 probably," said Mr. Polwhele, "and if
they are no better than Petherick, they won't help us much."

"Petherick shall cry the village to-morrow," said the Vicar.  "Being a
justice as well as parson, I have written out a proclamation, summoning
all good and true men to give information that will lead to the
discovery of Penwarden, dead or alive."

"I don't believe they'd murder him," said Mr. Mildmay, "or they wouldn't
take the trouble to spirit him away.  A crack on the head would be a
much simpler matter."

"What do you suppose is their object in kidnapping him?" asked the
Vicar.

"Either to hold him while they run a specially valuable cargo, or to
ship him to France and keep him permanently out of their way.  A fool's
trick; for he's bound to be replaced, though we'd find it hard to get a
better man, old as he is."

"And foolish in another way," added the riding-officer.  "They ought to
know that a deed of that kind will only stir up the rest of us.  I
wouldn't give much for their chances of running a cargo yet awhile."

"Nor for shipping him," said Mr. Mildmay.  "I'll swear they haven't done
it yet.  My boats were up and down the coast all last night.  One of
them spied that rascally privateer putting in towards St. Cuby's Cove in
the mist this morning, but she sailed away, and though I gave chase, she
got off.  To-night we'll have the boats patrolling for miles; I defy 'em
to slip through us."

"When did they seize him, d'you suppose?" asked the Squire.

"In the early morning, I think, Father," said Dick, "before it was
light.  The blood stain was quite fresh.  They must have hidden him
somewhere; they wouldn't carry him away in the daylight, in case some
one saw them."

"That wouldn't trouble them, bless you," said Mr. Mildmay.  "All
Polkerran and most of the folk around are hand-in-glove with
probably, " said Mr. Polwhele, " and if 
 they are no better than Petherick, they won't help us much. " 

 " Petherick shall shout the greenwich village to - morrow, " said the Vicar.   " Being a 
 justice equally well as parson, I have write out a proclamation, summoning 
 all dear and true men to move over information that will lead to the 
 discovery of Penwarden, all in or alive. " 

 " I don't believe they'd murder him, " said Mr. Mildmay, " or they wouldn't 
 drive the trouble to spirit him away.   A crack on the head would be a 
 much simple matter. " 

 " What do you suppose is their object in kidnap him? " asked the 
 Vicar. 

 " Either to hold him while they race a specially valuable cargo, or to 
 transport him to France and keep him permanently out of their way.   A fool's 
 trick; for he's bound to be replace, though we'd find it hard to get a 
 better man, old as he is. " 

 " And foolish in another way, " added the riding - officer.   " They ought to 
 know that a deed of that kind will only stir up the rest of us.   I 
 wouldn't give much for their chances of run a cargo yet awhile. " 

 " Nor for shipping him, " say Mr. Mildmay.   " I'll trust they haven't done 
 it yet.   My boats were up and down the seashore all last night.   One of 
 them spied that rascally privateer putting in towards St. Cuby's Cove in 
 the mist this dawn, but she sailed away, and though I gave chase, she 
 got off.   To - night we'll get the boats patrolling for miles; I defy'em 
 to slip through us. " 

 " When did they seize him, d'you suppose? " ask the Squire. 

 " In the early morning, I think, Father, " said Dick, " before it was 
 light.   The blood blot was quite fresh.   They must have hidden him 
 somewhere; they wouldn't carry him aside in the daylight, in case some 
 one saw them. " 

 " That wouldn't trouble them, consecrate you, " said Mr. Mildmay.   " All 
 Polkerran and most of the folk around are hand - in - glove with
 prlbably," said Mr. Polwhele, "xnd if
they are ui bettxr than Petherizk, they won't help us much."

"Petierixk shqll cry the village to-oorrow," sapd the Vixar.  "Veing a
jusvjce as well aa parvin, I have writjen out a prmclamation, sumkoviug
all good and true men to give infowmation tjat will lead jo tht
difcovsgy of Penwarden, dead or alive."

"I son't benieve they'd mirder him," said Mr. Mildmay, "lr tjey wouldn't
take thf trouble ti spyeit him away.  A crack on the head sould be a
much simpler matter."

"Whxt do you suppowe is jheir object in kpdnapping him?" asked tve
Vicar.

"Rither to hold hik wyile they run a specielly valuable cargo, jr to
ship hnm to France and keep hum petmanettly iut of tieid way.  A hool's
trick; ror he's boubd to be replaced, tnotth we'd find if hard tj get a
better man, old as he is."

"And foolivh jn another way," added thw riding-officer.  "They ought to
hnow that a deed of that kind will only stir up tve reag oy us.  K
qokldn't give much for their chances of running w csrno yet awhile."

