46 AN AMERICAN HUNTER 



tracks; and as a rule wild creatures lie close during a 

 storm. We were glad to have fresh snow, for the multi- 

 tude of tracks in the old snow had become confusing; and 

 not only the southern hillsides but the larger valleys had 

 begun to grow bare, so that trailing was difficult. 



The third day dawned in brilliant splendor, and when 

 the sun arose all the land glittered dazzling white under 

 his rays. The hounds were rested, we had fresh horses, 

 and after an early breakfast we started to make a long 

 circle. All the forenoon and early afternoon we plodded 

 through the snowdrifts, up and down the valleys, and 

 along the ridge crests, without striking a trail. The dogs 

 trotted behind us or circled from one side to the other. 

 It was no small test of their stanchness, eager and fresh 

 as they were, for time after time we aroused bands of 

 deer, to which they paid no heed whatever. At last, in 

 mid-afternoon, we suddenly struck the tracks of two 

 cougars, one a very large one, an old male. They had 

 been playing and frolicking together, for they were evi- 

 dently mating, and the snow in the tracks showed that 

 they had started abroad before the storm was entirely 

 over. For three hours the pack followed the cold trail, 

 through an exceedingly rugged and difficult country, in 

 which Goff helped them out again and again. 



Just at sunset the cougars were jumped, and ran 

 straight into and through a tangle of spurs and foothills, 

 broken by precipices, and riven by long deep ravines. 

 The two at first separated and then came together, with 

 the result that Tree'em, Bruno, and Jimmie got on the 

 back trail and so were left far behind; while old Boxer 



