Beneath the southern one stood a small cottage.

Just as I began to descend the eastern side, two men began to descend the opposite one, and it so happened that we met at the bottom of the dingle, just before the house, which bore a sign, and over the door of which was an inscription to the effect that ale was sold within.

They saluted me; I returned their salutation, and then we all three stood still, looking at one another.

One of the men was rather a tall figure, about forty, dressed in grey, or pepper-and-salt, with a cap of some kind on his head, his face was long and rather good-looking, though slightly pock-broken.

There was a peculiar gravity upon it.