MEETING WITH POACHERS. 221 



enough to have had to retreat before those rascals, but 

 for it to be known, and for the people to know who it 

 was and to talk of it, that 's enough to drive one wild." 



We came to a stream, and passing through it bare- 

 footed, sat down on the bank to mend our things. 

 Needle and thread we had none ; so I divided the twist 

 of a piece of string, and making holes in the torn gar- 

 ment with the point of my knife, in this wise tied up the 

 rents. I could not help laughing at our droll figures 

 while thus employed ; but Berger looked grave, and I 

 saw that anger was devouring him. 



" Here Berger, drink !" said I, handing him the lea- 

 ther covering which, when it rained, I strapped over my 

 gun-lock, and in which, for want of anything better, I 

 had fetched water and mixed with some rum from my 

 flask ; but he refused it, saying, " I can't drink, nor eat 

 either : something is here that seems to lace my chest to- 

 gether, and there is a gnawing at my stomach, as though 

 a wolf were inside. Those rascals ! For a jager to be 

 obliged to run before such fellows ! If only they don't 

 find our sticks, — that would be a triumph for them ! " 



There was no consoling him. " Had I been alone," 

 he continued, " those rascals should not be able to say 

 they made me run : they have something to brag about 

 now." 



" But Berger," I replied, " why did you do so then ? 

 I followed your directions implicitly, and left you to de- 

 cide what was to be done. I don't think you can com- 

 plain of my behaviour in the matter." 



" No indeed, that 's true enough ; but, you see, I could 

 not know that beforehand ; and besides if anything had 

 happened to you, I should have been responsible : 'twould 

 be said, I ought not to have led you into the danger, and 

 all the blame would have fallen on me. But had I been 



