Reuben was not often out at night, but it happened once that hands were slack, and the fruit-grower asked Reuben to watch during the night in a small field, where some of the choicest of the fruit was just ready to be gathered. Reuben did not look forward to his task as he took up his position in the field when the gloom of night was beginning to gather over it. His father was watching, too, in one of the fields, but too far off to cause Reuben any sense of companionship. His mother had given him a good warm plaid to wrap himself in, and there was a hole under the hedge into which he could creep for shelter. But Reuben preferred to keep moving about, and he walked up and down till he heard the church clock strike the hour of midnight. He was just thinking that he would lie down for a bit, when he became aware of subdued voices behind the hedge. Reuben turned cold and trembled. He had a horrible foreboding of what awaited him, and did not at all like the prospect of being attacked, perhaps murdered, by desperate men. Then instantly there arose in his mind a recollection of the words he had recently heard at Sunday-school. Mr. Howe, the superintendent, was leaving the village, and in his farewell address to the scholars, he had reminded them of the need of true courage and prayerfulness in facing the difficulties and temptations of life. And with the remembrance of the words, Reuben called to mind his own resolve that he would be a man and not a coward. Ere another thought could cross his mind, three men mounted the hedge. One leaped down close to where Reuben stood, and advanced to him. "Look here, Reuben Roy," he said, "I know you, whether or not you knows me, and I'd have you understand that we'll do you no harm if you leave us alone. We're only going to help ourselves to a gallon or two of these strawberries, just enough to pay for our breakfast to-morrow, that's all. Your master 'll never miss them, and you'll have the satisfaction of knowin' that you've done a good turn to some poor fellows that are down on their luck. What's that you're arter? Keep quiet, I tell you, or it'll be the worse for you." But Reuben had already drawn from his pocket the whistle with which his father had provided him, and he blew a shrill whistle ere it was struck from his hand, and he sent rolling to the earth. He tried to rise, but his assailant was upon him. "Be quiet," he muttered, "or I'll beat ye into a jelly." But Reuben struggled powerfully and shouted for help, in spite of his enemy's endeavours to choke him into silence. It was well for the lad that the other men took fright and dragged their comrade away. "It's no good fighting now," they said; "let's get away whilst we can. Do you see that light yonder? The alarm has been taken. Come, there's no time to lose." And they hurried away.