Dave Brandon

“ Lovell?"
"I was saying," remarked the lumberman, with a smile, "that our friend"—he nodded toward Dave—"will no doubt find a great deal of interest to write about."
"Dave Brandon's wonderful work will come out in forty volumes," chuckled Tim, who had overheard. "Why, Uncle Stanley, you don't know how fine life in a lumber camp really is until you've read what he has to say about it."
At the edge of the bluff Bob gave a loud yell, the others chiming in. ”

“ Ben Henderson lost no time in taking advantage of Dave Brandon's kind offer; in fact, the very next morning he appeared at the Rickham House, happy and expectant.
Ben proved an apt pupil, and Dave enjoyed his new rôle as a professor.
One morning, just after breakfast, Dick Travers poked his head out-of-doors.
"May have to stick inside all day," he grumbled. "Clouds are dark and the wind is pretty brisk—it's going to rain."
"Well, it isn't raining now," called out Dave from the dining-room. "Let's ramble around for an hour or two, anyway."
"Right you are, Chubby," agreed Bob. ”

“ The three scouts departed at once, and did not return until Dave was placing the steaming viands on a long pine table which stood in the middle of the room.
“No news,” announced Larry, “although we nearly yelled our heads off.”
“Bad—very bad!” cried Thunderbolt.
“If I didn’t know Bob Somers so well I’d feel worried,” remarked Dave Brandon. “But he’s a strong, courageous and resourceful [247] chap. We can save his share of the meal.”
In spite of anxiety every one possessed a tremendous appetite. After their long ride it seemed almost impossible to get enough. ”

“ Still, I'd like to try it."
"What—painting or first base?"
"Why—weren't we talking about painting, Dick Travers?"
"I'll begin on 'camera' pretty soon, unless you quit, Dave Brandon."
"Oh, well, who do we play against, then?" sighed Dave.
"A lot of village chaps, and if we get beaten they'll have a jolly good laugh on us, too."
"I always did like ham and eggs, boys," observed Dave, reflectively. "Hope Sam Bins is cooking enough. ”

“ Then abruptly he added, “Fellows, I can’t stand this inaction a moment longer. Let’s beat it!”
“Yes, come ahead!” cried Dave.
Just for a moment they watched the column of dusky figures progressing farther out into the river; and thus being buffeted about from shore to shore the lads could not help but feel a certain sympathy for them.
With Dave Brandon in the lead they crashed [163] down the incline, slipping and sliding, scattering rocks and stones in their passage. Then once more at the base all started pell-mell toward the river. ”

“ To a man in meridian pride of body such a prospect hardly bore thinking about. But the blow had been borne with a fortitude at which even a man so unimaginative as the vicar could only marvel. Not again would the owner of Hart’s Ghyll prune his roses, or drive a golf ball, or cast a fly, or take a pot shot at a rabbit; not again would he take his children on his knee.
Brandon had always been the least militant of men. His instincts were liberal and humane, and in the happy position of being able to live as he chose he had gratified them to the full. ”

“ So when his old classmates in the army had heard of his straits, they all agreed that “something must be done for Dick Brandon.” Although a West Point man, he was not a scientific man; he was too handsome to know much. His old friends did the best they could for him by getting him a clerkship in Washington; and General Brandon, who had commanded a brigade of three thousand fighting men, during four years of unremitting warfare, found himself subject to a chief of division young enough to be his son and as ignorant as men are made. ”

“ Meanwhile David expressed himself pretty freely to the effect that there was but one course to pursue and that was to stay right where they were until morning. "And when daylight comes we'll head straight for the lake," said he.
"It's no odds who I be," said the stranger finally. "If I be not a real sivy-ear, I'm the likes of one, a peekin' and peekin'. Which is for why I can't be gossipin' about matters that 112 means a great deal to them that I would be befriendin'. Come mornin', we'll see."
"Humph! Hope we may see more than we do this minute," Dave answered. ”

