sneaks that deserted us to-night know
any thing about us. What shall we be called?"

Several names were proposed, but they did not suit Charles. At length,
one of the boys inquired,

"What name would you like?"

"I think that 'Midnight Rangers' would be a good name for us,"
answered Charles.

"That's a splendid name!"

"Now," continued Charles, "we must change our plan of operations a
little. We must give up the idea of thrashing the Hillers for awhile,
because there are not enough of us; but I should like it, if we could
go to work and whip every one of those fellows that stuck up for Lee
Powell to-night, especially Frank Nelson."

"So would I," answered William Gage, whom Charles looked upon as his
'right-hand man;' "but it wouldn't do to attempt it, for he has got
too many friends. We must shoot his dog, or steal his boat, or do
something of that kind. It would plague him more than a dozen
whippings."

"That's so!" exclaimed another of the Rangers. "If we could only go up
there, some dark night, and steal his scow, and run her out into the
river, and burn her, wouldn't he be mad?"

"Yes," chimed in another, "but it wouldn't pay even to attempt that.
He always keeps his boats chained up, and the noise we would make in
getting them loose would be sure to start that dog of his, and then we
should have a dusty time, I reckon."

"I guess so, too," said William Gage. "Whatever we do, we must be
careful not to start that dog, for he would go through fire and water
to catch us; and, if he ever got hold of one of us--"

And William shrugged his shoulders, significantly.

"Hasn't he got an orchard or melon-patch that we could visit?"
inquired Charles.

"No," answered one of the Rangers; "but he's got as nice a
strawberry-patch as ever laid out-doors. But it's a little too early
for strawberries."

"Who cares for that?" said Charles. "We don't go to get the fruit; we
only want to pay him for defending the Hiller--meddling with other
people'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 strawberry-plant we can lay our hands on. You know, we can do
as much mischief of that kind as we please, and it will all be laid to
the Hillers."

"Where shall we meet?" inquired one of the Rangers.

"Come here at precisely seven o'clock; and, remember, don't lisp a
single word to any one about it, for, if you do, we shall be found