receive forty-two dollars more than he expected;
and there had been no freight charges deducted. David could not
understand that, and there was no one of whom he could ask an
explanation, for Don and Bert had gone over to Coldwater that
morning, and were not to be back for a week. He had a long talk with
his mother about it that night, and when he went to bed never closed
his eyes in slumber. Every succeeding day found him at the landing
waiting for his money, and so little did he know about business that
he could not imagine who was to give it to him.

At last the Emma Deane came down again. David stood around with the
rest and watched her while she was putting off her freight, and
having seen her back out into the stream, was about to start for
home, when Silas Jones came up and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Don't go away," said he. "I want to see you." David waited an hour
before Silas was ready to tell him what he wanted of him. By that
time the most of the hangers-on had dispersed; and when the last
customer finished his trading, Silas stepped behind his desk and
opened his safe.

"There it is," said he, slapping a package of greenbacks on the desk
and then holding it up to David's view. "How do you like the looks of
it?"

David's eyes opened to their widest extent. He had never seen so
large a package of money before. He looked hastily about the store to
see if Dan was anywhere in sight, and was greatly relieved to find
that he was not. There were three, or four men standing by, and they
appeared to be enjoying David's astonishment.

"Is--is it mine, Mr. Jones?" he managed to ask.

"Some of it is, and some of it is mine. There are a hundred and
ninety-two dollars and a half here, and twenty-eight of it belongs to
me. Freight bills, you know. The coops you put those birds in were as
heavy as lead. If you had put less timber in them your expenses would
not have been so heavy."

"Don thought it best to have them strong, so that they would not be
broken in handling," said David.

"That was all right. Now let me see," added Silas, consulting his
books; "fifty-five dozen live quails at three fifty per dozen--one
ninety-two, fifty; less twenty-eight, leaves one sixty-four, fifty.
Just step around here and sign this receipt."

David obeyed like one in a dream. He put his name to the receipt,
and, scarcely knowing what he was about, thrust the package of money
which Silas handed him into his pocket and walked o