“Father hid on Bruin’s Island while the Yankees were raiding through here,” thought David.  “When we drove him off, thinking he was a bear, of course he had to hunt a new hiding-place, and it is possible that he is now camping close about there on the main shore.  If I can find his camp, I’ll take a good look at it.  If I don’t see the pointer there, well and good; I shall be very glad of it.  But if he is there, I must get hold of him somehow.  Don has been swindled out of enough money by the black sheep of our family, and he shan’t lose any more by them if I can help it.”

As this thought passed through David’s mind, an expression of determination settled on his face, which did not fail to attract the notice of Dan, who just then happened to look into the cabin to see what his brother was doing.

“What you lookin’ that ar way fur?” demanded Dan.  “Ain’t puttin’ up a job on me, be you?”

David replied that he was not.

“You’ll take the pinter to Don an’ fetch me back the ten dollars, honor bright?” continued Dan.

“That is what I promised to do, isn’t it?” asked David in reply.  “But if I can help it you will never have the dog in your possession again,” he added, mentally.  “I didn’t promise that I wouldn’t head you off if I could.”

“An’ you won’t answer no questions?  Don said in that notice that he wouldn’t ax none.”

“Then of course I shall not answer any.  You needn’t be afraid.  I shan’t mention your name.”

“Kase if you’re thinkin’ of puttin’ up a job on me, Davy,” said Dan, shaking his finger at his brother, “you won’t never see that pinter ag’in so long as you live.  Keep still now.  Here comes the ole woman.”

Dan settled back on the bench again, and David took his hands out of his pockets long enough to throw a fresh log of wood on the fire—­not because it was needed, but for the reason that he wanted to hide his face from his mother for a minute or two until he could call to it a more cheerful expression than the one it was then wearing.  He had never said a word to his mother about his suspicions regarding his father and Dan, for he wanted to talk to her about nothing but pleasant and agreeable things.  She had enough to trouble her already.

David had everybody in the cabin up at an earlier hour than usual the next morning, and after eating a very hasty breakfast, he took his gun under his arm, bade his mother good-by and disappeared down the road that led to General Gordon’s.  Dan sat on the bench and watched him as long as he remained in sight.

“It’s a heap easier to have a feller to ’arn your money fur you nor it is to ‘arn it yourself,” thought Dan.  “Here’s Dave a toilin’ an’ a slavin’ fur them hundred an’ fifty dollars, an’ when he gets ’em, they’ll go plump into pap’s pocket an’ mine, an’ he’ll never see no good of ’em at all.  I’ll have ten dollars in my pocket this very night.  It’s ‘most too frosty to go slashin’ round through the bushes now, so I’ll wait till the sun gets a little higher, then I’ll go arter that pinter.”