“Help, help, you cowards!”

But nothing could induce them to attempt the rescue.

At this moment a boat, which had entered the creek unnoticed by the boys, drew up to the dock, and a strong, cheery voice, called out,

“Hang on to him, little fellow—­hang on to him.  We’ve got a few little matters to settle up.”

And Leo Powell came running toward them, with half a dozen of his ragged followers close at his heels.

“Oh, let me go,” cried Charles, turning very pale, and writhing and twisting in the strong grasp that held him; “I’ll be civil to you after this, only don’t let them get hold of me; they will half kill me.”

Archie accordingly released his captive, but the Hillers were so close to him that Charles dare not run, and he remained close to Frank for protection, while the rest of the Rangers beat a precipitate retreat.

“Here, Pete, hold my coat,” said Lee, tossing his tattered garment to one of his companions; “I’ll show this Cap’n Regulator that some folks are as good as others.”

And he advanced toward Charles, and commenced rolling up his sleeves.

“No, Lee,” said Frank, placing himself before the frightened Ranger, “you mustn’t touch him.”

“Mustn’t touch him!” repeated Lee, in surprise.  “Why, wasn’t he jest tryin’ to wallop your friend here?”

“Oh, he’s able to defend himself,” answered Frank.

“Then he’s all right.  But I haven’t paid for trying to Regulate me, that night.”

“He didn’t do it, did he?” inquired Frank.

“No, ’cause you fellows wouldn’t let him.”

“Then, we don’t want you to whip him now.”

“Wal, if you say so, I won’t; but he oughter be larnt better manners—­hadn’t he, Pete?”

“’Course,” was Pete’s laconic answer.

“Now, Charley,” said Archie, “you may take yourself off as soon as you wish; they will not hurt you.”

“Not this time,” said Lee, shaking his hard fist in Charles’s face; “but we may come acrost you some time when you hasn’t nobody to stand up for you; then you had better look out—­hadn’t he, Pete?”

“Hadn’t he, though!” was the answer.

Charles did not need any urging, and he was quickly out of sight.

“I’d like to see you jest a minit, Frank,” said Lee, as the former was about to move away.

Frank drew off on one side, and the Hiller continued,

“I promised I’d allers be a friend to you fellers that stood up for me that night, and I want to let you see that I haven’t forgot my promise.  I know that I can’t do much for you, but I jest want to show you that I allers remember favors.”

Here he turned, and made a motion to one of his companions, who darted off to the boat, and soon returned, bringing a young otter in his arms.

“I allers heerd,” continued Lee, as his companion came up, “that you have a reg’lar hankerin’ arter ketchin’ and tamin’ wild varmints.  Now, we want you to take this as a present from us.  I know it ain’t much, but, arter all, a young otter is a thing a feller can’t ketch every day.  Will you take it?”