diff --git a/btree.cpp b/btree.cpp
index 8635805..b2af444 100644
--- a/btree.cpp
+++ b/btree.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
 #include "btree.h"
 
 bool 
@@ -35,6 +36,17 @@
   return size;
 } // bTree::calcSize
 
+uPtr
+bTree::getFirstDeleted(void) {
+
+  if (!memoryTree) {
+    if (!vfs->fSeek((int)&info->firstDeleted- (int)info)) exit(42);
+    if (!vfs->fRead(&info->firstDeleted, sizeof(info->firstDeleted))) exit(42);
+  }  // if not memoryTree
+
+  return info->firstDeleted;
+} // bTree::getFirstDeleted
+
 void
 bTree::setNull(uPtr & u) {
   u.offset = 0;
diff --git a/btree.h b/btree.h
index 371be63..52bb712 100644
--- a/btree.h
+++ b/btree.h
@@ -10,13 +10,14 @@
   compareKeyFunc compareKey;
   copyKeyProc    copyKey;
   keySizeFunc    keySize;
-  bTreeInfo *    info;
-  bTreeVFS *     vfs;
+  bTreeInfo    * info;
+  bTreeVFS     * vfs;
   bool           memoryTree;
   bool           treeChanged; 
 
   int      align(int);
   int      calcSize(TbNode *);
+  uPtr     getFirstDeleted(void);
   void     setNull(uPtr &);
  public:
            bTree(char *, uInt32, treeTypes, bTreeVFS *);