"Here's a go!" said he; "I say, you chaps, I almost fancy, after all, Rollitt must be up the mountain. What do you say?" "I thought so all along," said Fisher minor. "If he is, Yorke and Stratton will find him." "Good old Yorke! I say--we may as well back water a bit." Easier said than done. The old punt, now she was once out on the vasty deep, behaved pretty much as she and the wind between them pleased. For a time it looked very much as if, after all the explorers would reach their destination. But presently--just, indeed, as the explorers had started a small football match (Association rules), Classics against Moderns, to keep themselves warm, the fickle breeze shifted, and sent the "Cock-House" lumbering inshore a mile or so north of the river-mouth. The Classics had just scored their 114th goal as she grounded, and it was declared by common consent that the voyage was at an end. Luckily, she came ashore near to a little creek, into which, by prodigious haulings and shovings, she was turned; and here, in a rude way, they succeeded in mooring her until a more convenient season. The call-over bell was just beginning to ring when the nine mariners got back to Fellsgarth. Great cheering was going on on the Green, and boys were crowding together discussing some great news. "What is it?--Rollitt turned up?" asked the juniors. "No; haven't you heard? Yorke and Stratton went up to look for him on Hawk's Pike. They didn't find him, but _they got to the top_!" "Got to the top! One of our chaps got to the top of Hawk's Pike. Hurroo. Yell, you chaps. Bravo, Yorke! Bully for Fellsgarth!" "I wish they'd found Rollitt, all the same," said Fisher minor; "I'm afraid he's gone for good." "Not he. Didn't we nearly find him to-day, you young muff?" retorted Wally. "Besides, a fellow who's gone for good wouldn't come and buy sixpenny-worth of Abernethys at our shop in the night, would he?" Fisher minor took what comfort he could from the assurance, and trooped in with his fellow-adventurers to call-over. CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. "BURY THE HATCHET!" Notwithstanding Yorke's exploit, and the prevailing hopefulness of the juniors, the feeling of gloom deepened on Fellsgarth when another day ended, and no news was forthcoming of the lost boy. To a great many it was a shock to hear he was not on the mountain. From what was known of his eccentricities and recklessness, it seemed as likely as not he would retreat up there and remain till he was fetched down. When it was found he was not there, there seemed to be nowhere else left to look. The lake (quite independently of the eventful cruise of the "Cock-house") had been thoroughly searched; Penchurch had been ransacked; every cottage and home in the neighbourhood had been called at. The river-banks, up and down stream, had been searched too, and daily communication with Rollitt's home made it increasingly clear he had not gone there.