They managed to climb the steep hillside, and kept along it until past the obstruction.

Then they got on to the path again, and found it unbroken to the bottom.
"So far, so good," James said.

"Now, do you stop here, while I crawl forward to the water.

The first thing to discover is whether they have a sentinel stationed anywhere near the bottom of this path." The time seemed terribly long to Middleton before James returned, though it was really but a few minutes.
"All right!" he said, as he approached him.

"There is no one here, though I can hear some sentries farther up the river.