It was a few days after the Hendricks left town when Hoss and Adam were running errands in town. They were both in the wagon with the supplies in back. Hoss was driving and Adam was slouched next to him, his black hat over his eyes, trying to get some sleep.

"You know, Adam, we're close to the Hendricks' place." Hoss looked down at his brother, "maybe we should take a detour and just check that place out."

Adam shrugged his shoulders and remained slouched in the seat, "You're the driver, I'm just along for the ride."

Hoss looked down at his older brother, and then smiled. He grabbed the reins and got the horses into a gallop, knocking his brother around in his seat.

"HEY! Watch what you're doing!" Adam glared at Hoss. Hoss gave Adam an innocent look from his blue eyes.

"Don't know what you're talking about, brother. Guess the horses got spooked."

"Spooked nothing! I expect this type of behavior from a certain younger brother, but not you." Adam shifted in his seat, trying to get comfortable, as Hoss got the horses into a nice walk.

Adam was about to continue his tirade, but Hoss held up his hand. "Shhh listen, can't you hear it?"

Adam was about to say he couldn't hear anything, but then, very faintly there came a cry. "It sounds like a baby's cry."

Hoss looked at Adam, eyes wide open. "You don't think there could be one…" Adam pulled him self up in the seat and motioned with his head for Hoss to go on toward the Hendricks place.

As they got to the farmhouse the cry was louder. "You don't think there really was a baby someone left there?"

Adam looked at his brother and licked his lips. "We better find out."

They tore the boards off the front door and went inside. Inside, the house was neat with only the larger pieces of furniture still there. Mr. Miller from the bank had most of the furnishings sold and the money wired ahead to the Hendricks' bank in the east.

Adam and Hoss went from room to room trying to listen for the crying they heard. While they didn't find anything crying, they did find little bits that reminded them a family did live there. The walls showed the faded spots where pictures were hung. A bureau drawer half opened in the bedroom showed scraps of ribbons that Fanny Hendricks was saving for fancy work. In a corner were quilt patches waiting to be sewn together for the baby quilt Fanny was making for David's first birthday.

In the kitchen, next to the empty fireplace was the cradle, an old blanket half in it. Frank had made the wooden cradle by hand for the first of Fanny's pregnancies. David was the only Hendricks' baby that ever slept in it.

It was late by the time the Cartwright brothers had finished searching the house, but once again, they heard a baby crying faintly. Adam narrowed his eyes and picked up the blanket from the cradle.

"Hoss, go to Zeke Fletcher's place and see if you can borrow those hounds of his. If they're as good as he brags, we should be able to find something."

Hoss gave a quick release of breath, "He ain't going to like that much. It's late now."

Adam's jaw tightened. "He'll like it less if we don't find out what's crying." Hoss nodded and got into the wagon.