But if the gentleman went out there, and had the bad luck to fall into that Devil's Spout, why, then, sir, I'm afraid all the searching in the world'll do no good.

And the queer thing is, gentlemen, if I may express an opinion, that nobody ever saw the gentleman after he had left Mrs.Wooler's! That seems--" A fisherman came lounging across the quay from the shadow of one of the neighbouring cottages.

He touched his cap to Marston Greyle, and looked inquiringly at the two strangers.
"Are you the gentlemen as is asking after another gentleman ?" he said.
"'Cause if so, I make no doubt as how I had a word or two with him yesterday afternoon." Stafford and Copplestone turned sharply on the newcomer--an elderly man of plain and homely aspect who responded frankly to their questioning glances.

He went on at once, before they could put their questions into words.
"It 'ud be about half-past two, or maybe a bit nearer three o'clock," he said.

"Up yonder it was, about a hundred yards this side of the 'Admiral's Arms.' I was sitting on a baulk o' timber there, doing nothing, when he comes along--a tall, fine-looking man.