"I allowed that I knew where you was gone, and that I'd come up with you directly," said the latter, as soon as he arrived within speaking distance. "Say, Joe, have you thought over that little plan of mine?"
Joe replied that he had not.
"Then, why don't you think it over?" continued Dan. "Of course, I don't expect you to go pardners with me for nothing. I've got my consent to do all I can to help you. I'll even agree to cut the wood, cook the grub, keep the shanty in order, and do all the rest of the mean work, while you are taking your ease or looking after the birds. All you've got to do is to say the word, and me and you will have the finest kind of times this winter."
But Joe didn't say the word. In fact, he did not say anything, and, of course, his silence made Dan angry again. The latter was bound to handle at least a portion of his brother's wages, and he did not care what course he took to accomplish his object.
"You ain't forgot what I told you awhile back, I reckon, have you?" said Dan, with suppressed fury.
"No, I haven't forgotten it. I can recall everything you said to me."
"Then, why don't you pay some heed to it? Do you want to see your business busted up? Look a here, Joe Morgan: You say you are going to give all that there money to mam. If you do, I'll have some of it in spite of you. I'll tell mam that I want my share, and she'll hand it over without no words, 'cause she knows well enough that I'll turn the house out doors if she don't do as I say. She's heard me calling for somebody to hold me on the ground, and she don't like to see me that way, 'cause she knows I'm mad."
"I know that you have worried a good deal of money out of mother, first and last," said Joe, angrily, "but you needn't think you can frighten her into giving you any of mine, because she won't have any."
"You stingy, good-for-nothing scamp! you're going back on your mam, are you?" shouted Dan, who could scarcely believe that he was not dreaming. "I never thought that of you. You're going to have the softest kind of a job all winter, and make stacks and piles of money, and never give a cent of it to mam, be you?"
"Mother will have everything she wants, but still she will not touch a cent of my earnings," answered Joe, calmly.