."

So saying, Silas wheeled his horse and rode away, leaving David lost
in wonder.

CHAPTER III.

AN OFFER OF PARTNERSHIP.

This was the first time David had ever heard that a son could be held
responsible for debts contracted by his father. At first he did not
believe it; but Silas seemed to think it could be done, and he was a
business man and ought to know what he was talking about. The truth
of the matter was, that Silas Jones was a hard one to deal with. He
wanted every cent that was due him and more too, if he could get it.
It made no difference how poor his customers were, he always found
means to make them pay the bills they contracted at his store. The
eight dollars that Godfrey owed him looked almost as large in his
eyes as it did in David's. He could not bear to lose it, and he did
not care what tricks he resorted to to get it. When he rode away he
took all David's peace of mind with him, "Wasn't it lucky that I
didn't go down to his store and ask him to trust me for a dress for
mother?" thought the boy; as he picked up his hammer and resumed work
upon his trap. "He would have refused me sure. Now there is only one
way I can pay that debt, and that is to ask Don Gordon for the ten
dollars he promised to give me for breaking his pointer. That's
something I don't like, for the money isn't fairly earned yet, but I
don't see what else I can do. Mother must have something to eat, and
the only way I can get it is by making a friend of Silas by paying
him this debt father owes him. I don't care for myself, and as for
Dan--let him look out for number one. That's what he makes me do."

While David was soliloquising in this way he heard a footstep near
him, and looking up saw his brother Dan, whose appearance and actions
surprised him not a little. His face wore a smile instead of the
usual scowl, he had no coat on, his sleeves were rolled up, and he
carried a frow in one hand (a frow is a sharp instrument used for
splitting out shingles), and a heavy mallet in the other. He really
looked as if he had made up his mind to go to work, and David could
not imagine what had happened to put such an idea into his head. He
stopped on the way to speak to the pointer and give him a friendly
pat, and that was another thing that surprised his brother. Dan would
have acted more like himself if he had given the animal a kick.

"He's up to something," thought David. "He wouldn't act that way if
he wasn't. I shouldn't