"Why should not I?"

"Oh, if you are so sure of it, and you know more about it than I do, of
course march on, and I'll follow!"

It was easy to see that the old hunter was vexed that I should presume to
trespass upon his special province; therefore, only laughing inwardly, I
required no repetition of the request to lead on, and I turned sharply to
the left, sure of coming across the old woman's trail, who, after having
left the count at the postern gate, must have crossed the plain to reach
the mountain. Sperver rode behind me now, whistling rather
contemptuously, and I could hear him now and then grumbling--

"What is the use of looking for the track of the she-wolf in the plain?
Of course she went along the forest side just as usual. But it seems she
has altered her habits, and now walks about with her hands in her
pockets, like a respectable Fribourg tradesman out for a walk."

I turned a deaf ear to his hints, but in a moment I heard him utter an
exclamation of surprise; then, fixing a keen eye upon me, he said--

"Fritz, you know more than you choose to tell."

"How so, Gideon?"

"The track that I should have been a week finding, you have got it at
once. Come, that's not all right!"

"Where do you see it, then?"