It was a good thing those in charge of Washington Hall could not see the pupils just then. If they had the prank would have cost the participators dear. But, after all, as Jack said, it was in a good cause. On they went until their leader held up a warning hand. "Arrange yourselves in a circle about me," he whispered. "I am going to beard the lion in his den." He walked up to a small cottage that stood some distance from any other dwellings on a lonely street in the village, and knocked loudly. "Who's there?" came a voice, in answer, a few seconds later from an upper window. "Tobias Smelts, come forth!" called Jack in deep tones. "We would hold speech with thee!" The boys could see a man thrust his head further out of the casement. "Come forth and linger not!" called Jack. "Oh! Oh! It's the Klu-Kluxers! It's the Klan! They're after me!" exclaimed Smelts. "Oh, what shall I do?" "Come forth if ye would not have us drag ye out!" cried Jack. "We have business with thee!" "What'll I do?" wailed Tobias. "Better go 'fore they come in here after ye," a woman's voice could be heard to say. "Remember what they did to Pete Baker in South Caroliny!" The head was drawn in, with many a groan. "Get ready, he's coming," whispered Jack. A few minutes later a very much frightened man, clad in his shirt and trousers came out on the front steps, around which the boys in their ghostly disguise were gathered. "Advance!" commanded Jack, and Tobias, his knees trembling, walked on until he stood in the midst of the frolicking students. "Bind him to the stake!" commanded the leader. A small, pointed stake had been prepared and with a hammer it was driven into the ground. Then the man was fastened to it with several coils of clothes line. "Now the faggots!" said Jack, and the boys dropped some pieces of wood at the victims feet. A second later Jack had emptied the phial of phosphorous over the wood, and the lurid light shone forth. "They're burning me alive!" yelled Tobias. "Save me!" "This is the fate dealt out to all who beat their wives and children!" chanted Jack. At the same time he raised his hand to his head and Fred played tremulous music on the harmonica, lending a weirdness to the scene. "Please don't kill me, good Mr. Klu-Klux-Klan men," begged Tobias. "I'll never do it again. I promise you I never will!" "Do you promise by the great seal of the United States?" inquired Jack, in sepulchral accents. "Yes, Oh yes; I'll promise anything!" "'Tis well! This was but the first trial by fire. The next time will be more severe!" and with that Jack kicked aside the phosphorous covered sticks and signaled to those holding the ends of the ropes to loosen them. Tremblingly Tobias crawled into the house. "Be ye dead, Tobias?" asked his frightened wife, yet she was not a little gratified that her husband had made the promise the mysterious visitors exacted. "Jest about," was the answer. "Oh, this is a terrible night!"