out with:

"Have me arrested! Me? What for?"

"For assault and battery," answered Tom. "We saw you assault this young
man with a horse-whip, and, while it might take some time to have him
sue you for his wages, it won't take us any time at all to get an
officer here and have you taken to jail on a criminal charge. The matter
of the wages may be a civil matter--the horse-whipping is criminal.

"So, take your choice, Mr. Snad, if that's your name. Pay this young man
his twelve dollars, or we'll cause your arrest on this assault charge.
Now, my friend, it's up to you," and taking out his pocket knife Tom
began whittling a stick picked from the ground. Andy and his chums
looked admiringly at Tom, who had thus found such an effective lever of
persuasion.

The angry farmer glanced from one to the other of the five lads. They
gave him back look for look--unflinchingly.

"And don't be too long about it, either," added Tom, making the
splinters fly. "We're due at Kelly's for a little feed, and then we want
to get back to Milton. Don't be too long, my friend, unless you want to
spend the night in jail."

The farmer gulped once or twice. The Adam's apple in his throat went up
and down. Clearly he was struggling with himself.

"I--I--you----" he began.

"Tut! Tut!" chided Tom. "You'd better go get the money. We can't wait
all day."

"I--er--I----" The farmer seemed at a loss for words. Then, turning on
his heel, he started toward the house. He was beaten.

"I--I'll get it," he flung back over his shoulder. "And then I'll swear
out warrants for your arrest. You're trespassers, that's what you are.
I'll fix you!"

"Trespassers? Oh, no," returned Andy, sweetly. "We're only good
Samaritans. Perhaps you may have read of them in a certain book. Also we
are acting as the attorneys for this gentleman, in collecting a debt due
him. We are his counsel, and the law allows a man to have his counsel
present at a hearing. I hardly think an action in trespass would lie
against us, Mr. Snad; so don't put yourself out about it."

"That's the stuff!"

"Good for you, Andy!"

"Say, you got his number all right!"

Thus Andy's chums called to him laughingly as the farmer went into the
house.

CHAPTER III

AN UNPLEASANT PROSPECT

"Say, I can't tell how much obliged to you I am," impulsively exclaimed
the young fellow with his arm in a sling. "That--that----"

"He's a brute, that's what he is!" broke out Andy. "Don't be