Our adventurers followed their conductor in the track by
which he had so recently rejoined them. As they turned
the corner of the hut, the younger, who brought up the
rear, fancied he again heard a sound in the direction of
the orchard, resembling that of one lightly leaping to
the ground. A gust of wind, however, passing rapidly at
the moment through the dense foliage, led him to believe
it might have been produced by the sullen fall of one of
the heavy fruits it had detached in its course. Unwilling
to excite new and unnecessary suspicion in his companion,
he confined the circumstance to his own breast, and
followed into the hut.

After ascending a flight of about a dozen rude steps,
they found themselves in a small room, furnished with no
other ceiling than the sloping roof itself, and lighted
by an unwieldy iron lamp, placed on a heavy oak table,
near the only window with which the apartment was provided.
This latter had suffered much from the influence of time
and tempest; and owing to the difficulty of procuring
glass in so remote a region, had been patched with slips
of paper in various parts. The two corner and lower panes
of the bottom sash were out altogether, and pine shingles,
such as are used even at the present day for covering
the roofs of dwelling houses, had been fitted into the
squares, excluding air and light at the same time. The
centre pane of this tier was, however, clear and free
from flaw of every description. Opposite to the window
blazed a cheerful wood fire, recently supplied with fuel;