Over his saddle Sapt carried a long coil of rope, and both were heavily armed.

I had with me a short stout cudgel and a long knife.

Making a circuit, we avoided the town, and in an hour found ourselves slowly mounting the hill that led to the Castle of Zenda.

The night was dark and very stormy; gusts of wind and spits of rain caught us as we breasted the incline, and the great trees moaned and sighed.
When we came to a thick clump, about a quarter of a mile from the Castle, we bade our six friends hide there with the horses.

Sapt had a whistle, and they could rejoin us in a few moments if danger came: but, up to now, we had met no one.