Frank, the Young Naturalist

Reve

k and his associates. The village boys, with a few exceptions, were accustomed to look up to Frank as a sort of leader; not that he aspired to the position, but his generosity, and the easy way he had of settling the disputes that sometimes arose among the boys, had won for him many a fast friend. We have seen, however, that he was not beloved by all; every good boy has his enemies, and Frank, of course, had his share of them. They wer

already grown tired of his company, and began to think seriously of having nothing more to do with him;

t defenders had disappeared,

paying business, trying to thra

opinion," s

I had kept out of this

the one who ha

this sudden change of affairs. "I never give up till I am whipped. If it hadn't been for my lame hand, I wou

o-night?" inquired one

ly; "and I don't want you to speak to me in that w

our company, and we have been talking, for two or three days, of sending in our resignations. Now, boys," he continued, "

t from a sco

d-by; and, if you ever wish to recruit anot

nearly all the Regulators; those who r

left, and we can annoy the fellows who think they are too good to associate with

's house, and, when they entered the long carr

y here, and I'll go

r, and he and his companions entered; and, after allowing them time to examine, to their satisfaction, the splendid equipage

e, "we don't intend

nswered

or we don't want to let those cowardly sneaks that deserted

they did not suit Charles. At l

e would y

ngers' would be a good nam

a splend

ashing the Hillers for awhile, because there are not enough of us; but I should like it, if we could go to

it wouldn't do to attempt it, for he has got too many friends. We must shoot his dog, or ste

only go up there, some dark night, and steal his scow, and r

eps his boats chained up, and the noise we would make in getting them loose would

be careful not to start that dog, for he would go through fir

gged his shoulde

or melon-patch that we cou

as nice a strawberry-patch as ever laid out-doo

s business. It's too late to do any thing to-night," he added, glancing at his watch, "but let us go there to-morrow night, and pull up every s

eet?" inquired on

member, don't lisp a single word to any one ab

to disperse, when one o

is in the wind, if they see us all sta

et in the woods, at the back of Mrs. Nelson's lot? Let us all be there at eigh

d Charles. "Now, remember, d

nd, in a few moments more, the

le, started toward the place of rendezvous, where he arrived at almost precisely the time agreed upon. He found

where that strawberry-bed lies? for, if we have to fumble about much, we shall start that dog,

at," said one of the boys

watch-dog, too,"

ill that you can't hear a leaf rustle; but, if we do rous

make a bad matter

than we bargained for, if we u

" said Charles, impatiently. "Bill," he continued, t

es

, lea

ss a narrow meadow, where they came to the

mice; but, if we do start the dog, don't s

ed his way through the trees and bushes with a skill worthy of a better

s, in a low whisper. "Don't lea

on which he had expended a great amount of labor-was almost ruined; and so quietly did they proceed in their work of wanton destructi

it up brown. It almost pays off my debts. I don't think they

one of the Rangers, "and when they get

at we have others to settle with; and we must meet, some

oods to catch a mess of trout, intending to be back by breakfast-time. But, as the morning was cloudy, the trout bit voraci

red the house, Aun

ltogether too good to Lee

ou think so?"

ng his voice, burst in from

s have robbed your

owed close after Julia, "but they have completely ruine

strawberry-patch. It did, indeed, present a strange and desolate appearance. The bed had covered nearly half an acre; and, so well had the Rangers

mischief, I could pay them for it, w

ime you see him," said Julia, who had

t do it,"

kes you

se fellows wore boots. I know who did it, as well as if I had seen them. It was the work of Charles Morgan

bject they had in d

ch-But," he added, checking himself, "there's no use in grumb

led the way to

ldering his hoe, he returned to the strawberry-bed, and, in