" said Dan Baxter, as the little party came to

lit a bit of candle which he produced fr

them. This done they tied the young cadet fast to

this was quickly done. To the tramps' chagrin Tom car

ing," said Nuggs, poi

little

with a lot of thiev

nt the ring you

the mouth, causing Tom's under lip to bleed. The b

ring. The ring contained an opal of which Tom was very proud, a

work," he muttered. "I'll

breath in threaten

t and see. I'll put you

ill you shut up, or do you wa

o would strike a perso

t you to keep a civil

know who tried to wreck the

I know nothing o

And we'll prove it too-w

k to you!" h

en the three quitted the building, leaving Tor

stake," he murmured. "What

time Baxter had held a long conversation with the tramps and had

y when at last Dan Baxter r

uppose," he remarked

d Tom coldly. He was hungry, b

ike to have your liber

s get down to business. Why did you make me a p

cause I felt like doing s

you propose

that you won't forge

ve

ou for n

how you and your brot

re, too, for

ter. Some persons would have had yo

re talking about. What were you

your bu

r to the Stan

as and perha

member that you are a

tanhopes' place? Haven't I

meet anyb

our particular frien

hat-that is what did you h

d I believe you were outside waitin

nse

nt Stumpy Nu

is way!" he said excite

er, in alarm. "I'll go o

mer was approaching along the gully path. As h

r, as, he carne up. "This is fortunat

u were in the same b

y. I got lost in the woods and had

eed in getting what y

Stanh

to-ahem-leave in a hurry. But who are these two men?"

tree. They helped me do a

what wa

he road and they help

ere is the-ah-y

in the old h

astonished, and begged for the particulars of

ner, what do you propose to d

xter. "I'm going to do him up br

ly and pointed to a pot of tar

r!" cried

act

-going to give hi

sn't he d

acher readily, with a malicious gleam in his fishy eyes. "I wis

ree. We'll fix the ot

of tar was hung from a chain

hich was burning, and this made the blaze more fierce

own themselves down to

e some fedders," s

usty feather bed in the hou

ught forth the feathers in question, a

is Josiah Crabtree we

rised to see the former te

caught you,"

om made n

like your present posi

no r

t that you do not even W

n you were, Crabtree," aid Tom, looking him full in the face.

face grew as dark

address me in this

g a great risk, bu

ou and your brothers

n? That but for you I

arted one of the fine

Sta

e perfectly miserable, and squandered ever

inion, and it is

on of everybody that kno

doings of myself and of others, and now

end to do?" dema

e in, followed by the two tramps. Soon Tom was released from

, as he led the way to the fire. "Ta

and now it must be confessed that he shiv

nd feather you,"

-thick, Daniel," pu

me fo

m's clothing from his back. Soon the unfortunate youth was stripped to th