Will of the Mill Part 5

"That's because you don't listen. Now!" said Josh, sharply.

Will uttered a cry.

"Yes," he said, excitedly.

"You heard it?"

"Yes, yes!"

There was a groan.

"There!" cried Will. "It's Mr Manners, and something's happened to him.--Manners!--Ahoy!"

No answer came.

"Wouldn't be having a game with us, would he?"

"No," said Josh. "I don't think he'd do that."

"Then let's go on a bit farther."

The late afternoon sun lit up the valley away to the left, which the Tor had hitherto concealed from their view. They scrambled on in the heat over the rough stone escarpments and amidst the gorse.

"Now, let's listen again," said Will.

They halted, and Josh wiped his streaming face.

"Shout again," he said huskily.

"Shall I?"

"Yes."

"Manners!--Ahoy!" shouted Will.

There was no response.

"Perhaps it wasn't he," said Josh.

"Perhaps he's so busy painting something or another that he hasn't been able to hear."

"Oh, perhaps anything," said Will. "Come on, I am certain now. It's that big cleft where we found the stonechats. He will have fallen down there, paint and all."

"Help!" came faintly now. "Help--help!"

"Hear that?" panted Josh, looking scared, and then radiant.

"Yes," said Will; "I hear. He's in danger." And the two lads tore on as fast as they could up the steep slippery incline.

CHAPTER FIVE.

THE SEARCH PARTY.

"Master Will has not been back, sir," said the servant, when Mr Willows inquired towards evening as to the whereabouts of his son.

"But," he said to himself, "he was going to fetch that artist. Oh, he will be all right."

Yet as evening wore on the mill-owner began to feel anxious, and his anxiety caused him to take his hat and stick and walk up to the Vicarage.

"Will?" said the Vicar, "No. Isn't he at the mill?"

"No--nor Josh."

"Ah!" said the Vicar. "I have not seen either of them all day."

"Humph! They ought to be able to take care of themselves by this time.

But I shall go on to Drinkwater's cottage and inquire."

"I'll come with you," said the Vicar, eagerly, and he took his hat off its peg in the square-shaped wainscotted hall. "Our two lads," he said, as they walked quickly along the road to the cottage, "are so much together that I always feel that when Josh is out he is sure to be at the mill. That is why I never feel particularly surprised when he does not come back to meals."

"Just so; but they are so ready to be up to mischief that I am beginning to be afraid. Ah! at last," continued Mr Willows, with a sigh, as they reached the cottage, where lights shone already through the white-curtained windows.

He pa.s.sed through the nicely kept garden and knocked at the door, which was opened by Mrs Drinkwater, who curtseyed when she saw who her visitors were.

"Have you seen my son, Mrs Drinkwater?" asked Mr Willows. "Did he come here to-day to see Mr Manners?"

"Yes, sir; this morning," said the woman, making way for the two visitors to enter the neatly furnished sitting-room, where supper was on the way.

"Oh! this morning? But I am disturbing you at supper. Evening, James,"

he said, as he and his companion entered the room, to see Drinkwater, who was just finis.h.i.+ng his meal.

"Good-evening, sir. Disturbing me? No matter, master," said the man, rising and standing facing the newcomers, with one hand on the table.

"So Master Will was here this morning, wife?"

"Yes, yes," cried the woman; "as I say. He and Mr Josh came down together. They were looking for Mr Manners then, and seemed disappointed-like that he was out."

"Of course," said the mill-owner; "of course. They would be. They wanted the artist to come to the mill. Well, well! And afterwards what happened?"

"Well, sir, Mr Manners had gone, and that's all I know, sir. The two young gentlemen went away together."

"They went to look for him, naturally. But where had he gone?"

"He was going to the Tor, sir. He went away early, with his canvas and things, to paint a picture."

"You hear, Carlile? Something must have happened, or they would have been back by now. We must go. Look here, Drinkwater, you will come with us?"