"
This was done, but beyond finding that the ground on the right was
higher than that on the left no index as to their position was
discovered.
"You see, Mr. Fitzgibbon, we are on sloping ground rising to the
right. Now, does that help you at all?"
"Not much sir. The country here is all undulating."
"Very well, then, we must try a march forward. Now, sergeant, place
the men five paces apart. Do you put yourself in the center. I will
move on three yards ahead of you. I shall go as straight forward as I
can, but if you think I am inclining either to the right or left you
say so. The fact that the ground is sloping ought to be a help to us
to keep straight. I wish it sloped a little more, then one would be
able to tell directly whether one was keeping straight. Let the men
speak to each other every few paces so as to keep the right distances
apart."
Mr. Fitzgibbon placed himself by Ralph's side, and they started. For
half an hour they kept on, then Ralph cried, "Halt. I am certain I am
going downhill, it may be because I have changed my direction, or it
may be because there is a change in the lay of the ground. What do you
think?"
"It's impossible to say," Mr. Fitzgibbon replied. "It seems to me that
we have been going straight, but when one can't see a yard before one
one may have turned any direction.
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