At that moment Nick called out:
"Here's the bridge!"
The structure loomed through the gloom as it was dimly lighted by the lanterns, and all walked rapidly forward until they stood upon the rough planking.
Suddenly the mother uttered a cry, and stooping down snatched up something from the ground close to the planks.
The startled friends looked affrightedly toward her, and saw that she held the lunch basket of her little daughter in her hand.
CHAPTER VIII.
STARTLING FOOTPRINTS.
On the very edge of the bridge over Shark Creek, the mother of Nellie Ribsam picked up the lunch basket which her daughter had taken to school that morning. It lay on its side, with the snowy napkin partly out, and within it was a piece of brown bread which the parent had spread with golden butter, and which was partly eaten.