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.

The water was so muddy I could not see anything, but I felt around among the hoop poles, and presently grasped a limp wrist which gave me no response--and if it had I should not have known it, I let it go with such a frightened suddenness.
The boy had been caught among the hoop poles and entangled there, helplessly.

I fled to the surface and told the awful news.