“In God’s name!” Again it was Landor who roused them, Landor with his hand on the holster at his hip, Landor who sat staring as one who doubts his own sight.  “Am I sane, men?  Look, there to your right!”

They looked.  They rubbed their eyes and looked again.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” voiced Crosby; and no man had ever heard him express surprise before.  To the north, from the edge of the tall surrounding grass, moving slowly, yet without a trace of hesitation or of fear, coming straight toward them across the trampled earth, were two tiny human figures, hand in hand.  No wonder they who saw stared; no wonder they doubted their eyes.  One, the figure to the right, was plump and uncertain of step and all in white; white which in the moonlight and against the black earth seemed ghostly.  The other was slim and certain of movement and dark—­dark as a copper brown Indian boy, naked as when he came on earth.  On they came, the brown figure leading, the white following trustfully, until they were quite up to the watchers, halted, still hand in hand.

“How,” said a voice, a piping childish voice.

Like rustics at a spectacle the men stared, turned mystified faces each to each, and stared anew.  All save one.  Off from his horse sprang Landor, caught the bundle of white in his arms.

“Baby Rowland!  Baby Bess!  And you,”—­he was staring the other from head to toe, the distance was short,—­“who are you?”

“Uncle Billy,” interrupting, ignoring, the tiny bit of femininity nestled close, “Uncle Billy, where’s papa and mamma!  I want them.”

Closer and closer the big bachelor arms clasped their burden; unashamed, there with the others watching him, he kissed her.

“Never mind now, Kiddie.  Tell me how you came here, and who this is with you.”

About the great neck crept two arms, clinging tightly.

“He just came, Uncle Billy.  I was calling for papa.  Papa put me to sleep and forgot me.  The boy heard me and took me out.  I was afraid at first, but—­but he’s a nice boy, only he won’t talk and—­and—­” The narrative halted, the tousled head buried itself joyously.  “Oh, I’m so glad you came, Uncle Billy!”

In silence Landor’s eyes made the circle of interested watching faces, returned to the winsome brown face so near his own.

“Aren’t you hungry, Kid?” he ventured.

On his shoulder the dark poll shook a negative.

“No.  We had corn to eat.  The boy roasted it.  He made a big fire.  He’s a nice boy, only—­only he won’t say anything.”

Again Landor’s eyes made the circle, halted at the intrepid brown waif who, that first word of greeting spoken, had silently stared him back.

“You’re sure you don’t know anything more, baby?  You didn’t hear anything until the boy came?”

“No, Uncle Billy.  I was asleep.  When I woke up it was dark, and I was hungry and—­and—­” At last it had come:  the spattering, turbulent tear storm.  Her small body shook, her arms clasped tighter and tighter.  “Oh, Uncle Billy, I want my papa and mamma.  I tried to find them, and I couldn’t.  Please find them for me, Uncle Billy, Please!  Please!”