"But we must not forget that we have others to settle with; and we must meet, some time next week, and determine who shall be visited next." On the following morning, Frank arose, as usual, at four o'clock, and, shouldering his fish-pole, started off through the woods to catch a mess of trout, intending to be back by breakfast-time.

But, as the morning was cloudy, the trout bit voraciously, and in the excitement of catching them, he forgot that he was hungry, and it was almost noon before he reached home.
As soon as he entered the house, Aunt Hannah exclaimed, "Master Frank, you were altogether too good to Lee Powell, the other night." "What makes you think so ?" he inquired.
At this moment Julia, hearing his voice, burst in from the dining-room, exclaiming, "Frank, the Hillers have robbed your strawberry-patch!" "Not robbed it, exactly," said his mother, who had followed close after Julia, "but they have completely ruined it.

There are not a dozen plants left in the ground." Frank was so surprised that he could scarcely utter a word; and, hardly waiting to hear what his mother said, he hurried from the house toward the strawberry-patch.

It did, indeed, present a strange and desolate appearance.

The bed had covered nearly half an acre; and, so well had the Rangers performed their work, that but few plants were left standing.