After walking obliquely inland for some distance he stopped to listen.

He heard nothing, but Drummond was now between him and the lake, and Thirlwell thought he could not get across the creek.

He came down to the mouth of the latter cautiously, and when he was close to the lake stopped behind a trunk.

The water glimmered between the trees, and he saw two dark figures outlined against the pale reflection.
There was some risk of his being seen, but he thought if Drummond was afraid he might be followed, he would watch the bush along the edge of the lake, and he advanced cautiously, moving from trunk to trunk.

A thicket of wild-berries grew near the water, and stealing up behind it, he stopped and crouched down.