It was as if night and the wilderness had blotted them out, but every member of the little party felt relief and actual pleasure in the expedition.
Something mysterious and unknown lay before them, and they were anxious to find out what it was.
Shepard whispered to Dick of the care that they must take against their foes, and Warner whispered to Pennington that the mountain was really fine, although finer ridges could be found in Vermont.
Two hundred yards up, and Shepard, touching Dick's shoulder, pointed to the valley.

The whole party stopped and looked back.

Although themselves buried in brown foliage they saw the floor of the valley all the way to the mountains on the other side, and it was a wonderful sight, with its two opposing lines of camp fires that shot up redly and glowed across the fields.

Now and then they saw figures of men moving against a crimson background, but no sound of the armies came to them.

Peace and silence were yet supreme on the mountain.
"It makes you feel that you're not only above it in the body, but that you are not a part of it at all," said Shepard.
Dick was not surprised at his words.