“That’s all humbug,” exclaimed David.  “The silver things that old Jordan buried, the spoons, knives and dishes, were all dug up again and are in use now every day.  General Gordon never had eighty thousand dollars in gold and silver.”

“Don’t you b’lieve no sich story as that ar,” replied Dan, with a knowing shake of his head.

“That’s what the Gordons say, anyhow.”

“In course they do; an’ they say it kase they don’t want nobody diggin’ arter that thar bar’l.  They wants to find it theirselves.  How much be you goin’ to get fur these quail, Davy?  As much as twenty-five dollars, mebbe thirty, won’t you?”

This question showed that Dan didn’t know all about the matter, and David took courage.  “Yes, all of that,” he replied.

“More, I reckon mebbe, won’t ye?”

“I think so.”

“You won’t get fifty, will you?” said Dan, opening his eyes.

“I hope I shall.”

“Whew!” whistled Dan.  He threw down his frow and mallet and seated himself on the pile of shingles, with an air which said very plainly, that with such an 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 can’t somehow git it through my head that we’re goin’ to git so much.  But if we do get it, Davy, we’ll have some high old times when it comes, me an’ you.”

“You and me!” exclaimed David.

“Sartin; I want some good clothes an’ so do you.  ’Twon’t be enough to get us a hoss apiece.  I do wish I had a circus hoss like Don Gordon’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 what breaks all in pieces an’ you carry ’em under your arm.  An’, Davy, mebbe we’ll have a leetle left to get something fur the ole woman.”

“For mother!  I rather think she’ll get something,” said David, in a tone of voice that made his brother look up in surprise.  “She’ll get it all, every cent of it.”

“Not by no means she won’t,” exclaimed Dan, striking his open palm with his clenched hand.  “No, sir, not by a long shot.  You kin give her your shar’, if you’re fule enough to do it, but mine I’ll keep fur myself.  I’ll bet you on that.”

“Your share?”

“In course.”

“I didn’t know that you had any share in this business.”

“Whoop!” yelled Dan.

He dashed his hat upon the ground, jumped up and knocked his heels together, coming down with his feet spread out and his clenched hands hanging by his side, as if he were waiting for an attack from his brother.

“No, sir,” said David, quietly but firmly, “this is my own business.  If you want money, go to work and earn it for yourself.  You’ve got six dollars and six bits hidden away somewhere that you never offered to share with me or mother either.”

“I know it, kase it is my own.  I worked hard fur it too.”