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286 to discover distinctly objects which lay in that direction The intruders, therefore, whose number was now augmented unexpectedly to three, stood behind the loosely piled brushwood with little risk of discovery. Dinmont had the sense to keep back Hazlewood with one hand till he whispered to Bertram, "A friend—young Hazlewood."

It was no time for following up the introduction, and they all stood as still as the rocks around them, obscured behind the pile of brushwood, which had been probably placed there to break the cold wind from the sea, without totally intercepting the supply of air. The branches were laid so loosely above each other, that, looking through them towards the light of the fire-grate, they could easily discover what passed in its vicinity, although a much stronger degree of illumination than it aforded, would not have enabled the persons placed near the bottom of the cave