lying down, and close to that edge of the
table which was most distant from Caspar, the latter could not have
perceived him while approaching the rock. He did not even think of
turning 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 might
have kept out of the scrape he had now fairly got into.

On perceiving his dilemma, the young hunter was quite paralysed; and for
some moments stood aghast, not knowing how to act.

Fortunately for him the bull had been standing at the farthest extremity
of the table, looking out over the plain. The trouble he was in about
his family occupied all his attention, and he stood loudly grunting to
them as if calling them back. He was unable to comprehend what had
caused such a rout among them; although he had already experienced the
dire effect of those loud detonations. He was "craning" forward over
the edge, as if half determined to leap from the summit, instead of
turning to the easier descent by which he had got up.

As Caspar scrambled up to the ledge, the rattle of his accoutrements on
the rock reached the ears of the bull; and just as the former had got to
his feet the latter wheeled round, and the two were now face to face!

There was a moment's pause. Caspar stood in terror; his antagonist,
perhaps, also surprised at the unexpected rencontre. It was a very
short pause, indeed. Almost in the next instant the fierce yak,
uttering his terrific cry, charged forward.

There was no chance to evade the shock by springing to one side or the
other. The space was too circumscribed for such a manoeuvre, and the
most adroit matador could not have executed it where Caspar stood. He
was too near the edge of the rock to make the experiment. His only hope
lay in bounding back as he had come; which he did almost mechanically
upon the instant.

The impetus of the leap, and the slanting surface of the lower boulder,
carried him onward to the bottom; and, unable any longer to retain his
feet, he fell forward upon his face. He heard the rattle of the bull's
hoofs upon the rock behind him; and before he could recover his feet
again he felt the brute trampling over him.

Fortunately he was not hurt, and fortunately the same impetus that had
flung him upon his face also