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wilder and wilder and wound slowly upward。
〃It's going to be dark pretty soon；〃 said Leneli at last； trying
hard to conceal the tremble in her voice； 〃and we are going up
instead of down。 Seppi； do you suppose there are any bears and
wolves about here？〃
〃Maybe；〃 said Seppi； and there was a little catch in his throat；
too。 〃But then；〃 he added； trying hard to look on the bright side
of things； 〃if there are； they'd be much more likely to eat the
goats。 I don't believe they care much about eating people。〃
〃Well； anyway； if they do；〃 quavered Leneli； 〃I hope they'll
begin with Nanni。〃
The afternoon waned； the shadows grew longer and longer； and they
wire just making up their minds that they must soon lie down
among the goats beside the trail and wait for morning； when a
turn in the path brought them out on a spur of the mountain where
they could look for miles across a deep valley towards the west。
On the farther side； range after range of snow…capped peaks gave
back the golden glory of the sunset； and from somewhere came the
sound of an Alpine horn playing the first few notes of the hymn
〃Praise Ye the Lord。〃
〃The Angelus！〃 cried Leneli clasping； her hands。 〃They can't hear
the church…bells up here； so they blow the horns instead。〃
Far away across the valley another horn answered； then another
and another； and the echoes took up the refrain until it seemed
as if the hills themselves were singing。
Following eagerly the direction of the sound the children were
overjoyed to see in the distance a lonely herdsman standing on a
great rock overlooking the valley； his long Alpine horn in his
hand； and his head bowed in prayer。 Leneli and Seppi bowed their
heads too； and it comforted them to think that their mother in
the old farm…house； and Father and Fritz on the far…away alp；
were all at that same moment praying too。 It seemed to bring them
near together in spite of the distance which separated them。
Their prayers said； the children hastened forward； driving the
goats before them； and now the sound of cow…bells mingled with
the tinkle of the bells on the goats。 Another turn in the path
revealed a green pasture where a herd of cows was grazing； and；
just beyond； a rough shelter made of logs with the herdsman；
still holding his horn； standing beside it。 He was gazing in
astonishment at the sight of two little children alone on the
mountains at so late an hour。 He was an old man； with a shaggy
white beard； and strange kind eyes that seemed always looking for
something that he could not find。 Beside him； his ears pointed
forward and his tail pointing back； was his dog。 The dog was
growling。
For an instant the children stood still； not quite daring to go
nearer； but Bello； dear friendly old Bello； had no such fears。 He
ran forward barking joyfully； the two dogs smelled each other；
and then trotted back down the path together as if they had been
friends since they were puppies。
The man followed at a slower pace。 〃What in the world are you
doing up here on the mountains with your goats at this time o'
day？〃 he said to the children。
The Twins told him their story； and he stood for a moment
scratching his head； as if he were much puzzled to know what to
do with them。
〃Well；〃 he said at length； 〃you can't get down the mountain
tonight； that's certain； and you must be hungry enough to eat an
ox roasted whole； that's certain too。 And your goats are hungry
into the bargain。 Goats aren't allowed in this pasture； but they
mustn't starve either。 Nothing is as it should be。〃
He scratched his head again； and Leneli； fearing he was going to
turn them away； could not keep a large tear from rolling； down
her nose and splashing off her chin。
〃There； there；〃 said the old herdsman； comfortingly； 〃don't you
cry； sissy。 Things aren't so bad but that they might be worse。
You can sleep in the hay up yonder；〃 he jerked his thumb toward
the hut； 〃and I'll give you a bite to eat； and the goats will
help themselves； I've no manner of doubt。〃
〃We can drink goat's milk；〃 said Leneli timidly； 〃and you may
have all we don't take。〃
〃We'll have to milk them first；〃 said Seppi； 〃and we've never
done it before。 Mother always does the milking。〃
〃I know how；〃 said Leneli proudly。 〃Don't you remember； Fritz
taught me the day Nanni swallowed my lunch？〃
〃I'll lend you a milk…pail；〃 said the herdsman。 〃The cows were
all milked some time ago。〃
He went back to the but and soon reappeared with two pails； and
as Leneli struggled with one goat he milked another； while Seppi
