Part 18 (1/2)

Ha!--what!--good!”

These ejaculations escaped from the hunter as he cast his eyes upward

It was a peculiarity in the form of the rocks that had caused hi ridge that could be easily ascended; and froht also be reached by a little active cli

”Good!” repeated he to hiet up if I'm chased The top of the rock's equal to any tree

It'll do if I aoes for a shot, bull or no bull!”

Saying this, he once reat rock, he co corners, in order to get within view of the herd

He did notwell before hi, but quite as anxiously did he bend his eyes around the edge of the boulder, where he surht be He even listened at intervals, expecting to hear the latter breathing or giving a grunt, or soht be made _known_

If behind the rock at all he h for his breathing to be heard; and once Caspar fancied that he actually heard a grunt, which did not proceed from any of the herd

The hunter, however, had less fear now, as he believed he could retreat to the rock before even the swiftest animal could overtake him He therefore moved on with sufficient confidence

You are not to suppose that all these thoughts and movements occupied much time There were not five minutes consumed from the time Caspar arrived at the rocks, until he had taken all hisround within view of the herd-- where at length Caspar arrived

As yet no bull was seen He ht still be there, but if so, he was farther round the corner of the rock; and the sight of the others now fair before the hts of the bull out of his ht the gun was to his shoulder, his finger touched the trigger, and the loud report echoed from the distant cliffs The ball told, and a coas bowled over, and lay sprawling on the plain Bang went the second barrel, and a young bull with a broken leg went hobbling off toward the thicket The rest of the herd tore away at top speed, and were soon lost sight of in the bushes

A little calf alone re around, uttering its singular cries, and seely astonished and unable to comprehend the catastrophe that had befallen its mother!

Under other circuh a hunter, he was not hard-hearted But just then he had soive way to pity

He had scarce ai on the trigger--when a sound reached his ears that made his heart leap It spoiled his ai would have had it between his ribs instead of in his hind-leg That sound could be nothing else than the grunt of the old bull himself; and so close to Caspar did it appear that the hunter suddenly dropped thethe ani around; but he knew the latter could not be le of the boulder Under this i speed to ascend the rock

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

FACE TO FACE WITH A FIERCE BULL

Caspar leaped on to the lower one, and scrae

His eyes were turned more behind than before him, for he expected every moment to see the bull at his skirts To his astonish around the rock twice or thrice had he heard his terrific grunting

He now faced toward the summit, determined to climb up to the safest place From the top he would be able to see all around, and could there watch the movements of the bull, as he fancied, in perfect security He laid his hand on the edge of the rock and drew himself over it It was as h, and it required all his strength to raise himself up

His attention was so occupied in the endeavour, that he was fairly upon the top ere he thought of looking before him; and when he did look, he saw, to his amazement and terror, that he was not alone _The bull was there too_!

Yes! the bull was there, and had been there all the while The top of the boulder was a flat table, several yards in length and breadth, and upon this the old bull had been quietly reclining, basking hi his wives and children as they browsed on the plain below As he had been lying down, and close to that edge of the table which was most distant from Caspar, the latter could not have perceived hi his eyes in that direction, as he would as soon have thought of looking for the old bull in the top of one of the trees Caspar had quite forgotten what Karl had told him,--that the summits of rocks and isolated boulders are the favourite haunts of the yaks,--else he ot into