Curiosity took Adam Salton out of bed in the early morning, but when he had dressed and gone downstairs; he found that, early as he was, Sir Nathaniel was ahead of him.

The old gentleman was quite prepared for a long walk, and they started at once.
Sir Nathaniel, without speaking, led the way to the east, down the hill.
When they had descended and risen again, they found themselves on the eastern brink of a steep hill.

It was of lesser height than that on which the Castle was situated; but it was so placed that it commanded the various hills that crowned the ridge.

All along the ridge the rock cropped out, bare and bleak, but broken in rough natural castellation.
The form of the ridge was a segment of a circle, with the higher points inland to the west.

In the centre rose the Castle, on the highest point of all.