Uncle Daniel, Mr. Bobbsey, and the boys hurried to where Peter Burns
stood at the brink of one of those ditches that look like mud and turn
out to be water.

"And that horse is a boarder too!" Peter told them. "Last night we said
he looked awful sad, but we didn't think he would commit suicide."

"Got plenty of blankets?" Uncle Daniel asked, pulling his coat off and
preparing to help his neighbor, as all good people do in the country.

"Four of them, and these planks. But I couldn't get a man around. Lucky
you happened by," Peter Burns answered.

All this time the horse in the ditch moaned as if in pain, but Peter
said it was only because he couldn't get on his feet. Harry, being
light in weight, slipped a halter over the poor beast's head.

"I could get a strap around him!" Harry suggested, moving out
cautiously on the plank.

"All right, my lad, go ahead," Peter told him, passing the big strap
over to Bert, who in turn passed it on to Harry.

It was no easy matter to get the strap in place, but with much tugging
and splashing of mud Harry succeeded. Then the ropes were attached and
everybody pulled vigorously.

"Get up, Ginger! Get up, Ginger!" Peter called lustily, but Ginger only
seemed to flop in deeper, through his efforts to raise himself.