12. There are 26 bricks, and two brothers are competing to carry them. The younger brother gets ahead and starts arranging the bricks, and then the older brother arrives. Seeing that the younger brother has taken too many, the older brother takes half from the younger brother. The younger brother thinks he can manage, so he takes half from the older brother. The older brother does not allow this, so the younger brother gives 5 bricks back to the older brother. In the end, the older brother carries 2 more bricks than the younger brother. Initially, the younger brother was going to carry bricks.
【Analysis】List Method Restoration
\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|c|}
\hline & Brother & Younger Brother & Total \\
\hline Originally & 10 & 16 & 26 \\
\hline First Time & 18 & 8 & 26 \\
\hline Second Time & 9 & 17 & 26 \\
\hline Third Time & 14 & 12 & 26 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

Initially, the younger brother prepared to carry 16 pieces.