noon
A searching party headed by Anderson Crow shinned up the ladder to the low garret . No trace of a body was to be found , and the searchers came down rather thankfully . Then , under Mr. Crow 's direction , they searched the wood piles , the woods , and the fields for many rods in all directions . At noon they congregated at the schoolhouse . Alf Reesling was there . `` Find it ? '' said he thickly , with a cunning leer .