There was no
occasion to go near: the stiff and distorted attitudes were
sufficient to show that they were dead.
Mr. Hardy purposely avoided riding close to them, knowing that the
shocking sight of men who have met with a violent death is apt to
shake the nerves of any one unaccustomed to such a sight, however
brave he may be.
"They are evidently dead, poor fellows!" he said. "It is no use our
stopping."
Charley looked at the bodies with a fierce frown upon his face, and
muttered to himself. "We'll pay them out for you, the cowardly
scoundrels."
Hubert did not even glance toward them. He was a tender-hearted boy
and he felt his face grow pale and a strange feeling of sickness
come over him, even at the momentary glance which he had at first
taken at the rigid figures.
"I suppose you do not mean to attack them until night, papa?"
Charley asked.
"Well, boys, I have been thinking the matter over, and I have come
to the conclusion that it will be better to do so directly we get
up to them."
"And do you think, papa, that we three will be able to thrash the
lot of them? They must be a poor, miserable set of cowards."
"No, Charley; I do not think that we shall be able to thrash the
lot, as you say; but with our weapons, we shall be able to give
them a terrible lesson.
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