DIFFICULT TRACKING. 21 



no mistake, for an entire side had been torn away and 

 scattered all over the vicinity. Such signs as these 

 were easily understood ; the trap had sprung and 

 secured a foot, and that foot, from the wholesale 

 wreckage that had taken place, probably was the 

 property of the old mother herself. 



Tracking her for some distance was easy enough, 

 for the log attached to the trap had crushed down 

 and in many places even broken the diminutive 

 bushes over which it had been dragged. 



As every minute might bring me into the presence 

 of the foe, whose temper was certain to be anything 

 but sweet, I had to be cautious, and therefore slow. 

 The distance the game was in front of me I could not 

 estimate with certainty, although I supposed it not 

 far, therefore the greater necessity that I should be 

 prudent. I might, of course, have let Prince take up 

 the trail, but I knew he was sometimes over eager, 

 and then, there were three foes to be avoided, either 

 of whom would have been large enough to have ter- 

 minated his earthly career by a blow or a bite. 

 Thus the terrier, a little unwillingly I must say, 

 trotted at my heels. 



At length I thought I heard the breaking of brush- 

 wood in front ; shortly after followed the loud whirr 

 made by the flushing of a family of wood grpuse ; 

 what both the sounds combined told I knew, so the 

 excitement became intense. Several times I had 

 cocked my gun, as often strained my eyes to excess 

 with the hope that the chase was close to a termina- 

 tion, but I was doomed to a most unexpected dis- 

 appointment, for the trail suddenly disappeared. This 

 was no tracking ground for a novice in venery to try 

 his skill upon, for dead leaves and fir spines lay thick 

 all over the soil, so after casting about in search of 

 some indication that noted the direction taken by the 

 quarry, I was brought fairly to a standstill for want 

 of knowing what to do further. 



