"In absence of all authentic information," said the doctor, speaking as
well as he could, and blowing prodigiously between each word, as though
he were fetching breath all the way from his heels, "I think we may
conclude we are safe from them. We ought to thank our stars we came
across them in the way we did." "But, doctor, what in the name of Heaven induced you to make such a
noise, to frighten them, in fact, and to tell them some one was about?" "They were too much terrified to tell whether it was one, or fifty. By
this time they are out of the county; they knew what they were talking
about." "And perhaps we may meet them on the road where we are going, thinking
it a rare lonely spot where they can hide, and no chance of their being
found out." [Illustration]

"No," said the doctor; "they will not go to such a place; it has by far
too bad a name for even such men as those to go near, much less stop
in." "I can hardly think that," said Charles Holland, "for these fellows are
too terrified for their personal safety, to think of the superstitious
fears with which a place may be regarded; and these men, in such a place
as the one you speak of, they will be at home." "Well, well, rather than be done, we must fight for it; and when you
come to consider we have one pick and two shovels, we shall be in full
force." "Well said, doctor; how far have we to go?" "Not more than a quarter of a mile." They pursued their way through the fields, and under the hedge-rows,
until they came to a gate, where they stopped awhile, and began to
consult and to listen. "A few yards up here, on the left," said the doctor; "I know the spot;
besides, there is a particular mark. Now, then, are you all ready?" "Yes, all." "Here," said the doctor, pointing out the marks by which the spot might
be recognized; "here is the spot, and I think we shall not be half a
foot out of our reckoning." "Then let us begin instanter," said Henry, as he seized hold of the
pickaxe, and began to loosen the earth by means of the sharp end. "That will do for the present," said Chillingworth; "now let me and
Charles take a turn with our shovels, and you will get on again
presently. Throw the earth up on the bank in one heap, so that we can
put it on again without attracting any attention to the spot by its
being left in clods and uneven." "Exactly," said Henry, "else the body will be discovered." They began to shovel away, and continued to do so, after it had been
picked up, working alternately, until at length Charles stuck his
pick-axe into something soft, and upon pulling it up, he found it was
the body. A dreadful odour now arose from the spot, and they were at no loss to
tell where the body lay. The pick-axe had stuck into the deceased's ribs
and clothing, and thus lifted it out of its place. "Here it is," said the doctor; "but I needn't tell you that; the
charnel-house smell is enough to convince you of the fact of where it
is." "I think so; just show a light upon the subject, doctor, and then we can
see what we are about--do you mind, doctor--you have the management of
the lantern, you know?" "Yes, yes," said Chillingworth; "I see you have it--don't be in a hurry,
but do things deliberately and coolly whatever you do--you will not be
so liable to make mistakes, or to leave anything undone." "There will be nothing of any use to you here, doctor, in the way of
dissection, for the flesh is one mass of decay. What a horrible sight,
to be sure!" "It is; but hasten the search." "Well, I must; though, to confess the truth, I'd sooner handle anything
than this." "It is not the most pleasant thing in the world, for there is no knowing
what may be the result--what creeping thing has made a home of it." "Don't mention anything about it." Henry and Charles Holland now began to search the pockets of the clothes
of the dead body, in one of which was something hard, that felt like a
parcel. "What have you got there?" said Chillingworth, as he held his lantern up
so that the light fell upon the ghastly object that they were handling. "I think it is the prize," said Charles Holland; "but we have not got it
out yet, though I dare say it won't be long first, if this wind will but
hold good for about five minutes, and keep the stench down." They now tore open the packet and pulled out the papers, which appeared
to have been secreted upon his person. "Be sure there are none on any other part of the body," said
Chillingworth, "because what you do now, you had better do well, and
leave nothing to after thought, because it is frequently impracticable." "The advice is good," said Henry, who made a second search, but found
nothing. "We had better re-bury him," said the doctor; "it had better be done
cleanly. Well, it is a sad hole for a last resting-place, and yet I do
not know that it matters--it is all a matter of taste--the fashion of
the class, or the particular custom of the country." There was but little to be said against such an argument, though the
custom of the age had caused them to look upon it more as a matter of
feeling than in such a philosophical sense as that in which the doctor
had put it. "Well, there he is now--shovel the earth in, Charles," said Henry
Bannerworth, as he himself set the example, which was speedily and
vigorously followed by Charles Holland, when they were not long before
the earth was thrown in and covered up with care, and trodden down so
that it should not appear to be moved. "This will do, I think," said Henry. "Yes; it is not quite the same, but I dare say no one will try to make
any discoveries in this place; besides, if the rain continues to come
down very heavy, why, it will wash much of it away, and it will make it
look all alike." There was little inducement to hover about the spot, but Henry could not
forbear holding up the papers to the light of the lantern to ascertain
what they were. "Are they all right?" inquired the doctor. "Yes," replied Henry, "yes. The Dearbrook estate. Oh! yes; they are the
papers I am in want of." "It is singularly fortunate, at least, to be successful in securing
them. I am very glad a living person has possession of them, else it
would have been very difficult to have obtained it from them." "So it would; but now homeward is the word, doctor; and on my word there
is reason to be glad, for the rain is coming on very fast now, and there
is no moon at all--we had better step out." They did, for the three walked as fast as the nature of the soil would
permit them, and the darkness of the night. CHAPTER LXXXIX. TELLS WHAT BECAME OF THE SECOND VAMPYRE WHO SOUGHT VARNEY. [Illustration]

We left the Hungarian nobleman swimming down the stream; he swam slowly,
and used but little exertion in doing so. He appeared to use his hands
only as a means of assistance. The stream carried him onwards, and he aided himself so far that he kept
the middle of the stream, and floated along.