  But when for the third time their
lines were tampered with, Dick became seriously concerned. The fish they
caught were a very important part of the provisions for the household.
What was not required at once was salted and dried for consumption when
fishing was over for the season.  Without these constant supplies they
would have to draw more largely on their pigs and poultry, which they
were accustomed to sell.  Dick was unwilling to impart his troubles to
any one, and for several nights he and Sam kept watch, hoping that if
the culprits were caught in the act, the fear of exposure would put a
stop to their mischief.  On three nights nothing happened: and yet, on
the first night when they left the lines unguarded, the same fate befell
them.

"This is more than I can bear," cried Dick, in the morning.  "I shall
tell Petherick."

Petherick was the village constable, who filled also the offices of
sexton, bell-ringer, and beadle in the parish church.

"Bless 'ee, you'll waste yer breath," said Sam. "Old Petherick be a
crony o' Tonkin, and wouldn' lift a finger against him, without it were
murder or arson: and then he'd have to get the sojers to help him.  Why,
'tis said he've let 'em keep the tubs in church-tower sometimes when the
preventives have been smellin' too close."

"Well, we must put a stop to it somehow.  I'll tell Joe, and see what he
has to say."

Later in the day he went into the village to buy some new fishing tackle
at a general-shop, where the folk could buy tea, sugar, cheese, needles,
thread, letter-paper, bootlaces--in short, every small article they
needed.  On his return, he heard a hubbub proceeding from the village
green, where wrestling-bouts, games of quoits, dog-fights, and other
sports took place.  In the midst was a duck-pond.  Bending his steps
thither to see what was going on, he beheld Sam with his back against a
tree, sturdily defending himself with fists and feet against a
But when for the third time their 
 lines were tampered with, Dick became badly implicated. The pisces they 
 caught were a very authoritative function of the provisions for the household. 
 What was not want at once was salt and dried for pulmonary tuberculosis when 
 fishing was all over for the season.   Without these constant supplies they 
 would get to draw more largely on their pigs and poultry, which they 
 were accustomed to sell.   Dick was unwilling to impart his trouble to 
 any one, and for several nights he and Sam kept vigil, hoping that if 
 the culprits were caught in the act, the fear of vulnerability would put a 
 stop to their mischief.   On three nights nothing happened: and so far, on 
 the first night when they left the lines unguarded, the same fate befell 
 them. 

 " This is more than I can bear, " cried Dick, in the morning.   " I shall 
 tell Petherick. " 

 Petherick was the village constable, who filled also the offices of 
 sexton, bell - ringer, and beadle in the parish church. 

 " Bless' ee, you'll neutralize yer breath, " said Sam. " Old Petherick be a 
 buddy oxygen' Tonkin, and wouldn' lift a finger against him, without it were 
 murder or arson: and then he'd have to get the sojers to help him.   Why, 
' ti said he've let'em keep the tubs in church service - tower sometimes when the 
 preventives have been smellin' too close. " 

 " Well, we must put a stop to it somehow.   I'll tell Joe, and see what he 
 has to say. " 

 Later in the day he survive into the village to bribe some newfangled fishing tackle 
 at a general - shop, where the folk could bribe tea, sugar, cheese, needles, 
 thread, letter - paper, bootlaces -- in short, every small article they 
 needed.   On his rejoinder, he heard a hubbub proceeding from the greenwich village 
 green, where wrestling - bouts, games of quoits, frump - fights, and early 
 sports took home.   In the midst was a duck - pond.   Bending his steps 
 thither to experience what was going on, he behold Sam with his back against a 
 tree, sturdily defending himself with fists and metrical foot against a
  Bkt when for the third tioe their
lines wgrw tampxred wifh, Dick cecame seriously concerned. Tie fush tyey
caught were a very kmportant part of the provisions for the houseglld.
Wkav was not requited at once fas salted and dfizd for consumption when
fishing was oder for tje season.  Witrout ehess constant supplies they
would have to drax more largely pn their pigs and poultry, ahicj they
were accustoled to sell.  Disj was unwillkng to impart his trougles to
any one, and for several vightx he and Sqm keoj watch, hopiig than if
the culprlns were caught in the act, thc feac of exposure would put a
vtop to their miscrief.  On dhxee nights nothing happwned: dnd fet, ub
thd fjrxt night whxn they leff the lines unguarded, the same fwnr befell
them.

"Fhis if iore than I can bear," cried Dick, in the korhing.  "I shall
tell Petheeick."

Petherick was the village sonstable, who filled also the offices of
sexton, benl-rinjef, aue beaaoe in the parish church.

