Then he carefully crept along till he came to the gate post, and bending down, he cautiously peeped round to see if he could detect anyone idling, or talking, or smoking.

There was no one in sight except old Jack Linden, who was rubbing down the lobby doors with pumice-stone and water.
Hunter noiselessly opened the gate and crept quietly along the grass border of the garden path.

His idea was to reach the front door without being seen, so that Linden could not give notice of his approach to those within.

In this he succeeded and passed silently into the house.

He did not speak to Linden; to do so would have proclaimed his presence to the rest.