and swung himself out of the saddle.

"I did," was the reply, "and he was as defiant as you please. He was
downright insolent."

"These white trash are as impudent as the niggers," said Bob, "and no
one who has the least respect for himself will have anything to do
with them. I used to think that Don Gordon was something of an
aristocrat, but now I know better."

"I wish I had given him a good cowhiding," continued Lester, who did
not think it worth while to state that he had been on the point of
attempting that very thing, but had thought better of it when he saw
how resolutely David stood his ground. "But never mind. We'll get
even with him. We'll touch his pocket, and that will hurt him worse
than a whipping. It will hurt the Gordons, too."

"Then he wouldn't promise to give up the idea of catching them
quails? I am sorry, for if we could only frighten him off the track,
we would write to that man up North telling him that the party with
whom he made his contract wasn't able to fill it, but we could catch
all the birds he wants in two weeks."

"That's a good idea--a splendid idea!" exclaimed Lester; "and perhaps
we'll do it any how, if the plan I have thought of doesn't prove
successful."

Lester then went on to repeat the conversation he had had with David,
as nearly as he could recall it, and wound up by saying:--

"I told him that we were going to start a Sportsman's Club among the
fellows, and that after we got fairly going, our first hard work
should be to break up this practice of trapping birds. Of course that
wasn't true--I just happened to think of it while I was talking to
him--but why can't we make it true? If all the boys will join in with
us, I'd like to see him do any trapping this winter."

"But who can we get to go in with us?"

"We'll ask Don and Bert the first thing."

"Nary time," exclaimed Bob, quickly. "If they are the sort you're
going to get to join your club, you may just count me out. I don't
like them."

"You like them just as well as I do; but we have an object to gain,
and we mustn't allow our personal feelings to stand in our way."

"Do you suppose Don would join such a club after getting Dave the
job?"

"Perhaps he would. He likes to be first in everything, doesn't he?"

"I should say so," replied Bob, in great disgust. "I never saw a
fellow try to shove himself ahead as that Don Gordon does."

"Well, we'll flatter him by offering to make him President of the
club; a