"Somebody's been here!" said David as they hurried forward to examine the cairn.
"'Tis wonderful strange to pile stones that way," said Micah. "'Tis new made, too."
"Maybe it's a cache," suggested Lige, "but it's a rare small un. Look and see. 'Tis a strange place for a cache!"
David lifted the flat stone from the top and discovered beneath it a small tin can. In the can was a folded paper. He removed the paper and unfolding it discovered a message written in a cramped, scrawling hand.
"Read un, Davy! Read un out loud! You reads writin' good!" said Lige, and David read:
"i cum and stayed 2 hour, and wood not stay no longer for i hed to go and did not see you comin any were. Then i gos to the rock were We Was the day We was hunting Wen We come here ferst time. Then i done this way. i Pases 20 Pases up To a Hackmatack Tree. it was north. then i Pases 40 Pases west To a round rock, Then i Pases 60 Pases south To a wite berch i use cumpus. Then i climes a spruce Tree and hangs it and it is out of site in the Branches. if You plays me Crookid look out, i wont Stand for no Crooked work and You know what i will do to anybody plays me Crooked. You no Were to put my haf of the Swag. So i can get it Wen i go to get it."
There was no signature.
"That's a strange un—wonderful strange," said David.
"Stranger'n anything I ever sees," declared Lige.
"Whatever is un all about?" asked Micah.