UP THE MOUNTAIN. 283 



Suddenly there came a shock ; a hand was upon me, 

 and a voice said, " There is a chamois ! " I was wide 

 awake in an instant, and involuntarily cocking the 

 rifle on which my hand rested while I slept, I started 

 to my feet. 



" Oh, it is too far to fire/' said Neuner. " There 

 he is!" 



"I see it!" And there stood, far below us among 

 the thick latschen, a fine chamois. Out came the tele- 

 scope. His fore feet were on a fragment of rock, his 

 sloping back was towards us, and his neck stretched 

 out, with the head knowingly on one side, as though 

 he were listening. He stood so for a long time im- 

 moveable; it was evident he did not know what to 

 make of it. 



" Perhaps he hears those women," I observed ; " or, 

 as he is looking downwards, may-be a herdsman is 

 passing below. What shall we do ? " 



" We will wait and see what he does," said Neuner. 



But he still remained, and gazed and listened. And 

 well might he tarry, for from the rocks above no dan- 

 ger could reach him ; and to approach where he stood 

 without being perceived was next to impossible. Yet 

 he was mistrustful, and soon skipped lightly away. 

 The manner of his leaving the spot, however, showed 

 he was not frightened ; prudence, rather than fear, had 

 induced him to change his position. I knew therefore 

 he would not go far: he would not bound headlong 

 on without stop or stay, as when his fine sense of 

 hearing warned him of danger being near, or the taint 