fed both creatures with tufts of grass to keep them quiet。 It was
the first good grass the goats had seen since morning； and
apparently they were determined to eat the pasture clean。
The herdsman looked at them anxiously and scratched his head
again。 〃They certainly have healthy appetites；〃 he said woefully；
〃they don't calculate to leave anything behind 'em but stones and
gravel！〃
The milking took some time and after it was done； the old man
placed the sad and tired children on the bench beside his door；
and while they ate the food he gave them and watched the moon
rise over the mountains； he told them about his home in the
village fifteen miles away at the foot of the pass； and about his
wife and two grandchildren who lived there with him。
〃The only thing you can do；〃 he said； 〃is to go down the pass on
this side of the mountain。 You can spend the night at my house or
at some farm…house on the way and it is only about ten miles back
to your own village from the foot of the pass。〃
〃But how can we find the way？〃 quavered poor Leneli。
The old man scratched his head； as he always did when he was
puzzled； and finally said； 〃Well； I'm blest if I can tell you。
It's a hard pass。 I'd go with you； but I'm alone here and I can't
leave the cows even for half a day。 I'll start you right； the dog
and the goats have some sense of their own； and the good God will
guide you。 Besides； Swiss boys and girls are never afraid。〃
〃I'm a little afraid； I think；〃 confessed Leneli。 She looked at
the moon and thought how it must be shining down on the old farm…
house； and of her mother； who at that very moment must be frantic
with fears for their safety； and of the long and perilous journey
before they could see her again； and though she tried hard to
swallow them； three little sobs slipped out。
The old man heard them。 〃Why； bless me； bless me；〃 he said；
rumpling his hair until it stood on end； 〃this will never do at
all！ Why； bless us； think of William Tell！ Think of Peter； who
lived long ago in your own Lucerne； and who saved the whole city！
To take a little herd of goats down a strange pass is child's
play compared with what he did； and he was only a boy like Seppi
here； and I always thought girls were braver than boys。〃
Leneli sat up and sniffed resolutely。 〃I thinkI'm almost sure
I'm going to be brave now；〃 she said。 〃Tell us about Peter。〃
〃Well； it was like this；〃 said the herds… man。 〃Peter was a
smart； likely lad enough； but nobody thought he was a hero。 In
fact； he never suspected it himself。 You see； you can't tell
whether you are one or not until something happens that calls for
courage。 Then if you do the right thing； whether you are afraid
or not； you'll know you are one。 Well； one summer night this
Peter went out to have a swim in the lake； and when he crawled
upon the bank to dress again； he was so tired he fell asleep。 By
and by he was wakened by voices and； opening his eyes； he saw
five or six men creeping stealthily along the lake…shore。
〃'Aha；' says Peter to himself； 'that's not the walk of honest
men。'
〃He got up on his elbow in the long grass and watched them
without being seen。 He saw many more men steal silently after the
first group； and among them he recognized the Bailiff of
Rothenburg；whom he knew to be an Austrian and the sworn enemy of
Lucerne。 He saw the men talk together and heard enough of what
they paid to be sure that danger threatened his beloved town。 So
when they moved on； he followed them； slipping along behind rocks
and bushes； until suddenly they disappeared as if the earth had
swallowed them。 Peter groped about hunting for them until at last
he saw a faint light shining from out a dark cavern among the
rocks。 Then； though he knew how dangerous it was； he followed the
light and found himself in along； dark tunnel。〃
〃Oh；〃 shuddered Leneli。 〃I could never be as brave as that。 I
don't like dark places。〃
〃Peter knew that a tunnel ran underneath the walls of the town
and that the other end of it opened by a trap…door into a stable
in Lucerne；〃 went on the old man without noticing Leneli's
interruption； 〃and at once he saw that some traitor must have
told the Austrians of this secret passage。 He crept closer and
closer to the group of men； until he was near enough to hear what
they said。 You may be sure his blood ran cold in his veins when
he heard the voice of a man he knew； telling the Austrians just
how best they could capture the town！ He knew that terrible
things would happen in Lucerne that night if the enemy ever
reached the other end of the tunnel； and at once made up his mind
that he must alarm