160 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



out-of-doors to see what weather it was ; and as he 

 cast his eye round toward the mountains, what should 

 he espy but -a light high up in the direction of some 

 Aim Hiitten ? It was dark, and he could not see the 

 huts, but he knew exactly where they stood. The 

 Sennerinnen had come down to the valley some weeks 

 before, and, as none of the under-gamekeepers were 

 out that evening, he was sure the light could only 

 be caused by poachers who were making their fire. 

 Reitsch was not long determining what to do. Taking 

 with him one of his assistants who happened to be at 

 home, they started off for the mountain : there was a 

 path all the way up, so that, although it was night, 

 they reached it easily; besides they knew the road 

 well, and had a lantern with them. On arriving at 

 the hut, they waited till all was quiet ; no more smoke 

 rose from the roof, by which they knew that the fire 

 was out and the men had lain down to sleep. They 

 still waited, when presently Reitsch with a large stone 

 dashed open the door, and both rushed in together. 

 Startled and confused, and waking up suddenly out of 

 their first sleep, for a moment the poachers did not 

 know what to do, but directly after they instinctively 

 reached out their hands for the rifles hanging near. 

 In their flurry they could not get their weapons off 

 the pegs ; nor did Reitsch and his companion give 

 them much time to do so, but charging down upon 

 the band with the muzzles of their guns, they soon 

 overpowered them. They seized their rifles directly, 

 and the men surrendered, for unarmed thev could do 



