n elderly man of sedate aspect, and after a little general talk,
beginning with the weather and ending with tobacco, he produced the
photograph and broached the subject of Captain Gething.

"Well, I've seen a man very much like it," said his new friend after a
prolonged study.

"Where?" asked Dick eagerly.

"I won't say it's the same man," said the other slowly, as he handed the
portrait back, "but if it ain't him it's his brother."

"Where?" repeated Dick impatiently.

"Well, I don't know that I ought to interfere," said the man; "it ain't
my business."

"If a bob would--" began Dick.

"It would," said the man, smiling as he pocketed it. "He lives at
Piggott's Bay," he said impressively.

"And where might that be?" inquired the seaman.

The man turned and pointed across a piece of untidy waste ground to a
coastguard's path which wound its way along the top of the cliffs.

"Follow that path as straight as you can go," said he.

"How far?" said Dick.

"Well, some people make a long journey of it, and some a short one,"
said the other oracularly. "Shall we say six miles?"

Dick said he would sooner say three.

"An easy six, then," said the man smiling indulgently. "Well, good-day
to you."

"Good-day, mate," said Dick, and plunging into the _debris_ before him,
started on his walk.

It was unfortunate for him in the sequel that Sam and the cook, who had
started out for a quiet stroll, without any intention of looking
for Captain Gething, or any nonsense of that kind, had witnessed the
interview from a distance. By dint of hurrying they overtook the elderly
man of sedate aspect, and by dint of cross-questioning, elicited the
cause of Dick's sudden departure.

"Which way is it?" inquired Sam.

"You follow him," said the man, indicating the figure in front as it
slowly ascended the cliff, "and you'll be there as soon as he will."

The comfortable stroll was abandoned, and the couple, keeping at a
respectful distance, followed their unconscious comrade. The day was
hot, and the path, which sometimes ran along the top of the cliff and
sometimes along the side of it, had apparently escaped the attention
of the local County Council. No other person was in sight, and the
only things that moved were a few sheep nibbling the short grass, which
scampered off at their approach, and a gull or two poised overhead.

"We want to get there afore 'e does," said Sam, treading gingerly along
a difficult piece of path