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followed Arthur anywhere； and I am bound to say that he led us into
no worse places than the cattail marshes and the stubble fields。
These； then； were the boys who camped with me that summer night
upon the sand bar。
After we finished our supper we beat the willow thicket for
driftwood。 By the time we had collected enough； night had fallen；
and the pungent； weedy smell from the shore increased with the
coolness。 We threw ourselves down about the fire and made another
futile effort to show Percy Pound the Little Dipper。 We had tried
it often before； but he could never be got past the big one。
〃You see those three big stars just below the handle； with the
bright one in the middle？〃 said Otto Hassler； 〃that's Orion's belt；
and the bright one is the clasp。〃 I crawled behind Otto's shoulder
and sighted up his arm to the star that seemed perched upon the tip
of his steady forefinger。 The Hassler boys did seine…fishing at
night； and they knew a good many stars。
Percy gave up the Little Dipper and lay back on the sand； his
hands clasped under his head。 〃I can see the North Star；〃 he
announced； contentedly； pointing toward it with his big toe。
〃Anyone might get lost and need to know that。〃
We all looked up at it。
〃How do you suppose Columbus felt when his compass didn't
point north any more？〃 Tip asked。
Otto shook his head。 〃My father says that there was another
North Star once； and that maybe this one won't last always。 I
wonder what would happen to us down here if anything went wrong
with it？〃
Arthur chuckled。 〃I wouldn't worry； Ott。 Nothing's apt to
happen to it in your time。 Look at the Milky Way！ There must be
lots of good dead Indians。〃
We lay back and looked； meditating； at the dark cover of the
world。 The gurgle of the water had become heavier。 We had often
noticed a mutinous； complaining note in it at night； quite
different from its cheerful daytime chuckle； and seeming like the
voice of a much deeper and more powerful stream。 Our water had
always these two moods： the one of sunny complaisance； the other of
inconsolable； passionate regret。
〃Queer how the stars are all in sort of diagrams；〃 remarked
Otto。 〃You could do most any proposition in geometry with 'em。
They always look as if they meant something。 Some folks say
everybody's fortune is all written out in the stars； don't they？〃
〃They believe so in the old country；〃 Fritz affirmed。
But Arthur only laughed at him。 〃You're thinking of Napoleon；
Fritzey。 He had a star that went out when he began to lose
battles。 I guess the stars don't keep any close tally on Sandtown
folks。〃
We were speculating on how many times we could count a hundred
before the evening star went down behind the cornfields； when
someone cried； 〃There comes the moon； and it's as big as a cart
wheel！〃
We all jumped up to greet it as it swam over the bluffs behind
us。 It came up like a galleon in full sail； an enormous； barbaric
thing； red as an angry heathen god。
〃When the moon came up red like that； the Aztecs used to
sacrifice their prisoners on the temple top；〃 Percy announced。
〃Go on； Perce。 You got that out of Golden Days。 Do you
believe that； Arthur？〃 I appealed。
Arthur answered； quite seriously： 〃Like as not。 The moon was
one of their gods。 When my father was in Mexico City he saw the
stone where they used to sacrifice their prisoners。〃
As we dropped down by the fire again some one asked whether
the Mound…Builders were older than the Aztecs。 When we once got
upon the Mound…Builders we never willingly got away from them； and
we were still conjecturing when we heard a loud splash in the
water。
〃Must have been a big cat jumping；〃 said Fritz。 〃They do
sometimes。 They must see bugs in the dark。 Look what a track the
moon makes！〃
There was a long； silvery streak on the water； and where the
current fretted over a big log it boiled up like gold pieces。
〃Suppose there ever was any gold hid away in this old
river？〃 Fritz asked。 He lay like a little brown Indian； close to
the fire； his chin on his hand and his bare feet in the air。 His
brother laughed at him； but Arthur took his suggestion seriously。
〃Some of the Spaniards thought there was gold up here somewhere。
Seven cities chuck full of gold； they had it； and Coronado and his
men came up to hunt it。 The Spaniards were all over this country
once。〃
Percy looked interested。 〃Was that before the Mormons went
through？〃
We all laughed at this。
〃Long enough before。 Before the Pilgrim Fathers； Perce。 Maybe
they came along this very river。 They always followed the
watercourses。〃
〃I wonder where this river really does begin？〃 Tip mused。
That was an old and a favorite mystery which the map did not
clearly explain。 On the map the little black line stopped
somewhere in western Kansas； but since rivers generally rose in
mountains； it was only reasonable to suppose that ours came from
the Rockies。 Its destination； we knew； was the Missouri； and the
Hassler boys always maintained that we could embark at Sandtown in
floodtime； follow our noses； and eventually arrive at New Orleans。
Now they took up their old argument。 〃If us boys had grit enough
to try it； it wouldn't take no time to get to Kansas City and St。
Joe。〃
We began to talk about the places we wanted to go to。 The
Hassler boys wanted to see the stockyards in Kansas City； and Percy
wanted to see a big store in Chicago。 Arthur was interlocutor and
did not betray himself。
〃Now it's your turn； Tip。〃
Tip rolled over on his elbow and poked the fire； and his eyes
looked shyly out of his queer； tight little face。 〃My place is
awful far away。 My Uncle Bill told me about it。〃
Tip's Uncle Bill was a wanderer； bitten with mining fever； who
had drifted into Sandtown with a broken arm； and when it was well
had drifted out again。
〃Where is it？〃
〃Aw； it's down in New Mexico somewheres。 There aren't no
railroads or anything。 You have to go on mules； and you run out of
water before you get there and have to drink canned tomatoes。〃
〃Well； go on； kid。 What's it like when you do get there？〃
Tip sat up and excitedly began his story。
〃There's a big red rock there that goes right up out of the
sand for about nine hundred feet。 The cou