His head was raised high in air, and he was
giving vent to prolonged and mournful howls.
All felt that the terrible secret was there. The boys turned
ghastly pale, and they felt that not for worlds could they approach
to examine the dreadful mystery.
Mr. Hardy was almost as much affected.
Mr. Herries looked at his friend, and then said gravely to Mr.
Hardy, "Do you wait here, Mr. Hardy; we will go on."
As the friends left them the boys turned away, and leaning against
their horses, covered their eyes with their hands. They dared not
look round. Mr. Hardy stood still for a minute, but the agony of
suspense was too great for him. He started off at a run, came up to
his friends, and with them hurried on to the fence.
Not as yet could they see into the ditch. At ordinary times the
fence would have been an awkward place to climb over; now they
hardly knew how they scrambled over, and stood by the side of the
ditch. They looked down, and Mr. Hardy gave a short, gasping cry,
and caught at the fence for support.
Huddled together in the ditch was a pile of dead bodies, and among
them peeped out a piece of a female dress. Anxious to relieve their
friend's agonizing suspense, the young men leaped down into the
ditch, and began removing the upper bodies from the ghastly pile.
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