He had heard that--a sudden splashing in the water, a shout--and the next moment there was a flash which cut the darkness apparently a couple of hundred yards away, and then came a dull report, and silence.
The boys remained listening for some moments, but they could not hear a sound.

The signs of the coming morning were growing plainer; there was a faint twittering in some bushes at a distance, followed by the sharp metallic _chink chink_ of a blackbird; and then all at once, loud and clear from the farm-yard, rang out the morning challenge of a cock.
Then once more all was still.

There was no footstep, no splash of pole in the water.
For a few minutes neither spoke, but listened intently with every nerve upon the strain; and then with a catching of the breath as he realised what had gone before, and that he had seen his father steal carefully down in the direction of the mere, Dick sprang from the window and gripped his companion by the arm.
"Tom," he gasped, "quick! come on! Some one else has been--" He would have said _shot_, but his voice failed, and with a cold chill of horror stealing over him he remained for a few moments as if paralysed.
Then, with Tom Tallington close behind, he ran swiftly down towards the mere..