hat beast
had not long died when I passed it this morning.'

But after a while Jack got very tired and drowsy, and by the time they
reached the door of the ranch-house, he was lying fast asleep at the
bottom of the waggon, rolled up in rugs.

As the horses stopped at the door, Mrs. Stuart came out to welcome her
husband, and the bright blaze of light that streamed from the house
looked pleasant in truth to the cold and hungry man after his long
drive.

'I'm glad to see you back safely,' said his wife. 'How did you find
Pedro and the sheep?'

'In grand form,' he answered; 'and look here, in the waggon! I've got
a surprise for you and the children.'

Mrs. Stuart looked at the bundle curled up and asked, 'What have you
got there, Tom?'

'A little English boy, who'll take your heart by storm when you hear
his story. He's quite tired out, so I'll just carry him quietly in and
not disturb him.'

As he spoke he lifted the sleeping boy in his arms, and carrying him
into a nice warm room, laid him on a sofa near a stove, where a fire
was crackling merrily. Mrs. Stuart brought a soft blanket, and covered
him gently, and as he did not stir, they wisely decided to leave him to
finish out his sleep.

[Illustration: 'CARRYING HIM INTO A NICE WARM ROOM.']

The tired horses were looked after by one of the ranch hands, and Mr.
Stuart sat down to his supper. While he was eating it, he told his
wife Jack's story. It at once roused her sympathy, and she said,
'Brave little fellow! What miles he has come, to be sure! We must do
all we can to help him on to his people.'

'Yes; but I don't see any chance of his crossing the mountains until
next spring,' returned Mr. Stuart. 'It's very late now, and no one is
likely to come past here who would go over the divide at this time.'

'That's true,' agreed Mrs. Stuart, 'so we must do our best to make him
happy, and keep him here during the winter months.'

'I only hope he'll find his mother alive, if he does get to their
ranch,' remarked the Englishman dubiously. 'From what he told me, she
must have been very ill when she left Longview, and I should be afraid
the shock of his supposed death might have killed her.'

'Oh, Tom! How dreadful!' exclaimed his wife, quite distressed. 'I
can't bear to think of such a sad thing. I am sure the little fellow's
heart would break with grief.'

'Well! We will sincerely hope for the best, dear,' said her husband,
'and trust he will