Part 11 (1/2)

”I don't knohat to make of it, at all,” he repeated ”Did you say you didn't see him, none of you? Didn't you see him, Clive?”

”No, sir,” said Clive ”When I waked, all the boys were up”

”Didn't he say anythin last night about intendin to do anythin this ”

”O, I'm sure he's misunderstood about the hour,” said Frank ”That's it He's off on a walk I dare say he's found so about time at all Put him in an old ruin, and he'd let all the breakfasts that ever were cooked wait before he'd hurry”

”Wal,” said Uncle Moses, ”there's somethin in that too David's dreadful fond of old stones, and old bones, and tumble-down edifices, and old sticks an weeds Why, he's all the tie'll becoht, which brought up before his mind what to him was an inexplicable peculiarity of David, Uncle Moses drew a breath of relief

”Wal,” said he, ”we'll have to wait patiently, till David's done with that there old ruin; an meantime I think I'll take a turn an see if I can see anythin of him”

Upon this Uncle Moses went out of the roo the street, he walked up and down the entire length of the town, looking eagerly in every direction, peering into the doors of houses, staring into space, scanning groves and vineyards, and every halfat it At the end of about half an hour, he returned more troubled than ever, and met Frank, Clive, and Bob in front of the hotel

”I can't find hiht nothing of David's disappearance; but the deep anxiety of Uncle Moses now excited their alarh, if left to the to fear in the fact of David's being an hour or so behind tian to see that, in one like David, such conduct was n country, of whose ways they were so ignorant, there er in such absence

They at once began to coo in different directions and see if they could find hi up the road in the direction of Sorrento; Frank went down the road; Clive took a by-road that led towards the hills; while Bob, as rather weak yet, and not capable of much exertion, said that he would watch from theof the hotel, and be at home, in case of David's return, to explain an their search, and Bob waited patiently in the hotel After about an hour Uncle Moses ca that David had not returned, he looked unspeakably distressed; and when, after a short tis of the fugitive, he began to look quite heartbroken

Then they talked to the driver about it; but the' driver could give them no information whatever They sent him over the hotel to question all the people, but this search was as vain as the others had been There was no one in the hotel, fro landlord down to the scullion, who could tell anything at all about David

By the time all these examinations and searches had been made it was after ten o'clock Breakfast had been served at seven, and seven was the hoar at which David should have been aone, therefore, an to feel uneasy Uncle Moses and all the boys began to rack their brains to find so for David's absence

”Did any of you ever hear of his walking in his sleep?” asked, Uncle Moses, in an agitated voice

”No,” said Bob, ”never I know he never did such a thing”

”He couldn't have taken a walk anywheres,” said Uncle Moses, ”or he'd been back long ago”

”O, yes; he wouldn't have started on a three hours' walk,” said Clive

”Perhaps he's tried a donkey ride, and been ran aith, like me,” said Bob

”O, no,” said Frank, ”he isn't fond of riding; he'd never get on the back of any ani about--about--?”

Uncle Moses hesitated at the question which he was about to ask

”About what, Uncle Moses?” asked Clive

”About--bathing?” asked Uncle Moses, in a faltering voice

”No,” said Clive