“Wait a minute until I think, lad,” said the old man. “It may be that we can find a clue, after all. Nate Duncan left some papers behind. I haven’t looked at ’em, not wishing to make trouble, but there may be a clue there. I’ll get ’em.”
“And I’ll call Joe in to go over them with me,” said Blake. “He’ll want to see them.”
“But, mind you, not a word about what I’ve told you.”
“No, I’ll keep quiet,” promised Blake. “I’ll call him in, while you get the papers.”
Going to the door of the little cottage, Blake called to his chum.
“What is it?” asked Joe, eagerly. “Was there some mistake? Is my father somewhere around here, after all?”
“Well, we hope to find him,” said Blake, with an assurance he did not feel. “Look here, Joe, your father went away rather suddenly, it seems, but you mustn’t think anything about that. He’s been traveling all over, you know, looking for you and your sister——”
“Sister?” cried Joe.
“Yes, you had a sister, though I can’t get much information about her. Neither could your uncle tell you, as you remember.”
“That’s right. Oh, if I could only find dad and her!” and Joe sighed. “But maybe she isn’t alive.”