222 



'HUNTING TRIPS 



the path until near the middle of the hill- 

 side, where the ground broke away and there 

 were hollows and boulders. Here there had 

 been a windfall, and the dead trees lay among 

 the living, piled across one another in all di- 

 rections; while between and around them 

 sprouted up a thick growth of young spruces 

 and other evergreens. The trail turned off 

 into the tangled thicket, within which it was 

 almost certain we would find our quarry. 

 We could still follow the tracks, by the slight 

 scrapes of the claws on the bark, or by the 

 bent and broken twigs; and we advanced 

 with noiseless caution, slowly climbing over 

 the dead tree trunks and upturned stumps, 

 and not letting a branch rustle or catch on 

 our clothes. When in the middle of the 

 thicket we crossed what was almost a breast- 

 work of fallen logs, and Merrifield, who was 

 leading, passed by the upright stem of a 

 great pine. As soon as he was by it he 

 sank suddenly on one knee, turning half 

 round, his face fairly aflame with excitement ; 

 and as I strode past him, with my rifle at 



