The Boy Trapper

쵮

The Boy Trapper, by Harry Castlemon

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Boy Trapper, by Harry Castlemon This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: The Boy Trapper
Author: Harry Castlemon
Release Date: March 29, 2006 [EBook #18076]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOY TRAPPER ***

Produced by Alan Johns and Andrew Sly

[Illustration: Dave meets Lester Brigham.]
Boy Trapper Series
THE
BOY TRAPPER.
By HARRY CASTLEMON,
AUTHOR OF "THE FRANK NELSON SERIES," "THE SPORTSMAN'S CLUB SERIES," "GUNBOAT SERIES," &C.
PHILADELPHIA HENRY T. COATES & CO.

FAMOUS CASTLEMON BOOKS.
Gunboat Series. By Harry Castlemon. 6 vols. 12mo. Frank the Young Naturalist. Frank on a Gunboat. Frank in the Woods. Frank before Vicksburg. Frank on the Lower Mississippi. Frank on the Prairie.
Rocky Mountain Series. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. Frank among the Rancheros. Frank at Don Carlos' Ranch. Frank in the Mountains.
Sportsman's Club Series. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. The Sportsman's Club in the Saddle. The Sportsman's Club Afloat. The Sportsman's Club among the Trappers.
Frank Nelson Series. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. Snowed Up. Frank in the Forecastle. The Boy Traders.
Boy Trapper Series. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. The Buried Treasure. The Boy Trapper. The Mail-Carrier.
Roughing It Series. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. George in Camp. George at the Wheel. George at the Fort.
Rod and Gun Series. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. Don Gordon's Shooting Box. Rod and Gun Club. The Young Wild Fowlers.
Go-Ahead Series. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. Tom Newcombe. Go-Ahead. No Moss.
Forest and Stream Series. By Harry Castlemon. 3 vols. 12mo. Cloth. Joe Wayring. Snagged and Sunk. Steel Horse.
War Series. By Harry Castlemon. 5 vols. 12mo. Cloth. True to his Colors. Rodney the Partisan. Rodney the Overseer. Marcy the Blockade-Runner. Marcy the Refugee.
Other Volumes in Preparation.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1878, by PORTER & COATES, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

CONTENTS
I. A GLANCE AT THE PAST II. DAVID'S VISITORS III. AN OFFER OF PARTNERSHIP IV. MORE BAD NEWS V. DAN IS ASTONISHED VI. BRUIN'S ISLAND VII. WHAT HAPPENED THERE VIII. DOGS IN THE MANGER IX. NATURAL HISTORY X. A BEAR HUNT XI. TRAPPING QUAILS XII. WHERE THE POINTER WAS XIII. TEN DOLLARS REWARD XIV. SOME DISCOVERIES XV. BOB'S ASPIRATIONS XVI. DON'S HOUNDS TREE SOMETHING XVII. CONCLUSION
CHAPTER I.
A GLANCE AT THE PAST.
"Don't worry about it, mother. It is nothing we can help."
"It seems to me that I might have helped it. If I had gone to General Gordon when your father first spoke about that barrel with the eighty thousand dollars in it, and told him the whole story, things might have turned out differently. But in spite of all he said, I did not suppose that he was in earnest."
"Neither did I. That any man in his sober senses should think of such a thing! Why, mother, if there had been so much money buried in that potato-patch, the General would have known it, and don't you suppose he would have found it if he'd had to plough the field up ten feet deep? Of course he would."
"But just think of the disgrace that has been brought upon us."
"Father is the only one who has done anything to be ashamed of, and he made matters worse by running away. If he would come home and attend to his business, no one would say a word to him. The General told me so this morning."
"I am afraid you couldn't make your father believe it."
"Perhaps not, but if I knew where to find him I should try."
It was David Evans who spoke last. He and his mother were talking over the strange incidents that had happened in the settlement during the last few days, and which we have attempted to describe in the preceding volume of this series. The events were brought about by a very foolish notion which Godfrey Evans, David's father, suddenly got into his head.
During our late war it was the custom of the people living in the South to conceal their valuables when they heard of the approach of the Union army. They were also careful to take the same precautions to save their property when it became known that the rebel guerillas were near at hand; for these worthies were oftentimes but little better than organized bands of robbers, and the people stood as much in fear of them as they did of the Federals. These valuables, consisting for the most part of money, jewelry and silverware, were sometimes hidden in cellars, in hollow logs in the woods and in barns; but more frequently