"One at a time, Crabtree. We'll fix the others some time later."
A fire was started and the pot of tar was hung from a chain caught up between two uprights.
Some of the softening stuff was smeared on the wood which was burning, and this made the blaze more fierce than ever. Soon the tar was near to the boiling point.
The two tramps had thrown themselves down to watch the proceedings.
"Yer ought ter have some fedders," suggested Longback.
"I have. There was an old musty feather bed in the house. I'm going to use that."
Going into the building Dan Baxter brought forth the feathers in question, and placed them close to the pot of tar.
While he was doing this Josiah Crabtree went in to talk to Tom.
Of course the boy was surprised to see the former teacher, who eyed him darkly.
"So Baxter has caught you," began Crabtree.