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CHAPTER XXIV. 



THE OLD BUCK. 



Should you ever go up the Oester Berg, you will see on 

 your right hand, quite at the top, and just before you 

 arrive at the first meadow, a little wooden chapel, with 

 a rude bank before it, in order that the passer-by may 

 there kneel and pray. We had just reached this spot, 

 talking as was our wont of matters that most interested 

 us, when Neuner, suddenly stopping in his story, ex- 

 claimed, " There's a chamois ! Come on, don't stop \" 

 he said, as I lagged behind to examine the mountain-side 

 and discover where he was. A few steps further, and 

 we reached the bench beside the chapel, whence with our 

 glasses we could watch the animal without his observ- 

 ing us. 



' ' "Where is he, Neuner V s 



" Look," he replied, " you see that long strip of geroll 

 coming down from the latschen ; well, to the right is a 

 black spot, — that's he." 



" Ah ! now I see him ; he is looking down at us." 



" Yes, he heard us talking ; but who would ever have 

 thought of his minding it at such a distance ? The thing 

 is, the chamois have grown unusually shy from being 

 hunted about wherever they go. They never have any 



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