he slapped his knee with his open hand, thrust both
arms up to the elbows in his pockets and walked up and down the yard,
smiling and shaking his head as if he were thinking about something
that afforded him the greatest satisfaction.




CHAPTER VIII.

DOGS IN THE MANGER.


David would not have been as happy as he was if he had known all that
was going on in the settlement. As it happened, his father and
brother were not the only ones he had to fear. These two had an eye
on the money he expected to earn by trapping the quails, and for
that reason they were not disposed to interfere with him until his
work was all done and he had reaped the reward of it; but there
were two others who had suddenly made up their minds that it was
unsportsmanlike to trap birds and that it should not be done if they
could prevent it. They were Lester Brigham and his particular friend
and crony--almost the only one he had in the settlement, in fact--Bob