MEETING WITH POACHERS. 241 



from above, he could not have been more startled ; and 

 no wonder: he thought himself alone, and suddenly 

 his solitude is disturbed by two armed men, rising 

 seemingly out of the earth and springing upon him. 



" Kreutz ! Himmel ! Donner Wetter ! Himmel Sa- 

 crament ! " he screamed with fright and terror, and 

 dashed at a bound behind a bush not a dozen paces 

 from where we stood. 



" Lay down your rifle, or by Heaven I '11 fire !" I 

 cried, raising my rifle to my shoulder and moving 

 toward the bush, though in reality it was so thick 

 I could not see any part of him. He knew Ins ad- 

 vantage, and cowering close did not speak or move. 

 With the exception of the bush where the poacher lay 

 hidden, all around was bare as the palm of my hand. 

 My whole person was exposed had he liked to fire, 

 and I was close to him. But there was no bravery 

 in this; for the danger and folly of standing thus 

 unprotected never once occurred to me. When it 

 did, I slowly changed my position. I saw Berger a few 

 paces further back, partly protected by the brow of 

 the mountain, and this reminded me of what I ought 

 to do. I therefore retreated some steps, keeping my 

 front towards the bush and my rifle ready. I had 

 just reached the ridge, when from the amphitheatre of 

 rock from that horrid abyss of crag and precipice 

 loud shouts were heard : they broke strangely upon 

 the silence, and at the moment I did not comprehend 

 what they were. 



"The others are coming!" cried Berger; "there 



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