TO IIOHENBURG AND KREUTH. 187 



oozy meadows on the hill-side ; and, soaking as we both 

 were, the smoke that crept lazily upwards through the 

 misty rain from the chimney of the inn was a welcome 

 and cheerful sight. I had a warMi meal set before my 

 guide ; and as the days were now short, and it was im- 

 portant he should reach home before it grew dark, he 

 soon set off on his way back. My first visit was to the 

 forester's house, where I learned that Max Solacher had 

 shot a good stag the day before, and was now out on 

 the mountain looking after poachers. Shots had been 

 heard, it seems, in the direction where we had been 

 lately, and Maxl was off at once after the invaders. 

 Woe betide him who comes within reach of his rifle, 

 and alone ! 



The stag was one of twelve, and had he been shot 

 earlier would have been a splendid prize. But now, his 

 lank shrunken sides made me doubly regret the necessity 

 of thus killing everything, whether in or out of season. 



On Monday it rained ; on Tuesday I went out again 

 with Max, but could not get a shot. It was afternoon, 

 and we were going slowly upwards, when close above us 

 we saw five men, each with a rifle at his back. Down 

 we dropped behind a block of stone, to watch them. 

 They were going along one behind the other on a. narrow 

 path, and talking loudly. 



" Do you know them ? " I asked Max, who was ex- 

 amining them attentively. 



" Three of them I know, but I cannot make out who 

 the two others are. Let us go on, and see what they in- 

 tend to do." 



We proceeded accordingly, — at first, on account of the 

 unbroken surface of the ground, keeping below and pa- 

 rallel with them, but afterwards following in their very 

 footsteps. Sometimes we waited to let them pass on, and 



