discerned from the mountain-top was here not to be defined because,
on account of its lowness and of the abrupt wall beyond, it was
mingled indistinguishably with the perspective of the range.
Concealment was made easier from the fact that the ground of the
cove was lower than all the surrounding land.

Willock now advanced on the cove and found himself presently in a
snug retreat that would have filled with delight the heart of the
most desperate highwayman, or the most timid settler. On the north
was, of course, the towering mountain-wall, broken by the gully in
the protection of whose trees one might creep up or down without
detection. On the east, the same mountain-wall curved in high
protection. In front was the wide irregular island, low, indeed,
but happily high enough to shut out a view of the outside world.
At the end of this barricade there was a gap, no wider than a
wagon-road, along the side of which ran the dry channel of a
mountain stream--the continuation of the gully that cut the
mountain-wall from top to base--but even this gap was high enough
to prevent observation from the plain.

No horsemen could enter the cove save by means of that low trench,
cut as by the hand of man in the granite hill, and as Indian
horsemen were the only enemies to be dreaded, his watchfulness need
be concentrated only on that one point. "Nothing like variety,"
observed Willock cheerfully.

"This will do capital for my summer home! I'm going to live like
a lord--while I'm living."

He examined the ground and found that it was rich and could be