All were clothed with forest, and every tree was heavy with snow.

A line between the trees showed where a path turned off from the main road and entered the hills.

As Harry approached it, he heard the crunching of horses' hoofs in the snow.

A warning instinct caused him to urge his own horse forward, just as four riders came into view.
He saw that the men in the saddles, who were forty or fifty yards away, were mountaineers, like Skelly.

They wore fur caps; heavy blanket shawls were drooped about their shoulders and every one carried a rifle.
As soon as they saw the boy they shouted to him to halt.
Harry's alert senses took alarm.