e borrowed Don's
boat to go up and burn his shooting-box--and we are not afraid to
do it again," said Lester. "We didn't alarm them then."

Bob acknowledged the fact, but said he was afraid they might not be
so lucky the next time. And even if they succeeded in breaking into
the cabin without arousing the dogs, how were they to carry away a
hundred live quails? The only thing they could do would be to put
them in bags, and it was probable that half of them would die for
want of air before they could get them home. They would be obliged to
make two or three trips to the cabin in order to secure them all, and
each time they would run the risk of being discovered by the hounds.

While the two friends were talking these matters over, they were
walking slowly toward the place where they had left their horses.
Having mounted, they started for home again, and the very first
person they saw when they rode out of the woods into the road was
David Evans, who had just been up to the shop to restore the pointer
to his owner.

"There he is!" said Bob, in a low whisper. "He is dressed up in his
best, too."

"Best!" sneered Lester. "Why, I wouldn't be seen at work in the
fields in such clothes as those!"

"Nor in any other, I guess. They are the best he can afford," said
Bob, who had some soft spots in his heart, if he was a bad boy, "and
I don't believe in making fun of him."

"You believe in cheating him out of a nice little sum of money
though, if you can," retorted Lester.

"No, I don't. I am working to keep him from cheating _me_ out of it.
If he will keep his place among the niggers, where fellows of his
stamp belong, I'll be the last one to say or do anything against him;
but when he tries to shove himself up among white folks, and swindle
me out of a new shot-gun and get appointed mail carrier over my head,
it's something I won't stand. Say, Dave," he added, drawing rein, as
the subject of his remarks approached, "can you spare us just about
two minutes for a little private conversation?"

"I reckon," replied David. "Have you joined that sportsman's club,
and are you going to prosecute me for being a pot-hunter?"

"Lester has already told you what we are going to do about that, and
you may rest assured that we shall _do_ it," answered Bob, sharply.
"What we say, we always stand to. What we want to talk to you about
now is this: We know, as well as you do, that your father is hiding
out here in the cane, and that he