214 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



at the ridge of the mountain before me, high up in the 

 sky ; while doing so I thought I saw something move. 

 Although far away, it yet was on the sky-line, where 

 every object is more easily discerned. I looked steadily, 

 and now was sure I had not been mistaken. It could 

 not be a chamois, I said to myself, it was too large for 

 that, — and a stag ? — it might be, but I thought not ; the 

 movements were not like those of a stag. Keeping my 

 eyes steadily fixed on the object, I put my hand into my 

 rucksack behind me and pulled out my glass. The figure 

 was now clear enough j it was a man who was walking 

 along the ridge, with a rifle at his back. I whistled to 

 Berger : he answered, and a moment or two after joined 

 me. "Look up there," I said, giving him my glass; 

 " there goes one of the fellows we tracked just now. Do 

 you see him? just to the right of that latschen; now he 

 is hidden — there — now he comes again ! " 



"I see him," said Berger; " that's one of them for 

 certain." 



" Now I'll tell you what, Berger," said I ; f ' I would 

 rather get that fellow than the best chamois buck that 

 was ever shot in these mountains. If we could but get 

 him, and bring him down to the forester's house ! Come, 

 let us be after him : which is the best way?" 



"There is no use in trying, I assure you," said he; 

 " you see yourself what a distance he is off. Why, by 

 the time we reached that ridge he might be far away on 

 the other side, across the valley and up on the other 

 mountain. I should like to catch him well enough, you 

 may be sure, if only it were possible. It would take us 

 some hours to reach the ridge where he is." 



"I know that, but we may make the attempt. To 

 take that fellow's rifle from him, and bring him down in 

 triumph — by Jove ! it would be the best day's sport I 

 ever had in my life." 



