Ten o'clock
This pit was some little distance from the road itself , and was not noticeable by persons unacquainted with the locality . It had been there no one knew how long , and was a favourite resort of adventurous children , a footpath to the village passing not far from its edge . Towards this chalk-pit the startled party of rescue from the house hurried with one consent , several of them carrying lanterns or extemporised torches . Ten o'clock was striking in the distant church-tower as they gathered round the spot from which the cries for help had proceeded . A terrible sight was dimly revealed to them in the uncertain glare cast upon it by the lights which they carried . Hanging over the edge of the chalk-pit was the squire 's carriage . One horse had broken away from the traces , but the other was struggling violently , and seemed likely , in its plungings , to force the carriage still further over the precipitous side of the pit .