own the beach in search of them. But the terrible
struggle with the surf, following upon the long exposure to the storm,
had completely exhausted him, and he was sorely bruised besides.
Turning his face up to the strange man, who seemed to have nothing
further to say on his own account, he asked him anxiously,--

"Where's Major Maunsell? Is he all right?"

Instead of answering, the man looked away from Eric, and there was an
expression on his face that somehow sent a chill of dread to the boy's
heart.

"Please tell me what has happened. Oh, take me to him, won't you?
He's looking after me, you know," he pleaded earnestly, the tears
beginning to well from his eyes.

Still the big man kept silence. Then as Eric pressed him with
entreaty, he suddenly wheeled about and spoke in gruffer tones than he
had so far used,--

"You'd best be still and keep quiet. You'll never see Major Maunsell,
as you call him, or any of the rest of them again, and you might just
as well know it first as last."

At these dreadful words Eric raised himself by a great effort to a
sitting posture, gazed into the man's face as though hoping to find
some sign of his not being in earnest, and then with a cry of frantic
grief flung himself back and buried his face in his hands, while his
whole frame shook with the violence of his sobbing.

The man stood watching him in silence, although his face, hard and
stern as it was, gave evidence of his being moved to sympathy with the
boy. He seemed to be thinking deeply, and to be in much doubt as to
what he should do. He was just about to stoop down and lift Eric up,
when a harsh, grating voice called out,--

"Hallo, Ben! What have you got there?"

CHAPTER IV.

ALONE AMONG STRANGERS.

Ben started as though he had been caught at some crime, and there was a
sulky tone in his voice that showed very plainly that he resented the
appearance of the questioner, as he replied,--

"Only a boy and a dog."

The other man drew near and inspected Eric closely. Prince at once
sprang to his feet, and taking up his position between the new-comer
and his young master, fixed his big eyes upon the former, while his
teeth showed threateningly, and a deep growl issued from between them.

It was no wonder that the sagacious mastiff's suspicions were aroused,
for surely never before had his eyes fallen upon so sinister a specimen
of humanity. The man was of little more than medium height; but his
fram