his things together and run and hide them in the thick bushes,
when the boys to whom the voices belonged broke through the
undergrowth on the other side of the brook.

"It's the Pepper boy," said one of them in an awful whisper.
Then they stood still a minute, all three staring at each other.
At last Joel picked up his pole and started to march away.

"Hold on," called one of the boys, the biggest and dirtiest, and
he jumped across the brook. Joel went steadily along as well as
he could for the vines and stubby trees, determined not to turn
back for anybody's call, at any rate that dirty Jim Belden.

But Jim gave him no chance to think, and the first thing he knew,
Joel was seized roughly by the shoulder. "Gimme them worms," and
Jim tugged at the handle of the pail.

"I won't; they're my worms," screamed Joel, hanging on for dear
life; "so there, now! you go right away. Polly dug 'em, Polly
dug 'em," he kept saying. But the scuffle was short, as the other
boy raced up, and pulled too, so that pretty soon Joel was tumbled
heels over head, into the brook, and the pail was in the hands of
the biggest boy, who cried out joyfully, "Oh, see what a lot! now
we'll go up to th' 'Pool.'" This was a deep spot a half mile or
so away, where the stream widened. Mrs. Pepper never allowed the
two boys to go there, unless Ben could go too, which was seldom
indeed, and only looked upon as a very great treat.

Joel burst out in a great passion, as soon as he could scramble
out of the brook, "Give me back my pail!" and he looked so very