You will be apt to stumble." Nigel placed his hand in that of his host with perfect confidence, and with a curious feeling--aroused, probably, by the action--of having returned to the days of childhood.
The stair was indeed rugged as well as winding, and so pitchy dark that the youth could not have advanced at all without stumbling, unless his host had held him all the way.

At last a glimmer of light was seen in the distance.

It seemed to increase suddenly, and in a few moments the two emerged from total darkness into dazzling sunshine.
When Nigel looked round him he saw that they had gained a plateau, high up on the very summit of the mountain, which appeared to be absolutely inaccessible by any means save that by which they had reached it.
"This is what I call my observatory," said the hermit, turning to his guest.

"We have passed right through the peak of Rakata, and reached its northern side, which commands, as you see, a view of all the northern part of the island.

I come here often in the night to study the face of the heavens, the moon, and stars, and meditate on their mysterious Maker, whose ways are indeed wonderful and past finding out; but all which must, in the nature of things, be _right_." As this was the first mention that the hermit had made of the Creator, and the reference was one requiring more thought than Nigel had yet bestowed on it, he made no rejoinder.
"Have you studied astronomy, Mr.Roy ?" "No--at least not more of it than was needful for navigation.