"Has he ever been taken that way?" asked Mr. Gould quickly.
"Not that I ever heard. Aunt would know."
"We will ask her if we don't find him on the road. Do you know whether your uncle had any particular business in Rockmount to-day?"
"No; I didn't hear him say why he was going. I asked him to take me, but he thought two would be too heavy a load for the horse such a long distance."
"He is very considerate of the Captain, more so than I am," said Mr. Gould, laughing. "I drove to Rockmount with Mrs. Gould, who weighs considerably more than you, only last week, but I couldn't see that the horse minded it much. There's one thing I'm sure of, your uncle wouldn't over-drive the horse."
"No, he doesn't drive fast enough for me. If I had gone, I would have asked him to let me drive."
"Then perhaps it's just as well that you didn't go, Dean."
They reached the point where it was necessary to decide whether to go by the creek road or through the woods.
"I declare, Dean, it puzzles me to decide which way to go."
"If anything happened to uncle on the creek road somebody would be sure to pass and see him."