the distant singing of birds as well as the murmur of the flowing
water. Their footsteps fell soft on the carpet of scant grass and
decaying pine needles. There seemed a hush over everything, as if
they were wandering amid the pillars of some vast cathedral with,
instead of incense, the aromatic smell of the pines in their nostrils.
They walked on, repressing the desire to step on tiptoe, until
through the trees they could see across the river the galvanized
iron of the shed.

A little bit higher up-stream the clearing of the trees had allowed
some stunted shrubs to cluster on the river bank. These appearing
to offer good cover, the two men crawled forward and took up a
position in their shelter.

The bank they were on was at that point slightly higher than on
the opposite side, giving them an excellent view of the wharf and
mill as well as of the clearing generally. The ground, as has
already been stated, was in the shape of a D, the river bounding
the straight side. About half-way up this straight side was the
mill, and about half-way between it and the top were the shrubs
behind which the watchers were seated. At the opposite side of
the mill from the shrubs, at the bottom of the D pillar, the
Coburns' house stood on a little knoll.

"Jolly good observation post, this," Hilliard remarked as he
stretched himself at ease and laid his glass on the ground beside
him. "They'll not do much that we shall miss from here."

"There doesn't seem to be much to miss at present," Merriman
answered, looking idly over the deserted space.