don't want to let those cowardly sneaks that deserted us to-night know
any thing about us. What shall we be called?"

Several names were proposed, but they did not suit Charles. At length,
one of the boys inquired,

"What name would you like?"

"I think that 'Midnight Rangers' would be a good name for us,"
answered Charles.

"That's a splendid name!"

"Now," continued Charles, "we must change our plan of operations a
little. We must give up the idea of thrashing the Hillers for awhile,
because there are not enough of us; but I should like it, if we could
go to work and whip every one of those fellows that stuck up for Lee
Powell to-night, especially Frank Nelson."

"So would I," answered William Gage, whom Charles looked upon as his
'right-hand man;' "but it wouldn't do to attempt it, for he has got
too many friends. We must shoot his dog, or steal his boat, or do
something of that kind. It would plague him more than a dozen
whippings."

"That's so!" exclaimed another of the Rangers. "If we could only go up
there, some dark night, and steal his scow, and run her out into the
river, and burn her, wouldn't he be mad?"

"Yes," chimed in another, "but it wouldn't pay even to attempt that.