, half a mile out of the
village. Stackridge and his party were soon pushing rapidly towards it
along the dark, unfrequented road. Carl ran on before, leading the way
to the scene of the lynching.

The place was deserted and silent. Only the cold wind swept the bleak
wood-side, making melancholy moans among the trees. Overhead shone the
stars, lighting dimly the desolation of the ground.

"Now, where's yer tar-and-feathering party?" said Stackridge. "See here,
Dutchy! ye hain't been foolin' us, have ye?"

"I vish it vas notting but fooling!" said Carl, full of distress,
fearing the worst. "We have come too late. The willains have took him
off."

"Feathers, men!" muttered Stackridge, picking up something from beneath
his feet. "The boy's right! Now, which way have they gone?--that's the
question."

"Hark!" said Carl. "I see a man!"

Indeed, just then a dim figure arose from the earth, and appeared slowly
and painfully moving away.

"Hold on there!" cried Stackridge. "Needn't be afeared of us. We're your
friends."

The figure stopped, uttering a deep groan.

"Is it you, Hapgood?"

"No," answered the most miserable voice in the world. "It's me."

"Who's _me_?"

"Pepperill--Dan Pepperill; ye know me, don't ye, Stackridge?"

"You? you scoundrel!" said the farmer. "What have ye been doing to the
schoolmaster? Answer me this minute, or I'll----"

"O, don't, don't!" implored the wretch. "I'll answer, I'll tell every
thing, only give me a chance!"

"Be quick, then, and tell no lies!"

The poor man looked around at his captors in the starlight, stooping
dejectedly, and rubbing his bent knees.

"I ain't to blame--I'll tell ye that to begin with. I've been jest
knocked about, from post to pillar, and from pillar to post, till I
don't know who's my friends and who ain't. I reckon more ain't than is!"
added he, dismally.

"That's neither here nor there!" said Stackridge. "Where's Hapgood?
that's what I want to know."

"Ye see," said Dan, endeavoring to collect his wits (you would have
thought they were in his kneepans, and he was industriously rubbing them
up), "Ropes sent me to tote the kittle home, and when I got back here, I
be durned if they wasn't all gone, schoolmaster and all."

"But what had they done to him?"

"I don't know, I'm shore! That's what I was a comin' back fur to see. He
let me down when I was hung up on the rail, and helped me home; and so I
says to myself, says I, 'Why shouldn't I do