ly as ever. I was somewhat tired, but I
remembered our contract to write down the result of our experiences,
and immediately sat down to do it. After I had written it I read it over
carefully to see if I had overlooked anything, and then wished myself in
bed and asleep. The next thing I knew it was broad daylight. There, on
my writing-table, were the pages of manuscript which I had written. They
were real enough, whether the rest was a dream or not.

THE MOUND OF ETERNAL SILENCE.

"I ought to know something about it," said the Drummer, "for I went with
the Prospector and the Eastern man to see Judson.

"I remember when we started out together the Eastern man asked the
Prospector if he thought Judson was really crazy.

"'Yes,' said the Prospector, 'he is as crazy as a loon, as you will see
when you get there.'

"'Tell me the story over again,' said the Eastern man.

"'Well, you see,' said the Prospector, 'they found him lying in the hot
sand away off on the desert, with his head propped up against a rock,
nearly dead for want of water. When they tried to rouse him he stared at
them vacantly. They gave him a little water, and as soon as he had
swallowed it he fought like a wild animal for more. It took three or
four of them to hold him. He cursed and swore at them because they would
not give him all he wanted, and his cries were pitiful. He alternately
cursed and screamed for water, sometimes as loud as he could shout and
then again in faint whispers.

"'Later on, when they dared to give him more at a time, he became
tranquil, and towards night, after he had drunk a bowl full of thin
oatmeal gruel, he went to sleep. When he awoke they questioned him.

"'He said that he had been prospecting with his partner, and had found a
gulch with precipitous cliffs all around it where there was very rich
placer digging. Directly in front was a high mound covered with big
cacti, and they made their camp on the top of this. There was a little
water in the canyon held in rock basins, and with this they washed out
the gold and got a lot of it--Judson says three or four thousand
dollars' worth. Then bad luck came, and the burro died. Three days
afterwards Judson's partner was poisoned in some way, and died a few
hours later, cursing Judson and saying he had poisoned him.

"'Judson buried him and also the gold; it was too heavy for him to pack,
especially as he had no way to carry water. Then taking a small bag of
gold dus