t to before. But I hardly think
that she can be on board one of the yachts here."

"I feel convinced that she is not, George. They could hardly keep
her gagged all this time, and at night a scream would be heard
though the skylights were closed."

"No, sir; if she was put on board here I feel sure that they would
have got up sail at once."

"That is just what I feel. Likely enough they had the mainsail
already up and the chain short, and directly the boat was up at the
davits they would have got up the anchor and been off. They may be
twenty miles away by this time; though whether east or west one has
no means of even guessing. The wind is nearly due north, and they
may have gone either way, or have made for Cherbourg or Havre. It
depends partly upon her size. If she is a small craft, they can't
get far beyond that range. If she is a large one, she may have gone
anywhere. The worst of it is that unless we can get some clue as to
her size we can do absolutely nothing. A good many yachts went off
today both east and west, and by the end of the week the whole
fleet will be scattered, and even if we do get the size of the
yacht, I don't see that we can do anything unless we can get her
name too.

"If we could do that, we could act at once. I should run up to
town, lay the case before the authorities at Scotland Yard, and get
them to telegraph to every port in the kingdom, that upon her
putting in there the vessel was at once to be searched for two
ladies who were believed to have been forcibly carried away in
her."

"And have those on board arrested, I suppose, Major?"

"Well, that would have to be thought over, George. Carthew could
not be brought to punishment without the whole affair being made
public. That is the thing above all others to be avoided."

"Yes, I see that, sir; and yet it seems hard that he should go off
unpunished again."

"He would not go unpunished, you may be sure," Frank said, grimly;
"for if the fellow ever showed his face in London again, I would
thrash him to within an inch of his life. However, sure as I feel,
it is possible that I am mistaken. Miss Greendale is known to be an
only daughter, and an heiress, and some other impecunious scamp may
have conceived the idea of making a bold stroke for her fortune. It
is not likely, but it is possible."

Until morning broke, the two men paced the deck together. Scarcely
a word was spoken. Frank was in vain endeavouring to think what
course h