He first heard the creaking of wheels and the sound of voices, and they came from the General's field, which was not more than twenty feet distant, and which was concealed from his view by the thick bushes that lined the fence.

Dan recognised the voices, and his first impulse was to jump up and take to his heels.

His next was to stay where he was until the wagon passed by, and this he did; for he was in an excellent hiding-place and no one could have found him without taking pains to look for him.
The wagon came nearer, the voices grew louder, and presently Dan heard the shrill notes of a quail directly in front of him and just on the other side of the fence.

He paid no attention to the sound until the wagon was brought to a stand-still in front of the thicket, and somebody, after working his way into the bushes, called out in a cheery voice: "Here's the first instalment of your hundred and fifty dollars, David!" These words made Dan so excited that he almost betrayed his presence by letting his rifle fall out of his hands.

He cautiously raised himself to a standing position on the log, and looking through the tops of the bushes, listened intently to catch every word that was said..