s.

"On the mornin' of the sixth day, my thirst became so great, that I
determined to start out by myself, and find water. I give my mule the
rein, and he brought me to the edge of this gully; and, when I looked
down into it and see the clear, cold water sparklin' and shinin' like
diamonds, why, I burst right out into a loud laugh.

"After I stopped laughin', and was a-gittin' down towards the water, I
heerd a kind of noise from the other side of the creek, and looked up;
and, the first thing I see, settin' on the edge on t'other side, was a
boy about twelve years old, tryin' ter call to me.

"At first I couldn't believe my own eyes; but I shut 'em up for a minute,
and looked again, and there he was, as plain as day, and not another
livin' creeter but my old hoss in sight.

"Well, I was beat, an'no mistake. Bless me! I kin see the little feller
jest as I seen him that morning,--and a perfect little gentleman he was
too. Yes, and I've seen his pale, thin face and great starin' brown eyes
a-lookin' into mine, a thousand times since that day.

"I went right over to where he was, and spoke ter him. The little feller
smiled when I came up, and shook his head, as much as to say, that he
couldn't speak. I asked him where he came from, and where his folks was,
and how they come ter leave him alone on the plains, with nobody to look
out for and take care of him; but he only shook his head, and looked up
into my face so piteous and sorrowful like, that I felt my heart go right
out to him. I couldn't understand how the little feller got there; for
his clothes were all new,--the soles of his little boots warn't even
stained.

[Illustration: A Mystery.]

"Well, I talked to him a long time afore I remembered I hadn't had a
drink myself; so I asked him if he wanted water, and he nodded his head.
I went down to the creek there, and filled my hat, and warn't away more
than three minutes; but, when I got back, he was gone."--"Where did he go
to, Jerry?" asked Ned, who, unperceived, had been listening to the story.

"Go to," echoed Jerry, "ther ain't anybody kin tell that. Why, I hunted
every foot, for a mile around, and couldn't find a sign of his trail; and
I never have seen or heerd of him since. Now, judge, I seen him, felt
him, talked to him, and know he was there; and thar hain't never been a
doubt in my mind as to what become of him."

"Well, Jerry, how do you account for his disappearance?" inquired I.

"Angels!" was th