l reverence for the Squire
instilled into all his habits of thought, notions of honor bounded
themselves to simple honesty and straightforward truth; and as he
cherished an unquestioning awe of order and constitutional authority, so
it did not appear to him that there was any thing derogatory and
debasing in being thus set to watch for an offender. On the contrary, as
he began to reconcile himself to the loss of the church service, and to
enjoy the cool of the summer shade, and the occasional chirp of the
birds, he got to look on the bright side of the commission to which he
was deputed. In youth, at least, every thing has its bright side--even
the appointment of Protector to the Parish Stocks. For the stocks,
themselves, Leonard had no affection, it is true; but he had no sympathy
with their aggressors, and he could well conceive that the Squire would
be very much hurt at the revolutionary event of the night. "So," thought
poor Leonard in his simple heart--"so if I can serve his honor, by
keeping off mischievous boys, or letting him know who did the thing, I'm
sure it would be a proud day for mother." Then he began to consider
that, however ungraciously Mr. Stirn had bestowed on him the
appointment, still it was a compliment to him--showed trust and
confidence in him, picked him out from his contemporaries as the sober
moral pattern boy; and Lenny had a great deal of pride in him,
especially in matters of repute and character.

All these things considered, I say, Leonard Fairfield reclined in his
lurking-place, if not with positive delight and intoxicating rapture, at
least with tolerable content and some complacency.

Mr. Stirn might have been gone a quarter of an hour, when a boy came
through a little gate in the park, just opposite to Lenny's retreat in
the hedge, and, as if fatigued with walking, or oppressed by the heat of
the day, paused on the green for a moment or so, and then advanced under
the shade of the great tree which overhung the stocks.

Lenny pricked up his ears, and peeped out jealously.

He had never seen the boy before: it was a strange face to him.

Leonard Fairfield was not fond of strangers; moreover, he had a vague
belief that strangers were at the bottom of that desecration of the
stocks. The boy, then, was a stranger; but what was his rank? Was he of
that grade in society in which the natural offences are or are not
consonant to, or harmonious with, outrages upon stocks? On that Lenny
Fa