274 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



two, three kids ! and three does too. They look back 

 once more, and then disappear. 



We returned to the path, and soon reached that 

 part of the mountain where the woods ceased. Be- 

 fore us lay the bare steep ascent, with here and there 

 a stunted tree growing out of the rocky earth. Now 

 all wore a different character; we were entering an- 

 other region. High above us was the sharp line of 

 the ridge's summit ; that was our horizon, and thither 

 we had to go. On our left was a deep hollow. 



"There, just there/' said Neuner, pointing to a 

 wizard-looking dead tree, " I once shot a stag. It 

 was evening, and quite dark. I was waiting for him, 

 sitting here on this stone. He came along by yonder 

 broken ground, and through the hollow. I could not 

 see his antlers ; however I fired, but it was too dark 

 to look for him afterwards. As it was impossible to 

 go home, I sat the whole night under that tree, and 

 the worst of it was it rained all the time. In the 

 morning I found him : he had not gone far, for by 

 chance I had hit him well." 



Some distance up the mountain was a rude log- 

 hut. We went to it, for in such a place traces are 

 often found indicative of who were the last lodgers, or 

 if any one has been there beside the herdsman or the 

 woodcutter. On the door was written 

 " IN THE LOWER HUT. 



WOLF." 



It was fastened with a wooden peg outside, so we 

 knew there could be no one within. It was a miser- 



