tly stirring up the police, or
riding about the country, with Alan at his side, trying to gather some
information. Nor were he and Alan alone in the search. The whole
neighbourhood, rich and poor alike, were on the alert, in doing all in
their power to help, though their efforts were fruitless. On hearing all
that Alan had to tell, many believed that Estelle must have been crushed
under the falling stones; or else, should she have succeeded in getting
through the passage, she must have fallen into the sea, and have been
swept away by the tide.

Colonel De Bohun consequently consulted the sailors at the coastguard
station. The officer, who was a personal friend, said that the tide had
been quite deep enough at the hour mentioned to have swept the little
girl away, and the currents were very strong in and around the bay. The
evening had been memorable to him, for a French fishing vessel had been
daring enough to ply its nets in English waters--that is, within the
three-mile limit--and he had sent the news to one of the revenue
gunboats. The stranger had, however, been so cleverly handled that it
had got away in time, and no chase had been made.

Meantime the Earl of Lynwood had to be informed. No one was surprised
when a telegram was received telling them that he had started for home,
and would be with them as quickly as train and boat could bring him.
This news depressed the children even more. It seemed to them that all
hope of finding Estelle must have been given up before so serious a step
as sending for their uncle had to be taken. But this their father
denied. He comforted them with hopes that their uncle might think of
fresh measures which might be more successful in discovering some trace
of their cousin.

Lord Lynwood's arrival certainly caused the search to be renewed with
vigour; but, alas! as time went on, hope dwindled, and there was
scarcely a person who believed the little girl to be alive. Lord Lynwood
was almost the only person who refused to give up the search. It was
quite possible, he said, that she had been carried off by Thomas or his
companion, in spite of Alan's not seeing her with them.

Clinging to the idea, the Earl sent for detectives and put the matter
into their hands. They had means for carrying out their researches at
home and abroad, which must, he considered, lead to obtaining some
information sooner or later.

Meanwhile, the Earl lingered on at the Moat House as long as his leave
o