and stature, and used to boast that he could visit "any hen-roost in
the village every night in the week, and carry off a dozen chickens
each time, without being nabbed." He was very fond of liquor, too
indolent to work, and spent most of his time, when out of jail, on the
river, fishing, or roaming through the woods with his gun. He had one
son, whose name was Lee, and a smarter boy it was hard to find. He
possessed many good traits of character, but, as they had never been
developed, it was difficult to discover them. He had always lived in
the midst of evil influences, led by the example of a drunken, brutal
father, and surrounded by wicked companions, and it is no wonder that
his youthful aspirations were in the wrong direction.

Lee and his associates, as they were not obliged so attend school, and
were under no parental control, always amused themselves as they saw
it. Most of their time was spent on the river or in the woods, and,
when weary of this sport, the orchards and melon-patches around the
village, although closely guarded, were sure to suffer at their hands;
and they planned and executed their plundering expeditions with so
much skill and cunning, that they were rarely detected.

A day or two after the events related in the preceding chapter
transpired, Charles Morgan, in company with two or three of his chosen
companions, was enjoying a sail on the river. During their
conversation, one of the boys chanced to say something about the
Hillers, and Charles inquired who they were. His companions gave him
the desired information, and ended by denouncing them in the strongest
terms.

Charles, after hearing them through, exclaimed, "I'd just like to
catch one of those boys robbing our orchard or hen-roost. One or the
of us would get a pummeling, sure as shooting."

"Yes," said one of the boys, "but, you see, they do not go alone. If
they did, it would be an easy matter to catch them. But they all go
together, and half of them keep watch, and the rest bag the plunder;
and they move around so still that even the dogs don't hear them."

"I should think you fellows here in the village would take the matter
into your own hands," said Charles.

"What do you mean?" inquired his companions.

"Why don't you club together, and every time you see one of the
Hillers, go to work and thrash him like blazes? I guess, after you had
half-killed two or three of them, they would learn to let things
alone."

"I guess t