“ Cool, ready, armed and defended on all points, sound in knowledge, unfailing in observation, equally consummate in sophistry when needed by himself, and instantaneous in detecting sophistry in another; scorning no art, however painful; begrudging no labour, however weighty; minute in detail, yet not the less comprehending the whole subject in a grasp,—such was the legal and public character William Brandon had established, and such was the fame he joined to the unsullied purity of his moral reputation. ”

“ Are there any more of my creditors in the town at your back, Mr. Brandon?”
“Not that I am aware of. I have seen none.”
“On your honour?”
Mr. Brandon opened his little eyes, and took a stare at Pell. “My word is the same as my honour, sir. Always has been and always will be.”
“I beg your pardon. A man, driven to my position, naturally fears an enemy at every corner. And—if my enemies were to find me out here, they might be too much for me.”
“Of course they would be,” assented Mr. Brandon, by way of comfort.
“Will you go for Squire Todhetley? ”

“ Warner,” he said, while Ned made a wry face. “I’ll have to be going.”
Old Silas Warner stood switching his cane around and growling out threats, as Dave reached the yard and crossed it to where a thin bony horse and an old rickety wagon stood. The vehicle held a dozen bags filled with potatoes, every one of which Dave had planted and dug as his hardened hands bore proof.
“You’ll quit wasting my time, Dave Dashaway,” carped the mean-faced old man, “or there’s going to be trouble.”
“I was just showing Ned about the loft,” explained Dave. ”

“ Molick yourself, and make up your own mind about him."
"I will, but I shall be on my guard on account of what you have said. It is well to know the character of the man one is dealing with. I'm afraid though," he added as a spasm of pain crossed his face, "that I sha'n't be able to do any active business for a while," and he glanced down at his injured foot.
"We'll soon be at the ranch," Dave remarked. "The rest of the trail is easy."
Dave was thinking of many things as his pony ambled on, followed by Mr. Bellmore's horse. ”

“ I know you love me, Nadia, just as I love you—you know I never doubted it. But you'll like them, really. They're a wonderful team. Brandon's a big brute, you know—fully five centimeters taller than I am, and he weighs close to a hundred kilograms—and no lard, either. He's wild, impetuous, always jumping at conclusions and working out theories that seem absolutely ridiculous, but they're usually sound, even though impractical. Westfall's the practical member—he makes Norm pipe down, pins him down to facts, and makes it possible to put his hunches and wild flashes of genius into workable form. ”

“ And he’s going to sleep in the store, isn’t he, Mother?”
“Oh, not in the store, Ted,” objected Nancy. “Do you think that would be just right, Manny?”
“Well, a big dog like that,” demurred Miss Manners, who, now being a real resident of the Brandon home, shared their table with them.
“But he’s had a swim and he’s as clean as—as anything,” floundered the boy, quite unable to summon an appropriate comparison for his great friend. “And Mother, he can watch the whole house for us. How do we know someone wouldn’t try to steal—the secret of the chimney place?” ”

“ A great big man with a voice like—like a fog-horn?"
"That was Dave. He had never been East in his life and I persuaded him to come and see the country. He had a wonderful time, Miss Burnett, and it was a lot of fun for me, you may be sure. He's a devoted admirer of yours, by the way. He said you were a 'peach!'"
Prue laughed. "He must have found lots of things to interest him," she said. "I'd like to have met him. He was lovely the night he pushed that man away from me in front of the opera house. For a moment I was quite as scared of him as I was of the other ”

“ Following all this each of the three applied herself to her task, (Nancy was reading,) until the clock struck ten, then it appeared time to follow Ted’s example and retire, which they did.
It had to happen, it always does. The dog barked wildly in the very blackest part of the night, and before they realized what had disturbed them, the Brandon household was awake and on its feet!
“What can—it—be?” breathed little Miss Manners, wrapping her neat robe closely around her.
“Why, it’s Nero,” answered Ted foolishly, although he was not trying to be funny. “He’s after someone. We’re safe.” ”

“ Brandon made up his mind. He let go the hen-coop, and summoning up all his strength he struck out for the shore. But this time the wind and sea were against him, bearing him past the point, and the waves dashed over him more quickly and furiously than before. He was swept past the point before he had made half a dozen strokes; he was borne on still struggling; and now on his left lay the rollers which he had seen. In spite of all his efforts he was farther away from the island than when he had left the hen-coop. Yet all hope and all life depended on the issue of this last effort. ”