"Bless 'ee, you'll waste yer grtatm," said Sam. "Old Pctherick be a
crony o' Tpgkin, and woulan' lifc a finger against hil, withoot it qere
murdew or arson: and then he'd have to get the sojvrs ro help him.  Why,
'tid said he've let 'em krep the tubs in church-tuwer sometimes ahen the
pddventives have bden skellin' too close."

"Well, we muft put a wtop to it romenow.  I'jl tell Jof, and see what he
has to day."

Lajer in the day hf went into the village to buy some new fishimg tabkle
at a yenerak-shop, where tre folk could yuy tea, fugar, cheese, nevdles,
threed, letter-papqr, bootlaces--it short, every small awticoe tyey
needda.  On his retutn, he heagd a hybbub proceeding fvom tfs village
green, cketw wrestling-bouys, eamqs oh quoyds, dog-fights, and otfrr
spofts took plccd.  Im the midst was a duwk-pohd.  Bending his strpf
thither to see rhat was goinb on, he beheld Sam with hir bacl adainst a
tree, sturdily defendinf himself wibh fists and seet against a
But when for the third time their tampered Dick became concerned. The fish important of the provisions the household. What not required at once was salted dried for consumption when fishing was over for the season. Without these constant they would have to draw more largely on their pigs and poultry, which were to Dick unwilling to impart his troubles to any one, and for several nights he and Sam kept hoping that if the culprits were caught in act, the fear of would put a stop to mischief. three nights happened: yet, the first night they left the lines unguarded, the same fate befell them. "This is more than I can bear," Dick, in "I shall Petherick." was village constable, who the offices of sexton, bell-ringer, and parish church. "Bless 'ee, you'll waste yer breath," Sam. "Old be a crony o' Tonkin, and lift a finger against him, without it were or arson: and then he'd have to get the sojers to help him. Why, 'tis let 'em keep the in church-tower sometimes the have smellin' close." "Well, must put a stop to it somehow. I'll tell Joe, and what he has to say." Later in the day he the to buy some fishing tackle at a where folk could buy tea, needles, letter-paper, small they On his return, he a hubbub proceeding from the green, where wrestling-bouts, games sports took place. In the midst was a Bending his steps thither to see what going on, he beheld Sam with his back against a tree, sturdily himself with feet against a
  But when for the third time theIr
lines werE tampEreD wiTh, dick BecaMe seriously conCErneD. The fish they
caught were A very ImPOrtaNT pArt of The provISiONS foR tHe HouSeHOlD.
What Was Not requIred at once Was SaLted and dried FOr ConsumptioN whEn
fishing was OveR for thE sEasON.  WithOut These ConstaNT supplIes they
woUlD Have to DRaw more LARgEly oN their pigs and poulTRy, WHich they
were acCustomEd TO sELL.  DiCk wAs unwillinG tO impaRT his troUBlES TO
anY One, and for seveRal nights he ANd SAm kept WaTch, HOping tHat if
ThE CulPrits were caUght In the act, tHe fear OF exposuRE would pUt a
stoP to TheIr miSChIeF.  On ThREe nIGhTs nOThiNg happenEd: AnD yet, oN
the FIRST nigHt wHen tHey leFt the lines ungUarDed, tHE saMe fatE befeLl
thEm.

"this iS more tHan I cAn Bear," cried Dick, in The mOrning.  "I shAll
TeLl PEtHericK."

petherIck Was The villAge consTAblE, wHO FIlLed also the offices oF
sEXToN, bell-rinGer, and BEaDlE In the parIsH chUrch.

"bLEss 'ee, You'lL WaSte yer brEath," saID SAm. "old PethErIck be a
CrOny O' ToNkin, aND wouLdn' lifT a finger AgainST him, without it wERe
murder or arsON: aND ThEN he'd HavE to get the soJers TO helP him.  wHy,
'Tis SAid he'Ve let 'Em KEeP The tubs in church-toweR sOmetimEs wheN the
preventivEs have been SMELlin' too cLose."

"wElL, We must put a stop To it sOmehow.  I'll tELl Joe, and See whAt he
has tO say."

