“All rocks are pretty much alike, aren’t they?”
“Certainly not,” Penny corrected. “There are any number of varieties. This one is quartz unless I’m mistaken and it does resemble the one at the museum.”
“Maybe you can find some writing on it,” Louise teased. “The rock only weighs two or three hundred pounds. Shall I lift it for you so you can see the under side?”
“Don’t bother,” Penny retorted, eagerly examining the stone. “I’ve already found it.”
“Found what?”
“The writing! I knew this stone looked like the one at the museum!”
Louise was certain that her chum merely pretended to have made such an important discovery. However, as Penny continued to examine the rock in an intent, absorbed way, she decided to see for herself.
“Why, it’s true!” she exclaimed incredulously. “There is writing on the stone!”
Carved letters, so dimmed by age and weathering processes that they scarcely remained legible, had been cut unevenly in the hard surface.
“‘Went hence vnto heaven 1599,’” Louise deciphered slowly. “Why, 1599 would date this stone almost before there were known settlers in the country!”