"Come in," invited Father and the boys, standing in a group watching the
knob of the door turn slowly. As it opened silently they saw standing on
the threshold a little, old woman, all bent over, a long black cape and
hood covering her from head to foot. She carried a cane with a crook in
it and leaned very heavily upon it as she walked.

Muttering to herself she crossed the room and took a seat by the fire.
Her coarse, gray hair fell in straggly locks about her face almost
hiding it from view.

Suddenly the lights went out, leaving the room in darkness, save for the
firelight.

"Place the pot before me," she ordered, in a high, broken voice, shaking
her stick at Fat.

"Yes, Ma'am," said Fat, hurrying to obey.

"She's got Fat scared to death," giggled Toad to Reddy.

From under her cape she now took a small paper bag and poured the
contents into the pot before her, then standing up she hobbled around it
three times, waving her arms and humming a queer little tune. Soon a
dull red light glowed from within the pot, getting brighter and
brighter.

"It's magic," whispered Toad to Hopie Smith.

The old witch now sat down again and took from beneath her cape a small
pad, a long quill pen and a queer little bottle filled with milky white