CHAPTER VIII.
DOGS IN THE MANGER.
David would not have been as happy as he was if he had known all that was going on in the settlement.

As it happened, his father and brother were not the only ones he had to fear.

These two had an eye on the money he expected to earn by trapping the quails, and for that reason they were not disposed to interfere with him until his work was all done and he had reaped the reward of it; but there were two others who had suddenly made up their minds that it was unsportsmanlike to trap birds and that it should not be done if they could prevent it.

They were Lester Brigham and his particular friend and crony--almost the only one he had in the settlement, in fact--Bob Owens.
Bob lived about two miles from General Gordon's, and might have made one of the select little company of fellows with whom Don and Bert delighted to associate, if he had been so inclined.

But he was much like Dan Evans in a good many respects, and had been guilty of so many mean actions that he had driven almost all his friends away from him.