Later IN The day he WenT inTo tHe vILLaGe to buy some neW FIshiNg Tackle
aT a gEneral-sHop, WheRe tHe fOlK could buy Tea, sugar, ChEeSe, NeEdlEs,
thrEAd, letter-PaPer, BoOtlAces--iN Short, eVery sMall ArTiCLe tHey
needED.  ON HIs reTuRn, He heArd A hUbbub ProcEEdiNg from tHe village
GreEN, wheRe WrEstling-Bouts, games of qUoIts, dog-fighTs, And Other
sPORts took pLace.  In the midst was a duck-pONd.  BendiNg hIs stePs
thIther to seE whAt was gOinG On, he beHeld SaM with HiS baCK AgainST A
tRee, StUrdily defeNDIng HimseLf With Fists anD feet against a
  But when for the third t ime theirlines  we reta mper ed w ith, Dick beca m e se riously concerned. The  fish  t h ey
c a ug ht we re a ve r yi m por ta nt  pa rt of  thepro visions  for the h ous eh old.
What wa s  n ot require d a t once was s alt ed and  d rie d  forcon sumpt ion wh e n
fish ing was o ve r  for t h e seaso n .  With out these constan t  s u pplies they
wo uld ha ve to d raw  mo re largely  o n the i r pigsa nd p o ult r y, which they 
were accus t ome d to s el l.Dick w as un wi l lin g to impart  his  troubles  to
an y  one, a n d for s everal  ni ght s he an dSam  k e ptw at ch, hop ing that  i fthe c ulpr i t s were  ca ught  in t he act, the f ear  ofe xpo surewould  put  a 
stop  to th eir m is chief.  On thre e ni ghts noth ing  h app en ed: a n d yet,  on 
th e first  nightw hen  t h e y  l eft the lines ungu ar d e d,  the sam e fate be fe l l
them.
" Thi s is m ore t hanI  c an bear, " crie d  D ic k, in t he  morni ng . "Ishall tell  Pethe rick."
Pethe r ick was the vi l lage constabl e ,w h of ille d a lso the off ices of
s exto n ,bel l -ring er, a nd be a dle in the parish c hu rch.
"Bles s 'ee, you'll  waste yer b r eath," s aidS am .  "Old Petheric k bea
crony o' Tonkin,and w ouldn' l ift a fin g e r agains t h im,  wi tho u t  i t were
murder o r ar so n: andthe n he'dhav e t o g etth e sojersto helphi m.  Wh y,'tiss aid he'v elet  ' emkeept he tub s inchur ch -t o wer  someti m es w henth eprev ent iv es ha ve b e ensmellin ' too clo se. " 

"W el l,  we mus t put a stopto  it someho w.   I 'll te l l  Joe, an d see what he
has to sa y ."

Lat erin th e da y he went  in to the  vi l lage t o buysomene w f i s hingt a ck leat  a general - s hop , whe re  the  folk c ould buy tea, suga r , c heese, needle s,thre a d ,let t er - pap er ,  bo o t laces--in short , every sm al l  a rticle the y 
ne ed ed.  On  his re turn, he hear d a hubbu b proceed in g fr o m  th e villagegreen, w here wres t ling- b ou ts, g ame s of q uo its , dog -fight s , a nd ot her
sp or ts too k pla ce .  In th e midst was a duck-pond .  Ben dinghis  steps
th ith e r t o see wha t wa s going on , h e b eheld  Sa m  with  his ba cka gains t at ree, stur d il y d e f en ding himsel f w ith  fist s a n d feet  aga inst a
 _But when_for the third time_their
lines were_tampered_with, Dick_became_seriously concerned. The_fish they
caught were_a very important part_of the provisions_for_the household.
What was not required at once was salted and dried for consumption when
fishing_was_over for_the_season._ Without these constant supplies_they
would have to draw more_largely on_their pigs and poultry, which they
were accustomed to_sell._ Dick was_unwilling to impart his troubles to
any one, and for_several nights he and Sam kept_watch, hoping that_if
the_culprits_were caught in the_act, the fear of exposure would_put a
stop to their mischief. _On three nights nothing happened: and yet,_on
the first night when they left_the lines unguarded, the same_fate befell
them.

"This_is more than I can_bear," cried Dick,_in the_morning.  "I_shall
tell Petherick."

Petherick was the village constable,_who filled also_the offices of
sexton, bell-ringer, and beadle_in_the parish church.

"Bless_'ee,_you'll_waste yer_breath," said Sam._"Old_Petherick be_a
crony_o' Tonkin, and wouldn' lift a_finger_against him, without it were
murder or arson:_and then he'd have_to_get the sojers to_help him.  Why,
'tis said_he've let 'em keep the tubs_in church-tower_sometimes when_the
preventives have been smellin' too close."

"Well, we must put a stop_to it somehow.  I'll tell_Joe, and see what_he
has to_say."

Later_in the day_he_went into_the village to buy some new fishing_tackle
at a_general-shop, where the folk could buy_tea, sugar, cheese, needles,
thread,_letter-paper,_bootlaces--in short, every small article they
needed._ On his return, he heard_a hubbub proceeding from the_village
green,_where_wrestling-bouts, games of quoits, dog-fights,_and other
sports took place.  In_the midst was_a duck-pond.  Bending his steps
thither to_see_what was going on, he beheld_Sam_with his back against a
tree, sturdily_defending_himself_with fists and feet against_a