"It's my opinion," said Habakkuk, a minute later, "that they won't wait till dark unless they find they've got to do so."
"Explain."
"They will venture on something like a rackynoissance, just as Gineral Washington does before a battle—and if it looks as though there was a show to do something, they'll try it. If they find there isn't, they'll wait till dark."
"You are quite right."
The New Englander scratched his head in perplexity.
"Well, I don't see where we are going to make anything by such a course, for when night comes they will have us foul, in spite of all we can do."
"We will be at a great disadvantage, but not hopelessly so."
"I don't see why we won't, for what will they want better than darkness to help them over?"
"There will be some light to-night, and it requires very little to show every portion of the upper part of the rocks—enough light, indeed, to demand only a little closer attention on our part. That pile of rocks there is something like the 'Umbrella Tree,' over on the top of the western mountains: it stands out in such relief, that we cannot fail to detect any movement near it."
"Can't they climb up in the rear of them, so as to avoid showing themselves to us?"