For the most part, the sky was clear and the gleams of sun were hot, but heavy, black clouds drifted about, and a thick gray haze obscured the lower ground.

Rain and mist would be dangerous obstacles, but Festing understood that he could reach the dale in about two hours' steady walking.

Muriel had told him where to stop; indeed, she had been rather particular about this, and had recommended him to spend two days in the neighborhood.

Luckily, there would be no crags to climb if he kept the path across the summit, for he had found it easier to reach the top of the hills than get down by a different line.
A rattle of stones made him look up, and he saw two girls silhouetted in a flash of sunshine against the face of the crag.

They carried bulging rucksacks and were coming down towards him, picking their way among the tumbled rocks.