on purpose to mislead
his brother. "Yes, he's went up thar, an' 'tain't no ways likely that
he'll be to hum afore dark."

The visitors turned their horses about and rode away, and as soon as
they were out of sight of the cabin, they struck into the woods to
make one more effort to find David's traps, if he had set any. But,
as usual, they met with no success, and Lester again gave it as his
opinion, that David had no intention of trying to trap the quails.
Bob thought so too; but in less than half an hour, they received
positive proof that they were mistaken. They were riding around the
rear of one of the General's fields, on their way home, when they
happened to cast their eyes through the bushes that lined the fence,
and saw something that surprised them greatly, and caused them to
draw rein at once. There was a wagon in the field, and Don and Bert
Gordon were passing back and forth between it and a little thicket of
bushes and briers that stood a short distance away. They left the
wagon with empty hands, and when they came back, they brought their
arms full of something, which they stowed away in a box. While Lester
and Bob were looking at them, a small, dark object suddenly arose
from the box and came toward them, passing swiftly over their heads
and disappearing in the woods.

"That's a quail!" exclaimed Bob. "It escaped from Don's hands."

"Yes, sir, and we have made a discovery," said Lester. "Dave Evans
hasn't given up trapping the quails after all. He's catching them
every day, and Don and Bert are helping him."

"It's just like them," replied Bob, in great disgust. "They're always
poking their noses into other people's business. But I don't feel as
badly over it as I did a short time ago."

"I know what you are counting on. You are as sure of that mail
carrier's berth as you would be if you were to ride the route for the
first time to-day; but if you should happen to slip up on it, you'd
be glad to have the seventy-five dollars to fall back on."

"O, I am willing to work for it," replied Bob, quickly, "not only
because I want it myself, but because I don't want Dave Evans to have
it. What's to be done?"

"That trap must have been as full as it could hold," said Lester,
thoughtfully. "They have made five or six trips between the wagon and
that clump of bushes since we have been here. We know where one of
the traps is set now, and that will guide us in finding the rest.
When we do find them, we'll carr