t, checked the question on his lips; and yet
he thought, as the officer walked away, it was not probable. Had James
been foolish enough to take part in such a business, he would either
have been taken prisoner, or would, after he escaped, have returned
home. He had evidently not been taken prisoner, or the officer would
have been sure to mention it.

Much puzzled, he walked slowly back to the fishermen. Some of the boats
had already pushed off. He went up to three of the men, whose boat,
being higher up than the rest, would not be afloat for another quarter
of an hour.

"Look here, lads," he said. "My young friend Jim Walsham is missing
this morning, and hasn't been at home all night. As none of the fishing
boats put out in the evening he cannot have gone to sea. Can any of you
tell me anything about him?"

The men gave no answer.

"You need not be afraid of speaking to me, you know," he went on, "and
it's no business of mine whether any of the men on the shore were
concerned in that affair. The lieutenant has just been telling me of
last night; but hearing of that, and finding Jim is missing, I can't
help thinking there is some connection between the two things. Nothing
you say to me will go further, that I can promise you; but the lad's
mother will be in a terrible way. I can't make it out, for I know that,
if he had anything to do with this smuggling business, he would have
told me. Again, if he was there and got away, he would naturally have
come straight home, for his absence would only throw suspicion upon
him."

"Well, Mr. Wilks," the youngest of the sailors said, "I don't know
nothing about it myself. No one does, so far as I know, but I have
heard say this morning as how he was there or thereabouts; but don't
you let out as I told you, 'cause they would want to know who I heard
it from."

"You can rely upon my silence, my lad, and here's half a guinea to
drink my health between you. But can't you tell me a little more?"

"Well, sir, they do say as how it war Mr. Jim as came running down into
the middle of them on the beach, shouting the alarm, with the revenue
men close at his heels. I don't say as it were he--likely enough it
weren't--but that's the talk, and that's all I have heared about the
matter. How he came for to know of it, or how he got there, no one
knows, for sartin he has had nought to do with any landings afore. He
was a lot among us, but I know as he never was told about it; for,
though