There was no one there.

They held up a lantern and flashed it right and left, they shouted and wandered, searching into the edge of the wood.

The old man was not to be found.
"I dare say," said the telegraph man to Trenholme, "you'd do well to get into a place where you don't live quite so much alone.

'T'aint good for you." The whole search did not take more than twenty minutes.

The railway-men went back at a quick pace.