Reaching the head of the beach, Captain Corbet paused, and looked around.

“Before goin any further,” said he, “we’d better ask the folks at this ship-yard.  It ain’t possible to tell whether he’s gone by the beach or not.  He may have gone up the valley.”

“O,” said Bart, dolefully, “he must have gone by the beach.”

“I rayther think I’ll ask, at any rate,” said the captain.

So saying, he walked up towards a house that was not far off, and accosted some men who were standing there.  On hearing his question, they were silent for a few moments; and at last one of them recollected seeing an aged colored man passing by early in the morning.  He had a basket on his arm, and in every way corresponded to the description of Solomon.  He was on his way up the shore.

“Did he go down to the pint,” asked Captain Corbet, “or up to the top of the cliff?”

The man couldn’t say for certain; but as far as he could recollect, it seemed to him that he went down to the pint.

“About what time?”

“Between eight and nine o’clock—­in fact, about eight—­not much later.”

“Did he speak to any one here?”

“No; he walked past without stoppin.  An do you say he ain’t got back?”

“Not yet.”

“Wal,” said the man, “for an old feller, an a feller what don’t know the country hereabouts, he’s gone on a dangerous journey; an ef he’s tried to get back, he’s found it a pooty hard road to travel.”

“Isn’t there any chance of his gettin back by the cliff?”

“Not with the water risin onto his path.”

“Is there any way of gettin up to the top of the cliff?”

“Wal, fur a active young feller it wouldn’t be hard, but for a pore old critter like that thar, it couldn’t be done—­no how.”

“Wal, boys,” said Captain Corbet, sorrowfully, “I guess we’d better get on, an not lose any more time.”

They walked away in silence for some time, until at last they reached the foot of the cliff.  A path here ran up in a winding direction so as to reach the top.

“It seems too bad,” said Captain Corbet, “not to be able to get to the beach.  I wish I’d come in the boat.  What a fool I was not to think of it!”

“O, I dare say the top of the cliff will do,” said Bruce.

“Wal, it’ll have to do.  At any rate I’ve got the kile of rope.”

“We shall be able to see him from the top just as well, and perhaps better.”

“Wal, I hope so; but we’ll be a leetle too far above him for my fancy,—­ony we can use the rope, I s’pose.  Can any of you youngsters climb?”

“O, yes,” said Bart, “all of us.”

“What kind of heads have you got—­stiddy?”

“Yes, good enough,” said Bruce.  “I’ll engage to go anywhere that I can find a foothold; and here’s Bart, that’ll go certainly as far, and perhaps farther.  And here’s Phil, that can do his share.  As for Pat, he can beat us all; he can travel like a fly, upside down, or in any direction.”