ep. If his
ward chose to sleep at meal time it was no fault of his. He ate
leisurely, and when he was through lighted a cigar, and, prompted by
compunction perhaps, looked into Charley's room. It was vacant. A sudden
anxiety seized him, and nervously and excitedly he searched the deck and
the smoking room. Charley was nowhere to be found, and in a state of
panic he reported the disappearance to Captain Barcus.

The Captain immediately instituted an investigation, and a minute search
of the ship was made, but nowhere was Charley to be found, and with
every moment Mr. Hugh Wise grew more excited.

Members of the crew were called before the Captain and Mr. Wise and
quizzed. The sailor to whom Charley had spoken and of whom he had
requested a passage ashore, recalled the incident. The mate stated that
Charley had also come to him and asked permission to go ashore in the
ship's boat at Pinch-In Tickle, but as there was no room in the boat,
permission had been denied. The men who manned the boat were then
questioned, and all were agreed that he had not been in the boat and had
not gone ashore, and they were equally positive that he had not gone
ashore at any other harbour where the vessel had stopped during the day.

Barney MacFarland recalled his conversation with Charley, when he was
going off watch. He stated that the lad had seemed most unhappy and
lonesome, and complained that Mr. Wise had done little to make the
voyage a pleasant one for him, or to help him find entertainment. He was
not on deck when Barney went on duty at eight bells.

So fertile is the imagination that two of the sailors were quite
positive they had seen Charley leaning at the rail during the afternoon,
and after the ship's departure from Pinch-In Tickle.

The steward was quite sure Charley had not eaten the midday meal. As
there was some sea running, he had supposed that Charley had a touch of
seasickness and had preferred not to eat. He had not seen Charley since
breakfast, and had not been in his stateroom since early morning.

"What can we do?" asked Mr. Wise, now in complete panic. "Will you turn
back?" he plead in a voice trembling with apprehension and fear. "Will
you look for him, Captain? You'll turn the ship back and look for him!
You must! You must at once! We _must_ find him!"

"Where would we look?" asked Captain Barcus.

"At the harbours where we stopped! At Pinch-In Tickle, or whatever you
call it! Everywhere! Everywhere!" plead