Then he considered the possibility and the practicability of resisting the commands of Squire Walker. He could not obtain much satisfaction from either view of the difficult problem, and as a happy resort under the trials of the moment, he began to console himself with the reflection that Mr. Nason might prevail with the overseers, and save him from his doom. He had not much hope from this direction, and while he was turning again to the question of resistance, he heard footsteps in the grove. He did not feel like seeing any person and wished he could get out of sight; but there was no retreating without being observed, so he lay down upon the rock to wait till the intruder had passed. The person approaching did not purpose to let him off so easily; and when Harry heard his step on the log he raised himself up. "Hallo, Harry! What are you doing here? Taking a nap?" It was Ben Smart, a boy of fourteen, who lived near the poorhouse. Ben's reputation in Redfield was not A, No. 1; in fact, he had been solemnly and publicly expelled from the district school only three days before by Squire Walker, because the mistress could not manage him. His father was the village blacksmith, and as he had nothing for him to do--not particularly for the boy's benefit--he kept him at school all the year round. "O, is that you, Ben?" replied Harry, more for the sake of being civil than because he wished to speak to the other. "What are you doing here?" asked Ben, who evidently did not understand how a boy could be there alone, unless he was occupied about something. "Nothing." "Been in the water?" "No." "Fishing?" "No." Ben was nonplussed. He suspected that Harry had been engaged in some mysterious occupation, which he desired to conceal from him. "How long have you been here?" continued Ben, persistently. "About half an hour." Ben stopped to think. He could make nothing of it. It was worse than the double rule of three, which he conscientiously believed had been invented on purpose to bother school boys. "You are up to some trick, I know. Tell me what you come down here for." "Didn't come for anything." "What is the use of telling that. No feller would come clear down here for nothing." "I came down to think, then, if you must know," answered Harry, rather testily. "To think! Well, that is a good one! Ain't the poor-farm big enough to do your thinking on?" "I chose to come down here." "Humph! You've got the blues, Harry. I should think old Walker had been afoul of you, by your looks." Harry looked up suddenly, and wondered if Ben knew what had happened. "I should like to have the old rascal down here for half an hour. I should like to souse him into the river, and hold his head under till he begged my pardon," continued Ben. "So should I," added Harry.