117 



CHAPTER X. 



THE ALM HUTTE. 



At one o'clock we set off. The snow was gradually dis- 

 appearing from the summit and sides of the Plau Berg, 

 and in place of the smooth, unbroken, equal surface, the 

 rugged dark rock showed itself in patches through the 

 glittering covering. 



"It must be warmer up yonder than it is here," 

 observed Solacher. " The snow is creeping slowly away, 

 and will soon all be gone." 



"Is there any stalking to be had there now?" I 

 asked. 



" No, it is a hundred chances to one that we should 

 find anything. You see, being just on the frontier, the 

 Tyrolians come over the mountains ; and formerly even 

 they were constantly trying what they could get. How- 

 ever, on such a mountain as that the chamois will 

 hardly be exterminated. They have so many places 

 where they can maintain themselves against pursuit; 

 and be sure, long after every chamois is destroyed in 

 the neighbourhood, on the Plau Berg they will still be 

 found." 



"Are any ugly places there ?" I asked. 



" Yes, some are ugly enough. But it is not abso- 

 lutely necessary to go where they are, with the exception 



