Of course, Jake Benton was curious to know who they were, and when he saw their fire in the woods he resolved to find out, even at the expense of much trembling.

He thought he had recognized some of them by their voices when they talked to him at the camp, but now he determined to make sure.

He crawled on his hands and knees for nearly a quarter of a mile along an old rail fence until he came within a distance of twenty rods from where the men were gathered, Indian fashion, around the fire.

He was not at all surprised when he saw in the group the familiar face of Deacon Cramps and Reverend Bonds.

And he observed from certain parts of their masks which they still had on that these two men were the fellows who took the leading part in the affair at the camp.