noon
The next day he began to lay his plans carefully , and disappeared soon after breakfast with the ostensible purpose of climbing a height at some distance for the sake of the prospect . He soon doubled round , noting every covert approach to Bute 's lodgings . His eye and ear were as quick as an Indian 's ; but he still maintained , in case he was observed , the manner of an elderly stranger strolling about to view the region . By noon he felt that he had the immediate locality by heart . His afternoon task was to explore the possibilities of a stream that crossed the mine road something over a mile away , and for this purpose he mounted his horse . He soon reached the shallow ford , and saw that the water was backed up for a considerable distance , and that the shallows certainly extended around a high , jutting rock which hid the stream from that point and beyond from the road . The bed appeared smooth , firm , and sandy , and he waded his horse up the gentle current until he was concealed from the highway .