204 The Mountain Sheep 



finally getting a shot in ; but here is the whole 

 adventure. 



I lifted myself and looked over the edge into 

 the next gulch. There was the ram, who saw me 

 at the same moment, and rose. I probably missed 

 him ; for after my shot he continued to walk 

 toward me in a leisurely manner, not fifty yards 

 distant, I should think, down in his gulch. 

 Whether I fired at him again or not, I caiit re- 

 member, — couldn't remember that same evening 

 when I tried to put the whole event faithfully 

 down in my diary! Buck-fever is not the only 

 reason for this uncertainty; for now, from behind 

 every rock below me, horns rose up like tricks 

 out of a trap-door, apparitions of horns every- 

 where, an invasion of mountain sheep. They 

 came straight up to me, — this was the most up- 

 setting part of it all. Not one did I see running 

 down the gulch ; they hadn't made me out, or 

 made anything out, save that some noise had 

 disturbed them. They came up and up around 

 me, passing me, steadily coming and going on 

 over the mountain while my buck-fever raged. 

 " I saw their big grave eyes and the different 

 shades of their hair, and noticed their hoofs 

 moving — but whether they came by fast or slow, 



