242 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



are seven of them they have seen usquick, into the 

 latschen ! follow me ! " 



I looked at the bush and felt sorry to leave it with- 

 out driving the game from its hiding-place ; but Berger 

 quickened me, by bidding me come along, for there 

 was not a moment to be lost. And indeed the wild 

 cries from the band grew louder with each shout. 

 The mountain was steep, and we were soon among the 

 latschen, keeping our heads low that they might not 

 betray our whereabouts, or serve for a mark to their 

 rifles. The men's cries grew now quite distinct 

 " Down with the rascally Jager ! the villains down 

 with them ! " and every instant brought the voices 

 nearer. 



" Quicker, for Heaven's sake, quicker ! they are 

 coming on fast ! " cried Berger, who was far in ad- 

 vance, but who now stopped to wait for me ; " what 

 keeps you so long? " The thing was, in moving through 

 the latschen, a branch had caught the leathern strap 

 by which I slung the rifle at my back, and the metal 

 fastening had snapped. So now I was obliged to carry 

 it in my hand, which was very inconvenient. 



" Down with the rascals !" was again ringing behind 

 me "Fire at the villains 1" but though they said this 

 I do not think they saw us, or they would not have 

 spared their balls. The latschen were thick and high, 

 and a branch of one whirled off my hat, and whisked 

 it away over the tops of the next bushes. To leave 

 that behind as a trophy for the men of Hundham 

 would never do ; besides I remembered there was the 



