“Well, why don’t you come?”

“Don’t be stupid, Rodney,” cried the doctor shortly. “Here, Cross—cook—any of you; have you seen the Spanish skipper?”

“No, sir!” came in chorus.

“Dear me,” said the doctor thoughtfully; “now I come to think of it I don’t remember seeing him this morning.”

“No, uncle; nor I neither. Did you see him, Morny?”

“No, not this morning. I saw him talking with you last night, sir.”

“Yes; that was when I was saying that we should start back for certain, and he went and lay down in his usual place, close to the side of the tent, directly afterwards.”

“Oh yes; he was there when we lay down, wasn’t he, Morny?”

“Yes; I remember that.”

“But we have not seen him since, uncle.”