“What’s the matter, now?  Forgot something?” asked Dan, as his brother suddenly stopped and looked toward the landing, as if he had half a mind to turn around and go back there.

Yes, David had forgotten something, and it was very important too, he thought.  He knew that Dan was always on the lookout for a chance to make a penny without work, and David was afraid that he might be tempted to repeat the trick which he and his father had played upon Don and Bert with so much success.

It would be a very easy matter for Dan to make up some plausible story to tell the grocer, and perhaps on the strength of his brother’s almost unlimited credit, he might be able to obtain a few little articles of which he stood in need.  David had never thought to put Silas on his guard.

“I’ll hold them things fur you, if you want to run back thar,” said Dan, reaching out his hand for the basket.

“No, I’ll let it go until the next time I come down,” answered David.  “A day or two will not make much difference.”

“Whar did you get them ten dollars, any how?” asked Dan, as the two once more turned their faces homeward.

“That’s the money you tried to cheat me out of,” replied his brother.  “Don says the loss was his and not mine.”

“Did he give you ten dollars more?” exclaimed Dan.

“Not ten dollars more, for this is the first he has given me.  You and father got what I ought to have had.”

“An’ you never spent none on it, did you?  I seen Silas shove it back to you.”

“Yes, I’ve got it safe in my pocket.  I’m going to keep it, too.”

“Wal, I’ll bet a hoss you don’t,” was Dan’s mental reflection.  “I’d oughter have some on it, an’ if you don’t give it to me without my axin’ you, I’ll have it all.  I’m the man of the house now, an’ it’s the properest thing that I should have the handlin’ of all the money that comes in.”

Of course Dan was much too smart to say this aloud.  He knew that any threats from him would put his brother on his guard, and then he might whistle for the ten dollars.  He said no more, and the two walked along in silence until they came to General Gordon’s barn.  Just as David was going into it, he met Lester Brigham riding out of it.  Lester scowled down at him, but David did not scowl back.  He was quite willing to forget that they had ever had any difficulty and to be friendly with Lester, if the latter wanted him to be.  It is probable, however, that he would have had different feelings, if he had known what it was that brought Lester over to Don’s house.

David, as we have said, turned into the barn, and Dan, who had more than his share of curiosity, would have given almost anything he possessed to know what business he had there; but he could not go in to see, for he dared not face Don and Bert after what he had done, so he kept on toward home.