A dark object loomed up to cut off Kurt's view.

It was a pile of railroad ties, and beyond it loomed another.

Stealing along these, he soon saw the light again, quite close.
By its glow he recognized his father's huge frame, back to him, and the burly Neuman on the other side, and Glidden, whose dark face was working as he talked.

These three were sitting, evidently on a flat pile of ties, and the other two men stood behind.

Kurt could not make out the meaning of the low voices.