166 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



been disturbed by us, he would, in dashing off, surely 

 have caused them to move away also. 



" Well, Xavier, now for the clam ! How far may it 

 be from here ?" 



" It will take us two good hours to get there : we 

 have come a great way down, you see, and the clam is 

 on the ridge." 



" Is there no water near here V 



" Not a drop : do you want to drink ?" 



" Yes, my mouth is as dry as these stones. Shall we 

 find no spring as we go along ?" 



" No, the only water is down yonder. It is not very 

 near, but if you like I will run and fetch you some." 



(C No, no," said I, " let us go upwards ; we have no 

 time to lose." 



The day was fine and the sun shining, but the heat, 

 though oppressive in getting up the steep, would have 

 been nothing if I could only have assuaged my thirst, 

 which became almost intolerable. There was however 

 no help for it but to go on ; some hours more and we 

 might perhaps be able to obtain drink. 



" How far is it now ?" I asked, breaking silence, for I 

 had been chary of my breath and was choking. 



" We have an hour's walk still," answered Xavier ; 

 and we went on again in silence. 



Just before we reached the clam I stumbled on a 

 puddle. The water, which was dirty enough, had col- 

 lected in a hole in the mud about as large as both my 

 hands. 



"Ah, there's water!" I exclaimed, about to stoop 

 and take a draught. 



" You surely will not drink that," said Xavier, in a 

 tone and with a look that seemed to say I was going to 

 commit an abomination. His manner was such that I 



