Frank, the Young Naturalist

egula

an among the Hillers was known as Bill Powell. He was a giant in strength and stature, and used to boast that he could visit "any hen-roost in the village every night in the week, and carry off a dozen chickens each time, without being nabbed." He was very fond of liquor, too indolent to work, and spent most of his time, when out of jail, on the river, fishing, or roaming through the woods with his gun.

r time was spent on the river or in the woods, and, when weary of this sport, the orchards and melon-patches around the village, although closely guarded, w

companions, was enjoying a sail on the river. During their conversation, one of the boys chanced to say something about the Hillers, a

ke to catch one of those boys robbing our orchard or hen-roo

an easy matter to catch them. But they all go together, and half of them keep watch, and

the village would take the matter

ean?" inquired

rs, go to work and thrash him like blazes? I guess, after you had hal

uld, too," said

s, "and see how it works. I'll bet my eyes that, after we've whipped half

said one of the boys. "I'll

ome time talking it over and telling what they intended to do when t

gh there are plenty of fellows in the village who would be glad to join the company, t

ey?" demand

r, and Bill Johnson, and a dozen others, who could knock

said Charles, with a confident air. "They would h

saw us going to whip the Hi

them undertake to hinder us. Ca

-house, and one night we were out there, snowballing, and I saw Frank Nelson handle two of the largest boys in his class. There were about a dozen boys in the fort-and they were the ones that always go with Frank-and all the rest of the school were against them. The fort stood on a little hill, and we were almost half an hour capturing it,

, who could not bear to hear any one but himself praised. "I

nough," said one of the boys, who

set are not such gre

guess, if we get this company we have spoken of started, and they u

op me when I have once made up my mind to do a thing. I

after setting his companions ashore, and directing them to speak to every one whom they thought would be willing to join

arles, who had been chosen captain, had carried out his plans so quietly, that he was confident that no one outside of the company knew of its ex

at home, working in his garden or shop

post-office. He stopped on the way for George and Harry Butler, who were always ready to accompany him. On the steps of the po

ned the new s

soci

he Regu

what you mea

about it. They asked me to join in with them, but I told them that they ought to know better than to propose such a thing

bout?" inquired Harry. "You rattle

join. Well, the amount of it is that Charley Morgan and a lot of his particular friends have been organizing a company fo

ut thirty of them, and they say that they are

s news to me

t the Hillers ought to be punished; but I do not think it

said Jame

w, "and I believe I will join the Regulators, and help whip the rascals out o

it ought not to. You have been taught that it is wrong to take things that do not belong to you, but wi

orrecting them will not break up their bad habit

eeringly; "as if kindness coul

e kindly treated as well as

that the Hillers are going to stand still and be whipped. I say, as an old sea-captain once said,

"I shall do all I ca

I," sai

the elbows in his pockets, was striding backward and forwar

e the surest way to bring on a fight; because, after I refused to join the company, they told me th

rank, with a laugh. "We must have a talk with the

w," said George, po

that led to Mr. Morgan's house. They came around in fine order, marching four abreast, and turned up th

ce, don't the

e enlisted in a good cause, I would off

ed from the river, with a large string of fish in his hand. He always had good luck, but he seemed to have been more fortunate than usual, for his load was about as heavy as he could conveniently carry. He walked rapidly along, evidently very

ck about the object of their wrath, until, finally, one struck

he rescue, followed by all of his companions, (except Harry, who still paced the

Charles, followed by half a dozen of his "right-hand men," advance

but firmly, resisted Charles's attempts to

ontinued his efforts to reach Lee. "You question me as if you were m

tend to hurt

e of your business, any

er done yo

say!" shouted Charles, now al

inued, as Frank seized his arm, which he had raised

tempted to seize the Hiller. But Frank was as quick as a cat in his motions; and, before Charles had time to strike

could regain his

Hiller, but let's go to work and give the other fel

nihilate Lee's gallant defenders. But, just as Charles was about to attack Frank, a new actor appeared. Harry Butler, who had greatly changed his mind in regard to "t

harles rose to his feet, he saw three or four of the Regulators, who had followed

let's stop this. We'

to be of a different opinion, and were about to recomm

better not try to come any more of your Regulator tricks on

, you would not have been obliged to def

arry. "If you expected us to stand still and see thi

ormer by the arm, "I guess we can go

anions to depart, unmolested. They accompanied Lee almost to the miserable hovel h

comes handy, you will find that Lee Powell

over a fence,