part could induce him to return. James, fearing that he was about to
be punished in a way he had not thought of, turned and took to his
heels.

At this moment a loud shout was heard, and several boys sprang over
the fence into the road, and James was speedily overtaken and
surrounded. They were a ragged, hard-looking set of fellows, and Frank
knew that they were the Hillers; besides, he recognized the foremost
of them as Lee Powell. They had their fishing-rods on their shoulders,
and each boy carried in his hand a long string of trout.

"Look'e here, you spindle-shanked dandy," said Lee, striding up and
laying hold of James's collar with no friendly hand, "does yer know
who yer was a heavin' rocks at? Shall we punch him for yer?" he added,
turning to Frank.

"No," answered Frank; "let him go; he's my cousin."

Lee accordingly released him, and James said, in a scarcely audible
voice,

"I was only in fun."

"Oh, only playin', was yer?" said Lee; "that alters the case
'tirely--don't it, Pete?"

The boy appealed to nodded his assent, and Lee continued,

"We thought yer was in blood arnest. If yer _had_ been, we wouldn't a
left a grease-spot of yer--would we, Pete?"

"Mighty cl'ar of us," answered Pete.

As soon as James found himself at liberty, he started toward home at
full speed, hardly daring to look behind him. Brave had by this time
gained the shore, and was about to start in pursuit, but a few sharp
words from Frank restrained him.

"Whar are yer goin'?" inquired Lee, walking carelessly down the bank.

"I'm going to the village," answered Frank.

"Will yer give a feller a ride?"

"Certainly. Jump in."

The Hillers accordingly clambered into the boat, and, in a few
moments, they reached the wharf, at the back of the post-office.

Lee and his companions immediately sprang out, and walked off, without
saying a word; and Frank, after fastening his boat to the wharf, began
to pull down the sails, when he discovered that the Hillers had left
two large strings of trout behind them.

Hastily catching them up, he ran around the corner of the post-office,
and saw Lee and his followers, some distance up the road.

"Hallo!" he shouted, at the top of his lungs; "Lee Powell!"

But they paid no attention to him.

"I know they heard me," said Frank.

And he shouted again, but with no better success.

At length, one of the village boys, who was coming across the fields,
with a basket of strawberries on