Mr. Hardy and the boys kept up as well as they
could, in order to inspire the mother and sister with hope during
their absence, and with many promises to bring their missing one
back they galloped off.
They were scarcely out of the gate, when they saw their two friends
from Canterbury coming along at full gallop. Both were armed to the
teeth, and evidently prepared for an expedition, They wrung the
hands of Mr. Hardy and his sons.
"We ordered our horses the moment we got your note, and ate our
breakfasts as they were being got ready. We made a lot of copies of
your note, and sent off half a dozen men in various directions with
them. Then we came on at once. Of course most of the others cannot
arrive for some time yet, but we were too anxious to hear all about
it to delay, and we thought that we might catch you before you
started, to aid you in your first search. Have you any more certain
news than you sent us?"
"None," Mr. Hardy said, and then repeated the relation of the
survivor.
There was a pause when he had finished, and then Mr. Herries said:
"Well, Mr. Hardy, I need not tell you, if our dear little Ethel is
alive, we will follow you till we find her, if we are a year about
it."
"Thanks, thanks," Mr. Hardy said earnestly.
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