spring was close in to the rocks that bounded that side of
the valley.

The dog ran on after him, and the hunters followed as fast as they were
able. Karl and Ossaroo kept along the bottom of the cliff, while Caspar
remained out in the open valley, in order to intercept the game should
it turn outwards in the direction of the lake.

In this way they proceeded for more than half-a-mile before seeing
anything more of the stag. At length the loud baying of Fritz warned
them that he had overtaken the game, which was no doubt standing to bay.

This proved to be the case. Fritz was holding the buck at bay close to
the edge of a thicket; but the moment the hunters came in sight, the
stag again broke, dashed into the thicket, and disappeared as before.

Another half-mile was passed before they found the game again, and then
the dog had brought him to bay a second time; but just as before, when
the hunters were approaching, the stag made a rush into the bushes, and
again got off.

It was mortifying to lose such noble game after having been so sure of
it, and all determined to follow out the chase if it should last them
the whole day. Karl had another motive for continuing after the deer.
Karl was a person of tender and humane feelings. He saw that the ball
had broken the creature's thigh-bone, and he knew the wound would cause
its death in the end. He could not think of leaving it thus to die by
inches, and was anxious to put an end to its misery With this view as
well as for the purpose of obtaining the venison, he continued the
chase.

The stag gave them another long run, before it was again brought up; and
again, for the third time, it broke and made off.

They began to despair of being able to come up with it. All this while
the deer had kept along the base of the cliffs, and the hunters as they
ran after it could not help noticing the immense precipice that towered
above their heads. It rose to the height of hundreds of feet, in some
places with a slanting face, but generally almost as vertical as a wall.
The chase of the wounded stag, however, occupied too much their
attention to allow of their observing anything else very minutely; and
so they pressed on without halting anywhere--except for a moment or so
to gain breath. Six or seven times had they seen the wounded stag, and
six or seven times had Fritz brought him to bay, but Fritz for his pains
had only received several severe scores from the antlers of