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.
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