“Did she say anything about it to you?”
“No.”
“Then I reckon your mother didn’t touch it. But I would like to be sure.”
They hunted around the cabin, but could see nothing of the jar. Then they visited the loft of the home. This had also been robbed of the few articles of value that it had contained.
“They came pretty close to making a clean sweep of it,” remarked Joe disconsolately.
“They are bound to make us give up living here, Joe.”
“It looks like it, Harry, but”—Joe drew a deep breath—“they shan’t scare me away—at least, not as long as anybody else is willing to remain in Boonesborough.”
“I say the same.”
A little later they returned to the fort and acquainted Mrs. Parsons and the girls with the conditions of affairs.
“I feared as much,” said Mrs. Parsons, with a shake of her head. “’Tis truly awful. But, Harry, art thee sure the jar is missing?”