Nobody would trap the foxes, and it can't be a rabbit, because that
would be a squeal."

The cry came again over the dark water of the mere, and sounded so
strange and weird that Dick shivered.

"It's something queer," said Tom huskily. "Take the pole and let's get
away. Don't make a noise."

"But--"

"No, no; don't stop. We don't know what it is. Perhaps it's one of
those things Hicky talks about that he has heard sometimes."

"Father says it's all nonsense, and there are no such things in the
fens."

"He'd better say there are no will-o'-the-wisps to lead people astray,"
whispered Tom.

"He doesn't say that. He says there are jack-o'-lanterns, but they
don't lead people astray--people go astray to try and catch them."

"Hist! there it is again!" said Tom, gripping his companion's arm, as
the long piteous cry came faintly over the water. "It is something
horrible!"

"It isn't," said Dick. "It's someone in distress."

"People in distress never cry out like that."

"Why, Tom, it's that Thorpeley stuck in the mud somewhere; and it's our
doing."

"It's his own if he is stuck there. But I don't believe it is. Why,
it's two miles nearer home than where we left him."

"Then it's somebody else in trouble," said Dick excitedly.

"It isn't. Let's go home."

Tom was, as a rule, no coward; but he was faint and tired, and the very
fact of being seated out on the dark waters with the gloom so thick that
they could see but a short distance, and with an unnatural-looking light
on one side and a strange marrow-thrilling cry coming on the other, was
enough to startle stouter-hearted lads than he, and he held more tightly
to his companion as Dick seized the pole.

"Let's get back home," he said again.

"You said I was afraid to go to the will o' the wisp," said Dick
stoutly. "You're afraid to go now and see what it is makes that noise."

"Well, I can't help it," said Tom appealingly; "but if you go I shall go
with you. There, listen! Isn't it horrible!"

He spoke as the cry came again faintly but piteous in the extreme.

Dick drove the pole down into the soft bottom of the mere and sent the
punt surging through the water, determined now to go straight to the
spot whence the cry seemed to come; and, guided by the sound, he toiled
away for about ten minutes before giving way to Tom, who worked hard to
reach the place.

For, once the two lads had taken action, they seemed to forget their
nervous drea