Then he went back for some distance, after which he
descended into the valley, crouching low, and crawling stealthily
among the brush-wood. Moving thus, he at length succeeded in reaching
the opposite slope without appearing to have attracted any attention
from any pursuers. Up this slope he now moved as carefully as ever,
not relaxing his vigilance one jot, but, if possible, calling into
play even a larger caution as he found himself drawing nearer to those
whom he began to regard as his prey.
Moving up this slope, then, in this way, he at length attained the
top, and found himself here among the forest trees and underbrush.
They were here even denser than they were on the place which he had
just left. As he moved along he saw no indications that they had been
traversed by human footsteps. Every thing gave indication of an
unbroken and undisturbed solitude. After feeling his way along here
with all the caution which he could exercise, he finally ventured
toward the shore of the lake, and found himself able to go to the very
edge without coming to any open space or crossing any path.
On looking forth from the top of the bank he found that he had not
only drawn much nearer to the old house, but that he could see the
whole line of shore. He now saw that there were some men by the door
of the house, and began to suspect that this was nothing else than the
headquarters and citadel of the brigands. The sight of the shore now
showed him that he could approach very much nearer, and unless the
brigands, or whoever they were, kept scouts out, he would be able to
reach a point immediately overlooking the house, from which he could
survey it at his leisure.
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