52 MY FIRST CAPERCAILZIE 



surely a most perfect spot for the cure of nerves 

 shattered by the stress of modern hfe. Luckily 

 we were neither of us in need of such a cure. 



Next morning early, indeed very early, we 

 started. The huntsman stomped ahead with 

 the lantern, and we crawled up the mountain 

 for over an hour. Arrived at the pairing place, 

 we took up our position under two tall pines 

 and waited. A few hen-birds were to be heard 

 in the neighbourhood, but not the sound of a 

 cock anywhere. 



At last, far, far away, we heard the familiar 

 tack-tack — tack-tack — tack-tack-a-tack — tack- 

 tack. 



Then we started again. At first it was by 

 a kind of game track, not very easy, but still 

 a path of sorts. Then straight into the snow 

 through the high woods. 



After a journey which seemed pretty long 

 to me we reached a little clearing. The cock 

 was nearer, but so far we had seen nothing of 



him. 



Here the snow, which looked so beautiful, 

 became uncommonly trying. It reached to our 



