286 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



following day, and accordingly we started early, having 

 rather a long way to go. We soon left the road, and 

 took a short cut across the meadows. We had not 

 gone many steps before we came upon the traces of 

 men's footsteps, which were discernible on the dewy 

 grass. We looked, and looked again : there was no 

 mistaking them. 



"They are quite fresh/' observed Berger; "they 

 cannot have passed here long:" and we distinctly made 

 out the trail of five men. " When we come to the 

 road," he continued, " we shall be able to see which 

 way they have taken ; but I have no doubt they are 

 gone up the mountain. Today is a sort of a holiday, 

 and the rascals always choose such days, as they think 

 we are at home, and consequently they are safe. They 

 are from Hundham, that I know for certain, for they 

 come from that direction, the worst set in the whole 

 neighbourhood." This village was notorious for its 

 poachers, and not one of them but would as soon send 

 a bullet through a gamekeeper as a roebuck. 



On reaching the road we found by the footsteps 

 that the men had entered the wood with which the 

 slope was covered. 



"Just as I thought!" exclaimed Berger; "they 

 have gone up exactly where we are going ; there is 

 little chance now of our seeing anything today. Con- 

 found the rascals ! there 's a day's sport spoiled !" 



We made out that some others had taken a different 

 direction, and that they had not all kept together. As 

 we went up the hill Berger said : " It is well to have 



