although it was midsummer.

But Jerry knew the way well, so he did not mind the darkness. He let the
team go their own gait, and took it easy in the rick on a couple of horse
blankets.

He was in a sort of day dream, when suddenly, his team was stopped by a
couple of boys, who sprang from behind a clump of trees.

The boys wore masks over their faces, and when they spoke, they did their
best to disguise their voices.

Jerry sprang up in alarm. At the same time four more boys, also masked,
surrounded the hay-rick.

"What's the meaning of this?" demanded Jerry. "Let go of those horses."

Instead of replying, the two boys continued to hold the team. The other
four leaped into the hay-rick and fell on Jerry. Taken so suddenly, he was
at a disadvantage. Hardly could he make a move before one of the boys
struck him on the head with a club, dazing him.

Then a rope was brought forth, and Jerry's hands were tied behind him and
he was thrown on the ground.

The boys sent the team on their way, trusting to luck that the horses
would find their way home.

"What are you going to do with me?" asked Jerry, when he found himself
bound and helpless.

"You'll soon see, Jerry Upton," came from the leader, in such a muffled
voice that our hero tried in vain to recognize the speaker.

"Make him march!" said another.

"All right, march!"

Into the woods the masked gang hurried Jerry. When he attempted to turn
back, they hit him with their sticks and tripped him up.

Finally, when he would go no further, four of the boys picked him up and
carried him.

Nearly a quarter of an hour was spent in this manner, and the party
reached a little clearing. On three sides were tall trees, and on the
fourth a wall of rocks.

"This is the spot," cried the leader. "Now tie him to a tree and get the
stuff out of the cave."

At once the young oarsman was bound to a tree on the edge of the
clearing.

Then two of the boys entered a cave between the rocks.

Soon they came forth with a pot filled with a thick, black liquid and two
big pillows.

At once Jerry realized what his captors meant to do. They were going to
tar and feather him!

CHAPTER IX.

TAR AND FEATHERS.

The prospect was far from pleasant to our hero. In spite of his bravery,
he shivered as he saw the gang of masked boys start up a fire over which
to heat the tar.

"So you intend to tar and feather me," he said to the leader.

"You've struck it, Jerry Up