On the Trail of Pontiac | Page 9

other things which I didn't pick up because of the
snow an' the wind. Here are the things I did bring along," and Sam
Barringford brought them forth from a bag he had carried and laid them
in a pile on the table.
CHAPTER IV
SEARCHING FOR CLEWS
The others gathered around and surveyed the articles Barringford had
brought along with keen interest. The money amounted to two pounds
and six shillings, some in Spanish coin, but mostly in English. The
pistols were English weapons, but the knife was such as could be
bought at any frontier town in the colonies. The watch was a large,
open-faced affair, and on the dial was marked, Richard Gardell, Maker,

London, 1742.
"Hard to tell if he was an Englishman or a colonist," mused James
Morris. "What of his clothing, Sam?"
"Almost torn to ribbons by the wild beasts."
"We'll have to go back to the spot as soon as the storm clears away,"
said Joseph Morris.
"You didn't find anything with the man's name on it?" came from Dave.
"Nary a thing, lad. But my search wasn't any too good, remember,"
answered Barringford.
"As soon as I saw the babies I started for here with 'em."
"Each has a locket around its neck," came from Mrs. Morris suddenly.
"Perhaps they will give some clew."
"I trust they do," answered her husband. "That man may have been
their father or otherwise only a servant sent to take them to some place.
But, be that as it may, we must discover where the little ones belong."
"Oh, let us keep them!" burst in little Nell "I want some little brothers
to play with!"
"Hush, dear!" came from the mother. "Mayhap the mother of these
little ones is this moment mourning for them and wondering where they
can be."
The lockets were small, oval affairs, rather hard to open until a thin
knife blade was inserted between the two parts of each. One contained
a miniature of an old lady in court dress and the other a portrait of an
elderly gentleman, with powdered wig and gold-rimmed spectacles.
The face of each was full of kindness and nobleness.
"Two fine old folks, I'll warrant," came from Joseph Morris.

"More than likely the grandparents of the little ones," returned his
brother.
"The lockets seem new," said Rodney. "Perhaps they were christening
presents, or given to the babies on their first birthday."
"The babies look very much alike and seem of an age," said Mrs.
Morris, who had by this time fed them all they cared to eat. "I doubt not
but that they are twins."
"Just what I was thinking," said Henry. "You had better remember
which locket belongs to each, or you may get 'em mixed up."
"Mercy on us! I never thought of that!" exclaimed his mother. "Let me
see,--yes, the first locket came from this one," and she hastened to
replace it.
"There is a slight difference in their looks," said Dave, after a close
survey of the two tiny faces. "One has a rounder chin than the other and
a flatter nose."
"Dave is right," answered his aunt. "But the difference is not very
great."
"Will you keep the babies for the present?" questioned Sam
Barringford. "I don't know what to do with 'em, I'm sartin."
"To be sure we will," said Mrs. Morris. "Poor dears! if it was their
father who was killed, it may go hard with them."
The matter was talked over during the meal and for two hours
afterward, but none could reach any conclusion regarding the identity
of the little strangers. All agreed that the best thing to do would be to
look for more clews as soon as the weather permitted.
There was a large Indian basket in the cabin, in which Dave and Henry
usually brought in kindling for the fire. This was emptied and cleaned
and in it was made a comfortable bed for the babies to sleep on. Having

satisfied their hunger and become thoroughly warm both slept soundly,
nor did they awaken until early morning.
By sunrise the storm was practically over, although a few hard particles
of snow still whirled down in the high wind. Joseph Morris said they
had better wait an hour or two longer for the wind to go down, and this
was done.
"Can I go along?" asked Dave eagerly. "I'm sure I won't mind the walk
at all."
"I'd like to go, too," added Henry; and when the party started it
consisted of the two youths, their fathers, and Sam Barringford.
The men took turns at leading the way and breaking open the trail, no
mean task when in some spots the snow lay to a depth of four and five
feet. They kept as much as possible in