Howeverthesemattersmaybewhichhavenoreferencetothepointnowatissue，itisquitecertainthatthepeopleofRattleborough，principallythroughthepersuasionofMr。Pennifeather，cameatlengthtothedeterminationofdispersionovertheadjacentcountryinsearchofthemissingMr。Shuttleworthy。Isaytheycametothisdeterminationinthefirstinstance。Afterithadbeenfullyresolvedthatasearchshouldbemade，itwasconsideredalmostamatterofcoursethattheseekersshoulddispersethatistosay，distributethemselvesinpartiesforthemorethoroughexaminationoftheregionroundabout。Iforget，however，bywhatingenioustrainofreasoningitwasthat“OldCharley“finallyconvincedtheassemblythatthiswasthemostinjudiciousplanthatcouldbepursued。Convincethem，however，hedidallexceptMr。Pennifeather，and，intheend，itwasarrangedthatasearchshouldbeinstituted，carefullyandverythoroughly，bytheburghersenmasse，“OldCharley“
himselfleadingtheway。
Asforthematterofthat，therecouldhavebeennobetterpioneerthan“OldCharley。”whomeverybodyknewtohavetheeyeofalynx；but，althoughheledthemintoallmannerofout-of-the-wayholesandcorners，byroutesthatnobodyhadeversuspectedofexistingintheneighbourhood，andalthoughthesearchwasincessantlykeptupdayandnightfornearlyaweek，stillnotraceofMr。Shuttleworthycouldbediscovered。WhenIsaynotrace，however，Imustnotbeunderstoodtospeakliterally，fortrace，tosomeextent，therecertainlywas。Thepoorgentlemanhadbeentracked，byhishorsesshoeswhichwerepeculiar，toaspotaboutthreemilestotheeastoftheborough，onthemainroadleadingtothecity。Herethetrackmadeoffintoaby-paththroughapieceofwoodlandthepathcomingoutagainintothemainroad，andcuttingoffabouthalfamileoftheregulardistance。Followingtheshoe-marksdownthislane，thepartycameatlengthtoapoolofstagnantwater，halfhiddenbythebrambles，totherightofthelane，andoppositethispoolallvestigeofthetrackwaslostsightof。Itappeared，however，thatastruggleofsomenaturehadheretakenplace，anditseemedasifsomelargeandheavybody，muchlargerandheavierthanaman，hadbeendrawnfromtheby-pathtothepool。Thislatterwascarefullydraggedtwice，butnothingwasfound；andthepartywasuponthepointofgoingaway，indespairofcomingtoanyresult，whenProvidencesuggestedtoMr。Goodfellowtheexpediencyofdrainingthewateroffaltogether。Thisprojectwasreceivedwithcheers，andmanyhighcomplimentsto“OldCharley“uponhissagacityandconsideration。Asmanyoftheburghershadbroughtspadeswiththem，supposingthattheymightpossiblybecalledupontodisinteracorpse，thedrainwaseasilyandspeedilyeffected；andnosoonerwasthebottomvisible，thanrightinthemiddleofthemudthatremainedwasdiscoveredablacksilkvelvetwaistcoat，whichnearlyeveryonepresentimmediatelyrecognizedasthepropertyofMr。Pennifeather。Thiswaistcoatwasmuchtornandstainedwithblood，andtherewereseveralpersonsamongthepartywhohadadistinctremembranceofitshavingbeenwornbyitsownerontheverymorningofMr。Shuttleworthy’sdepartureforthecity；whiletherewereothers，again，readytotestifyuponoath，ifrequired，thatMr。P。didnotwearthegarmentinquestionatanyperiodduringtheremainderofthatmemorableday，norcouldanyonebefoundtosaythathehadseenituponMr。P。’spersonatanyperiodatallsubsequenttoMr。
Shuttleworthy’sdisappearance。
MattersnowworeaveryseriousaspectforMr。Pennifeather，anditwasobserved，asanindubitableconfirmationofthesuspicionswhichwereexcitedagainsthim，thathegrewexceedinglypale，andwhenaskedwhathehadtosayforhimself，wasutterlyincapableofsayingaword。Hereupon，thefewfriendshisriotousmodeoflivinghadlefthim，desertedhimatoncetoaman，andwereevenmoreclamorousthanhisancientandavowedenemiesforhisinstantaneousarrest。But，ontheotherhand，themagnanimityofMr。Goodfellowshoneforthwithonlythemorebrilliantlustrethroughcontrast。HemadeawarmandintenselyeloquentdefenceofMr。Pennifeather，inwhichhealludedmorethanoncetohisownsincereforgivenessofthatwildyounggentleman“theheiroftheworthyMr。