362 SHOPvT STALKS 



seen a herd. Sure enoiigli they were there, or there- 

 abouts, 1)ut the stalk failed, and they went away — ujihill 

 as though to cross into another valley. We watched 

 them top the ridge, going very slowly in the deep snow, 

 and made sure they would stop, a little way over on the 

 other side. We were just about to make after them, 

 when we spied, very high up on the opposite side of our 

 valley, two splendid bucks. One was a lord among izzards. 

 His head was good, but what especially distinguished him 

 was his size and colour. His haunches and shoulders were 

 so grizzled as to be almost white, while his barrel was black 

 like a bear, and the long bristles stood up — a wiry fringe 

 along his back. There was only one way up, and the wind 

 was puffing this way and that, in an aggravating manner. 



" But it was my last day, so we hardened our hearts 

 and determined to try it. Sometimes we were on good 

 ground, sometimes on bad, — and the wind all over the 

 place. I had not much faith in it. Suddenly, however, 

 the l)uek we were in search of rose, and disappeared 

 over some rocks. We could not tell whether he had o-ot 

 our wind or had merely risen to feed ; but we feared the 

 worst and hurried on to see. Sure enough they had 

 o'one. AVe were iust beoinnino- to sio-h over our ill 

 fortune when my hunter touched me and pointed. C*rossing 

 a wide corrie there he was — the liio- fellow — standino- on a 

 peak of black rock, starino- hard in our direction and oiyino- 

 vent to a succession of surprised whistles. ' Sa2)risti' — 

 'All ! Je [/)'(( nJ coquin. Refiardez-Je ! il }icst jjas .siir — il 

 nous cro/t iVetre fcmeUes, voiis ct moi par exem'ple I Tencz 

 voifs tranqTi/I — uc hovqez pas — // ra iiovs fnire imc petite 

 visite!' And behold! one loud whistle and with every 



