around somewhere," and Joe mentioned the missing blue box.

"You must hunt for that blue box by all means!" cried the rich boy.
"I'll help you."

After the death of Hiram Bodley, Joe and two of the lake guides had
managed to repair one room of the broken-down cabin, and from this the
funeral had taken place.

The room contained a bed, a table, two benches and a few dishes and
cooking utensils The floor was bare and the window was broken out. It
was truly a most uninviting home.

"Of course you are not going to stay here, now you are alone?" said Ned,
after a look around.

"I don't know where else to go, Ned."

"Why not move into town!"

"Perhaps I will. But I want to find that blue box before I decide on
anything."

Without delay the two boys set to work among the ruins, looking into
every hole and corner they could think of and locate. They pulled away
heavy boards and logs, and Joe even got a spade and dug up the ground at
certain points.

"It doesn't seem to be here," said Ned, after an hour had passed.