Away round in the direction he thought was north he imagined he saw more fires, but, as the mist was thick, he could not be sure.

While he sat there pondering the matter, listening for the hounds, the mist and the gloom on one side lightened; and this side he concluded was east and meant that dawn was near.

Satisfying himself on this score, he descended to the first branch of the tree.
His situation now, though still critical, did not appear to be so hopeless as it had been.

The hounds would soon close in on him, and he would kill them or drive them away.

It was beyond the bounds of possibility that any men could have followed running hounds through that brake in the night.