the first time, the line of chestnuts. They wondered at this
row of trees, many of them old and bent and began to follow
it. They walked on and on, and at last when they came
to the end of the line they were near the mountain.
They sat down to rest, and while sitting there, one of the
men noticed a few bleached bones lying beside his foot. He
carelessly stirred them about, and there among them was a
rusted object. It looked like an old jack-knife. They ex
ammined it for a few minutes and then the truth dawned
upon them. The mysterious disappearance had been ex
plained. The chestnut trees showed where the nuts had
dropped from the boy’s pockets during his efforts to free
himself, the pile of bones and the rusty jack-knife showed
where he had' met his death. ”
The landlord rose from his chair, yawned, and remarked
that we might have rain before night.
But I was still thinking about the chestnuts.
“But, landlord, how did they know that an eagle had
carried the boy off?”
He slowly rubbed his chin, and at last said:
“Well, I really can’t tell you, but then that’s what they
say.”
I knew it was of no use to question further, so I settled
with my host, and mounted my horse which had been
brought around for me.
“I must try and reach Wilton before evening. Well
good day landlord.”
“Good-day sir and a pleasant ride to you.”