Chapter Four

"Don't let him get away!" cried the boy and he ran over to the tree to see where the strange-looking man had gone.

Jennifer ran over too. She was still quite surprised by what she'd just seen, and she wasn't quite sure whether or not she believed it. She decided she'd like to, so she helped the boy look all around the tree to see if the strange-looking man was still there. He wasn't. He was definitely gone, but not for long. All at once he suddenly reappeared.

"Thank you!" he whispered and his voice was as soft as the wind. "Tree water is my favourite drink!"

"I was hoping it was," the boy told him.

"My very best favourite," he whispered again, then he put one long stick-like finger to his lips. "But shhhh, don't tell, it's a secret."

"Oh we won't," said the boy. "I promise!"

The strange-looking man smiled at them and Jennifer knew he was definitely true and as real as she was. She smiled and put her finger to her lips too. "Your secret is safe with me," she told him.

"Do you live around here?" asked the boy.

"I live in the ravine," he answered.

"In a house?"

"In a tree."

"But you come around up here sometimes," he said. "I've seen you."

'And I've seen you," said the strange-looking man.

"Last time was just after the big rainstorm we had," said the boy. "You were drinking some water from the crook of a tree. That's how I knew what you'd like."

"Are you looking for tree water today?" asked Jennifer.

"I'm looking for James Jasper Moffat," he replied, then he put a finger to his lips again and smiled mysteriously.

"That's my great-grandfather," said Jennifer. "He lives in a house, that one there. Do you want me to get him?"

"No need," said the strange-looking man and he put something small into Jennifer's hand. "I promised to let him borrow this. Tell him to come tomorrow afternoon. You both should come too."

"We will," said Jennifer. "But where are we going?"

"To the place where the new-moon stones appear!" he whispered back. "But shhh! Don't tell, it's a secret."

He put one of his slender fingers to his lips again, then slipped silently away.

"What was that?" asked Jennifer.

"Tree water," explained the boy and he picked up the cup. "I made it myself. First I scooped rain from the stump of a tree, then I dumped in leaves and some bark... "

"Not the what that was in the cup," interrupted Jennifer. "The what that was drinking it!"

"He's not a what, he's a who," explained the boy.

"What kind of a who?" asked Jennifer.

"Who knows! But whoever he is I've been trying to catch him for days, that's why I made him the tree water," said the boy and he started off towards the
ravine.

"Where are you going?" called out Jennifer.

"I don't want him to get away!"

"Well, tell me at least who you are!" called Jennifer.

"I'm Jamie!" the boy called back and then he was gone.