Dan made all haste to do his trading, and taking his stockings and
shoes under his arm, set out for home, avoiding the road, as he
always did when Don and Bert were about, and skulking around through
the woods and fields. When he reached the cabin, he seated himself
upon the bench beside the door, and there he remained building
air-castles until four o'clock in the afternoon. Then he began to
bestir himself, and David, who came home that night before his mother
did, was surprised to find a roaring fire on the hearth, a pile of
wood large enough to last all the evening beside it, and in a pan
upon the table a half a dozen squirrels, dressed and ready for the
frying-pan.

"What in the world is up now?" thought David. "Dan's got an axe to
grind, for he never does such things, unless he intends to make
something by it."

"Halloo, Davy!" exclaimed Dan, cheerfully. "I thought mebbe you'd be
cold when you come hum, so I built up a fire to warm you. Jest look
at them thar squirrels, will you? Every one on 'em was shot through
the head. Can you beat that?"

"No," answered David. "It can't be beaten."

"If we had a few quail now, we'd have a bully supper, wouldn't we?"
continued Dan. "You don't seem to shoot no more quail lately, do you,
Davy?"

"O, I can't hunt them without a dog to tell me where they are."

"Hain't you never heard nothin' from that pinter pup at all?"

"Not a word."

"I'm sorry. I wish I knowed whar he was, so't I could fetch him hack.
I'm scandalous mad at myself fur takin' that money from you an' Don,
an' if I had ten dollars I'd give 'em back to-night; but I hain't got
'em, an' so I'm goin' to try an' find his dog fur him."

"He'll be very glad to get him," said David, who knew very well that
his brother had some other reason for taking this sudden interest in
the pointer.

"I want to act decent now, like a gentleman had oughter act," Dan
went on; "an' if I do what I can fur Don, do you reckon he'll call it
squar'?"

"I don't know. You must talk to him about that."

"But I ain't agoin' to face him 'till I know how he feels towards me,
I bet you. I don't know whar the dog is, more'n the man in the moon;
but I'm kinder scentin' round, when I hain't got no work to do, an'
if I should happen to find him, would you take him to Don fur me?"

"Of course I would, and be very glad to do it."

"Then I'll do what I kin, an' if I do say it myself, I kin find him
if anybody kin. I kin afford to spend