"I know I never did; but didn't I tell you almost the very first word I said, that I'm going to try it this winter?"
"Oh!" said Joe, who now thought he began to understand the matter. "Are you going to be Mr. Hallet's game-warden?"
"Perzackly. You've hit centre the first time trying."
"Then I wonder why Mr. Warren did not say something to me about it."
And there was still another thing that caused Joe to wonder, although he made no reference to it. How did it come that Mr. Hallet, who knew how persistently Dan broke the law in regard to snaring birds and hares, and shooting out of season—how did it come that he had selected this poacher to act as his game-warden? He might as well have hired a wolf to watch his sheep.
"Now wait till I tell you," said Dan hastily. "The thing ain't quite settled yet, 'cause I ain't had no time to run down and see old man Hallet; but—"
"Aha!" exclaimed Joe.
"There ain't no 'aha' about it," cried Dan, who was angry in an instant. "Wait till I tell you. I ain't been down to see old man Hallet yet, but I'm going directly, and I'm going to say to him that if he wants somebody to keep an eye on them birds of his'n, I'm the man he's looking for. He'll be glad to take me, of course, 'cause if there's any one in the whole country who knows all about a game-warden's business, its me. But if he can't take me—if he has picked out another man before I get a chance to speak to him—me and you will go halvers on them hundred and twenty, won't we?"
"No, we won't," replied Joe, promptly.