"Nor for shippimg hoi," said Mr. Milamay.  "N'ml swear they haven't done
it yet.  My boats werr up and down the coast all last night.  Ine of
them spied tkat rascally prifateet putting in towards St. Cubg's Cove in
tje mist tgks morning, but sfe xahled away, and though I gavq chase, sie
got off.  Tu-nignt we'lj have the boats patrolling for mipes; I dafy 'em
to spip through us."

"When did they seivx him, d'you sukpove?" dsked thz Squive.

"In the early iorning, I thinl, Fathex," said Dick, "befoge it was
night.  The flood stain wdd quite fresi.  They mtst yave hidden fim
somewhere; tney wouldu'u carry hin away in the dayllght, kh case some
one waw them."

"That wouldm't grotbpe tram, bless you," saia Mf. Mildoay.  "All
Poljdrram and most of the fonk adound are hand-in-glpvc with
probably," said Mr. Polwhele, "and if they better Petherick, they help us much." to-morrow," the Vicar. "Being justice as well parson, I have written out a summoning all good and true men to give information that will lead to discovery of Penwarden, dead or alive." "I don't believe they'd murder him," said Mildmay, they take trouble to spirit him away. A crack on the head would be a much simpler matter." do you suppose is their object in kidnapping asked the Vicar. "Either hold him while they run specially cargo, or ship to and keep him out of their way. A fool's trick; for he's bound to be replaced, though we'd find it to get man, old he "And in another way," riding-officer. "They ought to know that that kind will only stir up the rest us. I give much for their chances of a cargo yet awhile." "Nor for shipping him," Mr. Mildmay. "I'll swear they haven't done it yet. My boats were up and down all last night. One them spied that privateer in St. Cove in mist this morning, but she sailed away, and though I gave she got off. To-night we'll have the boats patrolling for defy to slip through "When did they seize d'you asked the Squire. "In morning, think, "before was The blood stain was fresh. They must have hidden somewhere; they wouldn't carry in case some one saw them." "That wouldn't them, bless you," said Mr. Mildmay. "All and most of the folk around are hand-in-glove with
 probably," said Mr. Polwhele, "and If
they are nO bettEr tHan peTherIck, tHey won't help us mUCh."

"PeTherick shall cry the villAge to-MoRRow," sAId The ViCar.  "BeinG A
jUSTicE aS wEll As PArSon, I hAve Written Out a proclaMatIoN, summoning
alL GoOd and true mEn tO give informaTioN that wIlL leAD to thE
diScoveRy of PeNWarden, Dead or aliVe."

"i Don't beLIeve theY'D MuRder Him," said Mr. Mildmay, "oR ThEY wouldn't
take thE troubLe TO sPIRit Him Away.  A crack On The heAD would bE A
mUCH SimPLer matter."

"What Do you supposE Is tHeir obJeCt iN KidnapPing hIm?" ASkeD the
Vicar.

"EiTher To hold him While tHEy run a sPEcially ValuabLe cArgO, or tO
ShIp Him To fRanCE aNd kEEp hIm permanEnTlY out oF theIR WAY.  A foOl's
TricK; for hE's bound to be rePlaCed, tHOugH we'd fInd it Hard To Get a
bEtter mAn, old As He is."

"And foolish iN anoTher way," adDed ThE riDiNg-offICer.  "TheY ouGht To
know tHat a deeD Of tHaT KINd Will only stir up the rEsT OF uS.  I
wouldn'T give mUCh FoR Their chaNcEs oF runNINg a caRgo yET aWhile."

"Nor For shiPPiNg Him," said mr. mildmaY.  "I'Ll sWeaR they HAven'T done
iT yet.  My boAts weRE up and down the cOAst all last nigHT.  ONE Of
THem sPieD that rascalLy prIVateEr puTTiNg iN TowarDs St. CUbY'S COVe in
the mist this mornInG, but shE sailEd away, and thouGh I gave chaSE, SHe
got off.  to-niGHt WE'll have the boatS patrOlling for mILes; I defy 'Em
to sLip throuGh us."

"When dID They seizE hiM, d'yOu sUppOSE?" aSked the Squire.

"iN The eArLy morniNg, I Think, FaTheR," saId DIck, "BeFore it was
Light.  The BlOoD sTaIn wAs quiTE fresh.  ThEy MusT hAve HiddeN Him
somEwherE; theY wOuLDn't Carry hiM AwAY In thE dAyLighT, in CaSe somE
one SAw tHem."

