, and all that night paced the rooms, watching
and waiting in vain for her son's return.

The news of Ralph's disappearance spread, and several parties went out to
hunt for him. Strange to say, one of the parties contained Squire Paget.

The squire went up to the islands in a private boat of his own. He remained
there probably half an hour. Then he returned and called at the Nelson
cottage.

"It is too bad, Mrs. Nelson," he said. "But I have, I am afraid, very bad
news for you."

CHAPTER XXXIV.

THE SQUIRE IN HOT WATER.

As the reader well knows, there was no love lost between Squire Paget and
the Nelsons. The squire had not treated Ralph and his mother fairly, and
they were inclined to look upon him with considerable distrust.

Yet when the squire entered the cottage with the announcement that he had
bad news to convey, the widow forgot all the past and began to question him
eagerly.

"You have bad news?" she faltered.

"I am sorry to say I have," he returned, in a hypocritical tone of
sympathy.

"And what is it?" she went on, her breast heaving violently.

"Pray, calm yourself, madam."

"I cannot wait, squire. You have news of Ralph! The poor boy has been--has
been----"

She could get no further.

"His body has not yet been found, Mrs. Nelson."

"Then he is dead!" she shrieked, and fell forward in a swoon.

Fortunately a neighbor arrived just at this moment, and this good woman,
aided by the squire, soon revived the widow. At the end of ten minutes she
sat up in a chair, her face as white as a sheet.

"Tell me--tell me all," she gasped out.

"There is not much to tell, unfortunately," returned the squire, smoothly.
"I was up to the islands in company with others, and I found strong
evidence that made me believe that Ralph fell over the cliff."

"Then he was killed!" burst out the neighbor.

"Most likely, Mrs. Corcoran. The cliff is more than a hundred feet high,
and the rocks below are sharp."

"But his body--what of that?" asked Mrs. Corcoran, for Mrs. Nelson was
unable to utter a word.

"His body must have been carried off by the current which sweeps around the
island, especially during such a breeze as we had recently."

"It must be true," cried Mrs. Nelson, bursting into tears. "I found his
fishing towel, and that was covered with blood. Oh, my poor Ralph!"

She went off into a fit of weeping, and in that state Squire Paget left her
to the attention of Mrs. Corcoran. He had e