The episode starts with six boys out in the rain daring one another to knock on the door of Mrs. Fitch's as she reputed to be a witch. One of the older boys, Alfred, pretends Mrs. Fitch turned him into a cat. In part to get attention and in part to get back at her for scaring him because he has been throwing rocks at her and her house.
Rusty doesn't believe in witches regardless of all the stories O'Hara's been telling about witches in Ireland. Rusty and Rinty go visit Alfred and Rusty tells Alfred to come out of it or he will have Rinty chase him up a tree. Alfred admits he was lying to cover up and says he'll confess in the morning.
One of the local land barons, Mr.Bingham, offers Alfred a 20-dollar gold piece to keep up the charade. He wants to anger the town against Mrs. Fitch so they burn her out for being a witch. That way he can get control of her land and he will own the water rights.
Rusty has gone to see Mrs. Fitch. She is just a lonely old woman whose husband died years ago. Even when they were young, many people shunned her and her husband because they were considered ugly. Regardless, her husband said they were obligated to share the water rights that came with their property. Her husband refused to sell to Bingham because Bingham would refuse to give farmers the water they needed.
When Rusty gets back to town, he finds out what the townspeople are planning on doing. He sends Rinty to get Rip and bring him to Mrs. Fitch's cabin before it's burned down. Rusty goes to find Alfred and wake him from his fake coma. By the time he gets Alfred out to Mrs. Fitch's, it's almost too late. Bingham has set the cabin on fire. Rip arrives and manages to get Mrs. Fitch out but the cabin is gone. Alfred confesses and Bingham agrees to pay for the lumber for a new house. The townspeople apologize and promise to build Mrs. Fitch a new cabin. Alfred even volunteers to pick weeds.
Rusty doesn't believe in witches regardless of all the stories O'Hara's been telling about witches in Ireland. Rusty and Rinty go visit Alfred and Rusty tells Alfred to come out of it or he will have Rinty chase him up a tree. Alfred admits he was lying to cover up and says he'll confess in the morning.
One of the local land barons, Mr.Bingham, offers Alfred a 20-dollar gold piece to keep up the charade. He wants to anger the town against Mrs. Fitch so they burn her out for being a witch. That way he can get control of her land and he will own the water rights.
Rusty has gone to see Mrs. Fitch. She is just a lonely old woman whose husband died years ago. Even when they were young, many people shunned her and her husband because they were considered ugly. Regardless, her husband said they were obligated to share the water rights that came with their property. Her husband refused to sell to Bingham because Bingham would refuse to give farmers the water they needed.
When Rusty gets back to town, he finds out what the townspeople are planning on doing. He sends Rinty to get Rip and bring him to Mrs. Fitch's cabin before it's burned down. Rusty goes to find Alfred and wake him from his fake coma. By the time he gets Alfred out to Mrs. Fitch's, it's almost too late. Bingham has set the cabin on fire. Rip arrives and manages to get Mrs. Fitch out but the cabin is gone. Alfred confesses and Bingham agrees to pay for the lumber for a new house. The townspeople apologize and promise to build Mrs. Fitch a new cabin. Alfred even volunteers to pick weeds.
