"During the whole of these proceedings I remained absolutely still, my acquaintance with the other world having taught me the wisdom of reticence. At this point, however, I resolved to attempt communication with my visitors, and, looking round for a person to whom I might address myself, I observed a bright little fellow of twelve years old staring about him in an absent-minded way, quite inattentive to all that was going on. As I walked over to where he was standing he saw me plainly, and showed not the least surprise on being addressed. "'What is your name, my little man?' I asked. "'Billy Burst,' said he. "'And what are you thinking about while all those people are making such a fuss?' "'_I am wondering how people weigh the planets_,' he answered. "'Come along with me,' said I, 'and I will show you just what you want to know.' "Then taking him by the hand I led him across the room to the seat I had just left; but though the sages who were present saw him cross the room, not one of them saw me, who was leading him by the hand. "I took out a sheet of paper and began to draw figures and work formulæ, the boy meanwhile standing by the side of my chair and saying not a word. When I had finished I said: "'Do you understand?' "'Perfectly,' he answered; 'I see it at last. Thank you ever so much.' "'Now Billy,' I said, 'there is something you can do for _me_. I want you to stand on that chair and tell the people that the person they are making the fuss about is named Panhandle, that you know him, that he is real and quite harmless, and that he hopes they won't shoot at him any more, because it hurts. Say you are _quite certain_ he is real, because he has just told you how the planets are weighed.' "'Dear Pan,' said Billy, 'don't ask me to do that. I never tell people about _you_; they would only laugh at me if I did. Let us keep just as we are, old fellow, and not tell our secret to anybody.' "Unprepared for a style of address so familiar, 'Why, Billy,' I said, 'I have never seen you before.' "'Are you quite sure you see me _now_?' he replied. "Our positions had become reversed--Billy sitting in my study chair that he might read over what I had written about the planets, I standing by his side. I looked down to answer his last question, and for the briefest fraction of a second a vision passed before me. The object beneath me was not my study chair, but a small iron bedstead on which there lay a boy, fast asleep. It passed in the twinkling of an eye, and I found myself seated as before at my desk; the half-finished report was before me, and, save myself, not a soul was in the room. 'It is certain,' thought I, 'that I am haunting somebody. In the name of all the secret Powers that guide the fates of men--whom am I haunting?'" * * * * *