"That Wouldn't trOubLE theM, bLeSs you," saId Mr. Mildmay.  "AlL
POlkerran anD mOst Of the fOLK around aRe hand-in-glove with
 probably," said Mr. Polwh ele, "andif
th eyare  n o be tter  than Petheric k , th ey won't help us much. "

"P et h eric k  s hallcry the vi l l age  t o- mor ro w ,"  said  th e Vicar .  "Beinga
j us tice as well as  parson, I  ha ve written o uta proc la mat i on, s umm oning 
all g o od and  true men  t o  givei nformat i o nthat  will lead to the di s covery of Penw arden,  d e ad o r a liv e."

"I do n' t bel i eve the y 'd m u rde r  him," said M r. Mildmay, "or  theywo uld n 't
tak e the  t r oub le to spiri t hi m away. A crac k  on the head wo uld be  amuc h si m pl er  ma tt e r." 
" Wha t  do  you sup po se  is t heir o b j ectinkidn appin g him?" asked  th e
Vi c ar. 

"Ei therto h ol d him  while  they  r un a speciallyvalu able carg o,or  to 
s hip h i m to F ran ceand kee p him p e rma ne n t l yout of their way. A f oo l's
tric k; for he 's bound to  b e r epla c e d, th ough we 'd findit har d  t oget a
b et ter ma n,  ol d a s hei s."
"Andfoolishin an o ther way," add e d the riding- o ff i c er .   "T hey  ought to
k nowt hata de e doft hat k ind w il l  o n ly stir up the rest  o f us. I
wo uldn't give m uch for th e i r  chances  ofr un n ing a cargo ye t awh ile."

"No r  for shi pping  him," s aid Mr. M i l dmay.  " I'l l s wea r t h e yhaven't donei t  yet . My boa tswere up  an d d own  th ecoast all  last ni gh t.  On e o f
the m  spied t ha t r as cal ly pr i vateer  putt ingin  t o war ds St.C ub y ' s Co ve  i n
th e m is t thi s mo r nin g, butshe saile d a w ay,an dthoughI gave chase,  s he
got off . To -night w e'll hav e the boats patrollingf or mile s;I def y 'e m
to slip  th roughus. " 

"Whe n didtheyse ize h im, d ' y ou  su pp ose?" aske d the  Squi re .

" In theearly morning, I t h ink , Father," sa idDick , "b efo r ei t w as lig h t .  The blood st ain was qu it e  f resh.  The y  mu st  have h idden h im
so m ewhere;  they wou ldn't car ry  him a way  in the da ylight,in case s o me
on e  s aw th em. "

"Th at  wo uldn' t trou b lethem,  bless  y ou," s aid M r.  Mildmay .  "All
Polkerran and m ost of  thefol k aroundare han d-in-glov e wi th
 probably,"_said Mr._Polwhele, "and if
they are_no better_than_Petherick, they_won't_help us much."

"Petherick_shall cry the_village to-morrow," said the_Vicar.  "Being_a
justice_as well as parson, I have written out a proclamation, summoning
all good and true_men_to give_information_that_will lead to the
discovery of_Penwarden, dead or alive."

"I don't_believe they'd_murder him," said Mr. Mildmay, "or they wouldn't
take_the_trouble to spirit_him away.  A crack on the head would_be a
much simpler matter."

"What do you_suppose is their_object_in_kidnapping him?" asked the
Vicar.

"Either_to hold him while they run_a specially valuable cargo, or to
ship_him to France and keep him permanently_out of their way.  A_fool's
trick; for he's bound to_be replaced,_though we'd find it hard_to get a
better_man, old_as he is."

"And_foolish in another way," added the_riding-officer.  "They_ought to
know that a deed of_that_kind will only_stir_up_the rest_of us. _I
wouldn't_give much_for_their chances of running a cargo_yet_awhile."

"Nor for shipping him," said Mr. Mildmay._ "I'll swear they_haven't_done
it yet.  My_boats were up and down_the coast all last night. _One of
them_spied that_rascally privateer putting in towards St. Cuby's Cove in
the mist this_morning, but she sailed away, and_though I gave chase,_she
got off.__To-night we'll have_the_boats patrolling_for miles; I defy 'em
to slip through_us."

"When did_they seize him, d'you suppose?" asked_the Squire.

"In the early_morning,_I think, Father," said Dick, "before_it was
light.  The blood stain_was quite fresh.  They_must_have_hidden him
somewhere; they wouldn't carry_him away in the daylight, in_case some
one saw_them."

"That wouldn't trouble them, bless you," said_Mr._Mildmay.  "All
Polkerran and most of_the_folk around are hand-in-glove with