Edward
followed them, so as to keep their forms indistinctly in sight, which
was as much as he could do at twenty yards' distance; fortunately the
wind was so high that they did not hear his footsteps, although he
often trod upon a rotten stick, which snapped as it broke in twain. As
near as Edward could guess, he had tracked them about three miles,
when they stopped, and he perceived that they were examining their
pistols, which they took from their belts. They then went on again,
and entered a small plantation of oak-trees, of about forty years'
growth--very thick and very dark, with close underwood below. They
followed each other through a narrow path, until they came to a
cleared place in the middle of the plantation, in which there stood a
low cottage, surrounded with covert on every side, with the exception
of some thirty yards of land around it. All was still, and as dark as
pitch; Edward remained behind the trees, and when the two men again
stopped, he was not six feet from them. They consulted in a low tone
but the wind was so high that he could not distinguish what they said.
At last they advanced to the cottage, and Edward, still keeping within
the trees, shifted his position, so that he should be opposite the
gable end of the cottage.
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