They turned off from the road; and as they began to ascend the track along the valley the cloud seemed to settle round them.

The excise officer walked ahead, keeping upon the path.

Ralph followed as closely as he could in his footsteps; but although almost touching him he could not make out his figure in the darkness.
"Tell the men to follow in single file, sergeant," he said; "keeping touch with each other.

As long as we are on the beaten track we know we are right, but there may be bowlders or anything else close by on one side or the other." Marching as closely as they could to each other the party proceeded.
"How on earth are you going to find the place where we turn off, Mr.
Fitzgibbon ?" Ralph asked.
"We shall find it easy enough sir.

The path regularly forks, and there is a pile of stones at the junction, which makes as good a guide as you can want on a dark night.