ad of fresh meat at a pretty good
rate, while Captain Marsham and his companions stood gazing round, and
considered what direction it would be best to take.

Then a thought struck the captain, and he turned to the boy.

"Look here, my lad," he said quickly, "if you stay here I shall want you
to stop by the fire while we go about searching."

"She'll want her to stop by the fire?" said Watty in dismay.

"Yes."

"What, all alane?"

"Yes, while we search, so that some one may be here if Mr Stephen comes
back while we are gone."

"But alane by her nainsel'?" faltered Watty.

"Of course. There, be off with you. Run after the men; you can easily
overtake them."

"She dinna want to go after the men," said Watty stoutly. "She wants to
find Meester Stevey, and ye said I micht stop."

"Then you must do what I want you to do, sir. Are you afraid?"

"Aye, she's a bit skeary aboot stopping here all alane."

"Off with you, then!"

"Nay, she said I micht stop."

"Then you will have to stay and keep watch by the fire."

"She wants to go and find Meester Stevey."

"I have no time to argue with you, sir. Go or stay," said the captain
angrily.

"She's chust going to stop," said Watty sullenly.

"The boy has stuff in him," said the captain to Mr Handscombe; "and he
has a kind of attachment to Steve after all their bickerings and
fighting. Now, then, we must have another search; which way do you
recommend, Johannes?"

"There is no choice, sir," said the Norseman gravely; "one place is as
likely to be right as another. There is a little valley yonder behind
the coal. Shall we try that?"

"Yes," was the laconic answer; and the captain stood thinking for a few
moments, and using the little glass he carried to sweep the
mountain-side, and then the slopes and plain opening behind them.

"She'll pe getting ferry hungry," said Watty, "and she'd petter eat some
of the tear."

The captain shook his head.

"Eat, Johannes," he said. "You, too, Handscombe."

The Norseman nodded.

"I cannot eat now, sir," he said; "but I'll take enough with us for all.
We shall be faint and want food by-and-by."

"Yes, take some," said the captain. "Now, my man, you will keep up the
fire and have some of the meat they have left ready to cook when we
bring back Mr Stephen?"

"Tat's what she was gaen to do," said the lad quickly.

"We shall not be away more than an hour, if he comes back first. There
is nothing to mind."