re is no doubt whatever," Captain Murchison said, when the
two mates reported to him the result of their inquiries, "that the lads
must have been just at the spot where the riot broke out; the time at
which they passed exactly answered to it. But in that case what could
have become of them? Mr. Cookson has shown me the official list of the
killed as far as it is known at present. Their bodies have all been
found; but neither in that list, nor in the list of the wounded, is
there any mention of three young English lads. If they had been killed
their bodies would have been found with the others, and indeed their
uniforms would have at once attracted attention."

"What in the world can have become of them? Could they have been in one
of the houses that are burned?" Mr. Hoare suggested.

"I should hardly think that possible," the captain said. "Their remains
would have been found, and would have been returned in the list as three
persons unrecognized; but all the bodies seem to have been identified."

"Perhaps they have been carried off, and are prisoners somewhere," Mr.
Timmins suggested.

"That is more likely, Mr. Timmins. They may have been taken for
midshipmen belonging to one of the ships of war, and have been seized by
someone in the hope of getting a handsome ransom for them. Anyhow, I
cannot believe that they are dead; or, at any rate, if they have been
killed, it has not been in a fight in the street, or their bodies must
have been found. I am most anxious about them, but I cannot believe that
the worst has happened to them."

Captain Murchison had bills printed in English, French, Italian, and
Egyptian and distributed through the town, offering a reward for any
information that would lead to the discovery, either dead or alive, of
the missing lads. The bills met with no response. The Egyptians engaged
in the attack upon the shops, who alone could have furnished information
regarding the boys, were afraid to come forward, as they could not have
done so without admitting their share in the massacre. As he could do
nothing more, Captain Murchison left the matter in the hands of Mr.
Cookson, the English consul, and a week after the riot the _Wild Wave_
sailed for Smyrna, Captain Murchison saying that he should look in at
Alexandria on his way back, and that the boys if found were to await his
return there. He did not write home to announce their disappearance; his
belief that they must be still alive was strong, a