"Why, Mr. Fox, I thought you had skipped out!" cried Tom in
pretended surprise.

"Skipped out?"

"Yes."

"Why should I skip out, boy?"

"On account of Harry Smith."

"Harry Smith? Who is he?"

"Harry Smith of Oak Run -- the boy who was shot the other day.
Didn't you hear he was dead?"

At these words Joel Fox dropped the tools he was using and turned
pale.

"Is - er -- is the boy-- er-" He could not finish.

"It was a wicked thing to do," put in Sam. "Any man that would
shoot a boy ought to be lynched."

"Perhaps that crowd of men were coming up here," went on Tom.
"Didn't they have a rope with them?"

"To be sure they had a rope, Tom. And one of 'em said something
about hanging."