Alton, who was black and grey to the ankles, took his hat off, shook it, and put it on again in a curious unconcerned fashion which suggested that he did it unconsciously.
"Those six feet make a big difference," said he.

As he spoke there was a crash a little farther behind them, another ahead, and they stood still; Alton gripping the horse's bridle, Seaforth staring about him and scarcely breathing, while concussion answered concussion, until there was a silence that was almost bewildering again.
"Now," said Alton quietly, "we'll get out of this, though I don't know that we need worry, because that should have cleared out the shaky ones.

When one goes, more of them generally follow.

It wouldn't have grieved Hallam of the Tyee very much if we had been a yard or two farther back." Seaforth was possibly a little shaken, for he answered as he might not otherwise have done.

"I wonder if it would have displeased anybody else," he said.
Alton jerked the horse to a standstill and looked at him.