He had evidently not been taken prisoner, or the officer would have been sure to mention it.
Much puzzled, he walked slowly back to the fishermen.

Some of the boats had already pushed off.

He went up to three of the men, whose boat, being higher up than the rest, would not be afloat for another quarter of an hour.
"Look here, lads," he said.

"My young friend Jim Walsham is missing this morning, and hasn't been at home all night.

As none of the fishing boats put out in the evening he cannot have gone to sea.