“Not if I can help it,” muttered Jerry, under his breath.
A great mass of wood had been collected, and this gave a roaring fire and also afforded a good light for the workers.
On each side of the fire a notched stick was driven into the ground. A third stick was laid across the top, just beyond the flames. From this upper stick the pot of tar was suspended by an iron chain.
The heat soon began to tell on the tar. As it softened it could be smelled a long distance off.
“How do you like that smell?” asked Peters of Jerry.
“Oh, it’s a good enough smell,” replied our hero, as coolly as he could.
“Never had a dose of tar before, did you?”
“I haven’t had this dose yet.”
“That’s so, but you soon will have.”
“Maybe not.”