"I'll follow," said Fitzgerald. "You lead the way."
"All right," the man meekly responded. "Now we get off the road."
He slipped into the field and the Irishman followed. Both were now near the cottage and they could see its bare rafters and ruined walls clearly. It looked gloomy and forbidding.... As Fitzgerald gazed at the cottage he saw a light close to the dark ground; a tremulous flame gleamed for a moment and was gone.
"Did you see that?" asked the Irishman. "A light near the cottage?"
"I saw nothing," said his companion.
"You didn't see the flame. There's somebody in front. Friends of yours maybe."
"I've no friends here.... You saw a light?... Nonsense!"
"There, what is that?" asked the Irishman as he heard a thud as of somebody falling over a hurdle. "Did you not hear it?"
"Yes, what is it?" asked the stranger extinguishing his torch. "I heard something. Shall I shout?"
"Why?"