spoke there came a querulous
chorus from the gulls that were floating in the air close to the edge of
the cliff.

"No, no, it was not a gull," cried Joe.

"I did not say it weer," replied Hardock. "You can think what you like,
but I only says, `Wheer is he?'"

"He must be somewhere here," cried Joe; and he climbed about in all
directions for some time, and only gave up when he felt how impossible
it was that his comrade could be anywhere near.

"Theer, come on down, my lad," said Hardock at last.

"It's impossible for anyone to be here. There aren't a hole big enough
to hide a rabbit, let alone a boy."

They descended slowly toward the lower part of the slope, near the cliff
edge. Here Joe stopped short, for faintly, but perfectly distinct, came
the words, "Joe, ahoy!" and certainly from behind him.

"There, I knew he was up there!" cried the lad, excitedly; "come back.
I was sure of it."

He scrambled back as fast as he could, and Hardock followed him,
frowning, and stood looking on, while his companion searched once more
in every possible direction without avail.

"Ahoy, Gwyn. Y-doll!" he shouted through his hands. "Where are you?"

There was no reply, and after more searching and shouting, and with the
man's superstitious notions beginning to affect him, Joe stopped and
gazed blankly in his face.

"Well, d'yer begin to believe me now, my lad?" whispered Hardock.

"I can't help--" began the lad; and then he burst out with an emphatic.
"No, it's all nonsense! Gwyn must be here. Ahoy, Ydoll! Where are
you?"

His voice died away, and in obedience to an order from the man, Joe
began to descend the rugged slope again towards the green strip, which
ran along near the cliff edge.

"It's of no use fighting again' it, my lad," said Hardock, solemnly;
"they're a-mocking of you, and you might go on hunting all day long and
couldn't find nought. Let's go; we aren't safe here."

"I won't go," cried the boy, "and I won't believe what you think is
possible. Gwyn's somewhere about here. Now, think. Where is there
that we haven't searched?"

"Nowheres," whispered Hardock, and in spite of the bright sunshine
around them he kept on nervously glancing here and there.

"Why, if you go on like that in the middle of the day, Sam," cried the
boy, angrily, "what would you do if it was dark?"

"Dark! You don't know a man in Ydoll Cove as would come up here after
dark, my lad. It would be more than his life