XV A WOLF AFTER THE RAMS 257 



When we came to the first spot from which the rams 

 should have been visible, if they had remained where 

 they originally were, none were to be seen. We scanned 

 the hillside all about carefully, but never saw them. The 

 Kashmiri, however, noticed a wolf, and it was very 

 probable this beast had scared the sheep. We accordingly 

 crept on, looking about carefully, when suddenly Abdulla 

 threw himself flat behind a stone, and we quickly followed 

 his example. 



Looking up in the direction in which he pointed, I 

 saw the herd in the very spot which we had been trying 

 to gain. They were evidently disturbed about some- 

 thing, and kept staring down the ravine at the top of 

 which they stood. Here the Kashmiri said he saw 

 the wolf going up towards the sheep. The latter soon 

 moved off in the direction from which they had come, 

 going fast, and sending the stones clattering down. 

 Only that their attention was so taken up with the wolf, 

 they must have seen us while we were getting to the 

 position in which we lay ; so it was lucky for us the 

 pursuer was there. Every now and then the rams would 

 stop and look back and then go on again. But the 

 wolf seemed after a short time to miss them or give 

 them up, for he went on beyond where they had been, 

 and finally disappeared round the hillside. Then the 

 herd, seemingly satisfied that there was no further danger, 

 quietly lay down. 



They were in full view on one side of the ravine, 

 while we lay as still as we could manage on the other. 

 We could not move, as any attempt to change our 

 position would inevitably have meant our being dis- 



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