the fort, a few hours
later, nor did he realize what was happening when he was lifted from it
and led by the captain into his own quarters. There the boy was allowed
to tumble down on a pile of robes and blankets, and told to have his
sleep out.

Not until the rising sun streamed full in his face the next morning did
that sleep come to an end. Then he awoke so hungry that he felt as
though it would take a whole buffalo to satisfy his appetite, and so
bewildered by his surroundings that, for some minutes, he could not
recall what had happened. He had no idea of where he was, for he could
remember nothing since the act of crawling into the wagon and finding a
bed on its load of baggage.

Chapter XX.

A PRESENT THAT WOULD PLEASE ANY BOY.

Through the open window, by which the sunlight was streaming in, Glen
caught a glimpse of a line of cottonwood-trees, which, as he had long
ago learned, denoted the presence of a stream in that country. To a boy
who dearly loved to bathe, and had not washed for two whole days,
nothing could be more tempting. Nor was Glen long in jumping from the
window, running down to the cottonwoods, throwing off his clothes, and
plunging headforemost into the cool waters.

With that delicious bath disappeared every trace of his weariness, his
aches, and everything else that remained to remind him of his recent
trials, except his hunger. When he was at length ready to go in search
of something with which to appease that, he walked slowly back towards
the house in which he had slept. He now noticed that it was built of
logs, and was the last one in a row of half a dozen just like it. He
also heard bugle calls, saw soldiers in blue uniforms hurrying in every
direction, and wisely concluded that, in some way, he must have been
brought to Fort Hayes.

As he stood irresolute near the house, not knowing which way to go or
what to do, a door opened and a little girl, followed by a lady, came
out. The child stopped and looked at the boy for a moment. Then running
back to her mother, she exclaimed,

"Look mamma! look! It's the very same one we knew on the cars!"

Glen had recognized her at once as his little acquaintance of the
railroad between St. Louis and Kansas City, and now the lady recognized
him as the boy who had run the locomotive so splendidly that terrible
night, and had then so mysteriously disappeared.

It was truly a very happy party that gathered about Captain Winn's
hospitable