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 his arm, shouted to the Hillers, and, when he had gained their attention, pointed toward Frank, "See here!" Frank shouted, as he held up the fish; "you have forgotten these." "No, I guess not," shouted Lee, in reply.

"We Hillers don't forget favors as easy as all that comes to.