“ Pray God he be not married already! My nephews and my children nobles! the house of Brandon restored, my power high in the upward gaze of men, my fame set on a more lasting basis than a skill in the quirks of law,—these are yet to come; these I will not die till I have enjoyed! Men die not till their destinies are fulfilled. The spirit that swells and soars within me says that the destiny of William Brandon is but half begun!"
With this conclusion, Brandon sought his pillow. What were the reflections of the prisoner whom he was to judge? Need we ask? ”

“ Mr. Warner had opened the sweater. His miserly old eyes fairly gloated over the pocket book and its contents. His thin cruel lips moved as if he was smacking them over a meal.
“You found this, you say?” he inquired.
“Yes, I did,” responded Dave brusquely, none too well pleased with the way things had turned out.
“Well, finders keepers!” chuckled the old man with a cunning laugh.
“Nobody is going to have that pocket book but the owner,” said Dave staunchly. ”

“ Say, tell me about it, for I know old Warner’s tale is all bosh.”
“The robbery end of it is, you can rely on that,” replied Dave, and he recited briefly his adventures and misadventures since they had last met.
“Say,” cried Ned, when Dave had concluded his story, “you just stick to your plan.”
“I intend to,” answered Dave sturdily.
“If ever you go back, or they get you back, life will just be unbearable to you. Old Warner has branded you as a thief, and he’s mean enough to keep the advantage. Tell me, how can I help you?” ”

“ You have just got to have your evenings free,” protested Nancy. “You need lots of fresh air out here—”
“I know, dear, but after all we are just ordinary mortals and we must live as such. That means—civilization, around here,” laughed Mrs. Brandon, who was already “digging in.”
“I’ll put these pans away first.” She paused. “Whatever is this? I do declare, children, here are your lost potatoes, packed away in among the empty pans. Now, who could have done that?”
“Ted did,” replied Nancy. “He was sorting the tins. But Mother,” she said, in a grieved tone, “I know I did waste a lot of time today.” ”

“ Dave had noticed that these, with some other papers, his guardian kept in a strong manilla envelope in his desk.
Dave had known nothing but neglect and hardship with Silas Warner in the past. He saw no prospects now of any betterment of his condition. After what had happened during the day the man would be more unbearable than ever.
“I’ve got to do it,” murmured Dave, after a long period of painful thought. “My life will be spoiled if I stay here. I’ll never learn anything, I’ll never amount to anything. There is only one way out.” ”

“ Since the fight, David’s face had worn a subdued but contented expression.
“Looks,” thought Barnabas, “kinder eased off, like a dog when he licks his chops arter the taste of blood has been drawed.”
“Set down, Dave. I want to talk to you. You done right to fight fer yer folks, and you’re a good fighter, which every boy orter be, but when I come up to you and Jud I see that in yer face that I didn’t know was in you. You’ve got an orful temper, Dave. It’s a good thing to hev––a mighty good thing, if you kin take keer of it, but if you let it go it’s what leads to murder. ”

“ Lon seemed put out, but he began in that hearty, genial manner that I had noticed before. It seemed a shade too hearty and genial, and it irritated me.
"Oh, Dave is a fine man," he said. "He's a man, every inch of him, and he stands six feet four in his socks. His word is as good as his bond. The man lies who ever says Dave told a lie, and that man will have to fight with me, too, as well—if there's anything left of him when Dave gets done with him. For Dave is a fighter. ”

“ Some of the snubbings flashed over Dave's mind as he sped after Bart Hankers, who was running to where he had left a small boat tied up at one of the village docks.
"I'll show him that he is not to play the sneak on us, even if he does snub me," muttered Dave, as he reached the dock, to find Bart just entering the rowboat.
In a minute he was at the stringpiece of the dock.
"Hi, Bart Hankers, I want to talk to you!" he called out.
"What do you want of me, Dave Fearless!" returned the rich youth, sullenly. ”