Before long, the boys' faces began to look uneasy, then anxious, then terrified.

Still there was no movement of the placid water.

Hearts began to beat fast, and faces to turn pale.

We all glided out, silently, and stood on the bank, our horrified eyes wandering back and forth from each other's countenances to the water.
'Somebody must go down and see!' Yes, that was plain; but nobody wanted that grisly task.
'Draw straws!' So we did--with hands which shook so, that we hardly knew what we were about.

The lot fell to me, and I went down.