Then the further
discovery was made that there was little flooring at this point. The
planks that had once formed the floor at this particular spot lay piled
on each side of the driveway. Only the beams held the horses from
falling through to the water, a few feet below.
A short distance beyond lay Janus Grubb, sprawled on his back; while
close beside him, lay the form of the driver. Margery and Hazel were
sitting to the right, huddled in each other's arms. Tommy,
white-faced, with her feet curled under her, sat close beside Janus,
gazing down into his bewhiskered face. Jane McCarthy was leaning
against one side of the bridge. Her own face had lost much of its
usual color.
"Harriet!" gasped Miss Elting, "what has happened to her?"
Jane shook her head and pointed to the opening in the floor. The
guardian understood. Harriet must have been hurled right through and
down into the river.
"Girls! Look after the two men. Hurry!" She ran to the opening, then
lying down, peered into the darkness. "Ha-r-r-r-i-et!"
"Hoo-e-e-e-e-e!"
The guardian sprang to her feet. It was unmistakably Harriet Burrell
who had answered her, but the voice of the Meadow-Brook Girl had
sounded far away.
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