will: I shall see him to-morrow," replied Oswald, getting into the
cart; "so good-bye, Benjamin," much to the satisfaction of Oswald, who
thought that he would never go.

They went away at a rapid pace, to make up for lost time, and soon
disappeared round the corner of the street. Oswald then got out again,
summoned Edward, and having called for the flour and other heavy
articles, they set off on their return.

During the drive Oswald made known to Edward the information which he
had gained from Benjamin, and at a late hour they arrived safely at the
cottage.

They staid up but a short time, as they were tired; and Oswald had
resolved upon setting off before daylight on the following morning,
which he did without disturbing any one; for Humphrey was up and dressed
as soon as Oswald was, and gave him something to eat as he went along.
All the others remained fast asleep. Humphrey walked about a mile with
Oswald, and was returning to the farm, when he thought, as he had not
examined his pit-fall for many days, that he might as well look at it,
before he went back. He therefore struck in the direction in which it
lay, and arrived there just as the day began to dawn.

It was the end of March, and the weather was mild for the season.
Humphrey arrived at the pit, and it was sufficiently light for him to
perceive that the covering had been broken in, and therefore, in all
probability, something must have been trapped. He sat down and waited
for daylight, but at times he thought he heard a heavy breathing, and
once a low groan. This made him more anxious, and he again and again
peered into the pit, but could not for a long while discover anything,
until at last he thought that he could make out a human figure lying at
the bottom. Humphrey called out, asking if there was any one there. A
groan was the reply, and now Humphrey was horrified at the idea that
somebody had fallen into the pit, and had perished, or was perishing for
want of succour. Recollecting that the rough ladder which he had made
to take the soil up out of the pit was against an oak-tree, close at
hand, he ran for it, and put it down the pit, and then cautiously
descended. On his arrival at the bottom, his fears were found to be
verified, for he found the body of a lad half-clothed lying there. He
turned it up, as it was lying with its face to the ground, and attempted
to remove it and to ascertain if there was life in it, which he was
delighted to