"They can tell when they are kindly treated as well as any one else,"
said George.

"And another thing," said Ben. Lake; "these Regulators must be a
foolish set of fellows to suppose that the Hillers are going to stand
still and be whipped. I say, as an old sea-captain once said, when it
was proposed to take a man-o'-war with a whale-boat, 'I guess it will
be a puttering job.'"

"Well," said James, "I shall do all I can to prevent a fight."

"So will I," said Frank.

"_I_ won't," said Harry, who, with his arms buried almost to the
elbows in his pockets, was striding backward and forward across the
steps. "I say the Hillers ought to be thrashed."

"I'm afraid," said William, without noticing what Harry had remarked,
"that our interference will be the surest way to bring on a fight;
because, after I refused to join the company, they told me that if any
of us attempted to defend the Hillers, or break up the company, they
would thrash us, too."

"We don't want to break up their company," said Frank, with a laugh.
"We must have a talk with them, and try to show them how unreasonable
they are."

"Here they come, now," said George, pointing up the road.