Nick quietly assented to this
reasoning, and fell in by the side of the captain without remonstrance.
Vigilant eyes were kept on all sides of the line of march, though it,
was hoped and believed that the adventurers had struck upon a route too
far west to be exposed to interruption. A quarter of a mile nearer to
the flats might have brought them within the range of stragglers; but,
following the summit of the ridge, there was a certain security in the
indolence which would be apt to prevent mere idlers from sauntering up
an ascent. At all events, no interruption occurred, the party reaching
in safety the rocks that were a continuation of the range which formed
the precipice at the falls--the sign that they had gone far enough to
the south. At this period, the precipice was nearly lost in the rising
of the lower land, but its margin was sufficiently distinct to form a
good mask.
Descending to the plateau beneath, the captain and Nick now inclined to
the east, the intention being to come in upon the mills from the rear.
As the buildings lay in the ravine, this could only be done by making a
rapid descent immediately in their vicinity; a formation of the ground
that rendered the march, until within pistol-shot of its termination,
reasonably secure. Nick also assured his companions that he had several
times traversed this very plateau, and that he had met no signs of
footsteps on it; from which he inferred that the invaders had not taken
the trouble to ascend the rugged cliffs that bounded the western side
of the glen.
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