Page:Guy Boothby--A Bid for Fortune.djvu/302

292 Having done this, the boat was to return and wait for us.

Quickly we splashed our way back to the beach, and then, plunging into the undergrowth, began our search for the missing man. It was like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay, and as one of the hands remembered seeing him descending the hill we devoted our attentions to that side. For nearly two hours we searched, but without success. Not a sign of the gentleman was to be seen. Could he have mistaken his way and be even now searching for us on another beach? To make sure of this we set off and thoroughly searched the two bays in the direction he would most likely have taken. But still without success. Perhaps he had been captured and carried back to the huts. In that case we had better proceed thither and try to rescue him. This, however, was a much more serious undertaking, and you may imagine it was with considerable care that we approached the plateau.

When we got there the huts were as quiet as when I had first made their acquaintance. Not a sound came up to the top of the little precipice save the wind in the palms at its foot. It seemed difficult to believe that there had been such a tumult on the spot so short a time before.

Again, with infinite care, we crept down to the huts, this time, however, without encountering a soul. The first building was empty, so was the second, and so was the third. This was quite unexpected, and rendered the situation even more mysterious.

By the time we had thoroughly explored the plateau and its surroundings it was nearly daylight, and still we had discovered no trace of the missing man. Just as the sun rose above the sea line we descended the hill