There aint above three or four villages altogether, but there may be two or three hundred little plantations scattered about, some big and some little.

We haven't got anything to guide us in the slightest; not a thing, as I can see." "The man who was working under Pearson, when he was with us, told me he had got the notion that he had had to leave on account of some trouble here.

Possibly that might afford a clew." "It might do so," the sheriff said.

"When did he come to you ?" "I think it was when I was six or seven years old.

That would be about twelve or thirteen years ago; but, of course, he may not have come direct to us after leaving here." "We can look, anyway," the sheriff said, and, opening a chest, he took out a number of volumes containing the records of his predecessors.
"Twelve years ago! Well, this is the volume.