"What crowd are you talking about?" stammered Joel Fox, growing
paler and paler.

"The crowd at the depot. Did you shoot him, Mr. Fox? I can't
hardly believe it true, although I know you were mean enough to
take my uncle's pears."

"I - er -- the pears were on my property. I er -- I didn't shoot
at any boy. I - er -- I shot at some crows in my cornfield,"
stammered Joel Fox. "Did you say a crowd of men were coming over
here with a rope?"

"You'll see fast enough, you bad man!" cried Tom, and ran off,
followed by Sam. In vain Fox tried to call them back.

The boys went as far as a turn in the road, then hid behind some
bushes. Soon they saw Fox pick up his tools and make for his
barn. Then he came out and hurried for his house.

"I guess he's pretty well rattled," laughed Tom. "Won't he be
mad when he learns how he has been fooled!"

They waited for a while, but as Fox did not reappear they hurried
back home by another road, that the man might not see them.

Tom was right when he said that the miserly old farmer was
"rattled," as it is commonly called.

All day long the coward remained in the house, as nervous as a
cat and afraid that a crowd of men would appear at any minute to