CH. XXXIV. OTTER-HUNTING. 223 



otter's black head appeared at a different aperture, 

 and now dog and man were dancing and tumbling 

 about amongst the snow and stones like lunatics, 

 the otter darting from place to place, and showing 

 his face first in one corner and then in another. 



Donald found this would not do ; so he again 

 commenced moving the stones. Presently he called 

 out to me, " Keep private, sir ! keep private ! the 

 brute is coming your gate !" Private I had kept 

 from the moment he had stationed me, till my 

 fingers and feet were nearly frozen. Donald seized 

 the dog and held him to prevent his running in 

 the way. All this passed in a moment, and I saw 

 the snow heaving up above the otter, who was 

 working through it like a mole, assisted, probably, 

 by the heather, which prevented it from being 

 caked down in a solid mass, as would have been 

 the case on a smooth field. I knew that he would 

 appear at the hole which we had stopped, and 

 therefore I did not risk a shot at him. 



He worked on until he was close to the hole, 

 when he emerged quietly and silently, and crept 

 towards the well-known place of refuge. On find- 

 ing it completely stopped up, the countenance of 

 the poor animal assumed a most bewildered ex- 

 pression of astonishment and fear ; and lifting 

 himself up on his hind legs, he looked round to 



