We should leave them at a place which Evan would show us, and so go on with him without them.

It was not so certain that we might not run into the nest of the men who had taken Owen, though this would surely not be in the lost valley.
Many a long mile Evan led us into the hills northwestward, and far beyond where I had yet been.

I cannot tell how far it was altogether, for the way was winding, but I lost sight of all landmarks that I knew, and ever the bare hills grew barer and yet more wild, and I could understand that there were places where even the shepherds never went.
At first we saw one or two of these watching us from a distance, but soon we passed into utter loneliness, and nought but the cries of the nesting curlew which we startled, and the wail of the plover round our heads, broke the solemn stillness of the grey rocks on every side.

Even our men grew silent, and the ring of sword on stirrup seemed too loud to be natural at last.

We were all fully armed, of course.
Then we came to a place where the hills drew together, and doubled fold on fold under a cloud of hanging mist that hid their heads, and as we rode, once Evan pointed silently to a rock, and I looked and saw strange markings on it that had surely some meaning in them, though I could not tell what it was.