e creek. But, do you know, that they sometimes come out of
the water, and glide about the meadows."

"No," said Samuel; "do they?"

"Yes," replied Thomas. "At night you may sometimes see a great many
among the grass. One evening last summer John and I met a whole company
of them, going from the little creek, near Daddy Hall's house, toward
the mill pond. We thought, at first, that they were snakes, and so moved
out of their road; but by and by, we perceived that they were eels. The
weather had been hot and dry for two weeks before, and these eels were
travelling to find more water. So father told us afterwards."

The boys now walked on, down the creek, until they came to a small
bridge. On this a boy, about as large as Samuel, was standing, throwing
stones into the water. When Thomas, and the other two, got near enough,
they saw he was stoning frogs. Every time one of these little animals
put its head above the water, the boy pelted it with a stone; and two or
three had been mashed to death, as they sat on the broad stones, near
the water's edge.

[Illustration: STONING FROGS.]

Now, all good boys and girls, who read this book, will say that this was
a cruel boy--and so he was. As soon as John saw what he was about, he
called to him to stop. The boy said he would not, and stoned harder than
before. Then John began to grow angry. You remember, children, I told
you, that though John was a noble hearted fellow, yet he was quick of
temper; and when he saw boys doing wrong, he was apt to get angry very
soon, if they did not stop when they were told. So, seeing that the boy
still threw stones, he called to him again, louder than before.

"What shall I stop for?" said the boy.

"Because," said John, as he stepped on the bridge, "you have no business
to stone frogs. What hurt do they do you?"

"A good deal," said the boy; and he threw another stone.

"I tell you to stop," replied John; "this is father's field, and they
are his frogs, too; and you have no right here, if you can't behave
yourself."

The boy now threw off his cap, as if to fight, and said: "I don't care
for you or your father either; I'll stone as long as I please, and no
one shall hinder me," and as he spoke, he shook his fist in John's face.
John was now very angry.

"If you touch me," he said, "I'll throw you, head foremost, over the
bridge. I tell you to quit stoning frogs, and you shall quit."

Thomas and Samuel now came forward; for they were a