We were just going to attack the boar's head when Master Tobias
appeared in person, followed by no less a personage than the Baron of
Zimmer-Bluderich, attended by his groom.

We rose from our seats. The young baron advanced to meet us with head
uncovered. It was a noble-looking head, pale and haughty, with a
surrounding of fine dark hair. He stopped before Sperver.

"Monsieur," said he in that pure Saxon accent which no other dialect can
approach, "I am come to ask you for information as to this locality.
Madame la Comtesse de Nideck tells me that no one knows these mountains
so well as yourself."

"That is quite true, monseigneur, and I am quite at your service."

"Circumstances of great urgency oblige me to start in the midst of the
storm," replied the baron, pointing to the window-panes thickly covered
with flakes of snow. "I must reach Wald Horn, six leagues from this
place!"

"That will be a hard matter, my lord, for all the roads are blocked up
with snow."

"I am aware of that, but necessity obliges."

"You must have a guide, then. I will go, if you will allow me, to Sebalt
Kraft, the head huntsman at Nideck. He knows the mountains almost as well
as I do."

"I am much obliged to you for your kind offers, and I am very grateful,
but still I cannot accept them. Your instructions will be quite
sufficient."

Sperver bowed, then advancing to a window, he opened it wide. A furious
blast of wind rushed in, driving the whirling snow as far as the
corridor, and slammed the door with a crash.

I remained by my chair, leaning on its back. Kasper slunk into a corner.
Sperver and the baron, with his groom, stood at the open window.

"Gentlemen," said Sperver with a loud voice to make himself heard above
the howling winds, and with arm extended, "you see the country mapped out
before you. If the weather was fair I would take you up into the tower,
and then we could see the whole of the Black Forest at our feet, but it
is no use now. Here you can see the peak of the Altenberg. Farther on
behind that white ridge you may see the Wald Horn, beaten by a furious
storm. You must make straight for the Wald Horn. From the summit of the
rock, which seems formed like a mitre, and is called Roche Fendue, you
will see three peaks, the Behrenkopp, the Geierstein, and the Trielfels.
It is by this last one at the right that you must proceed. There is a
torrent across the valley of the Rhethal, but it must be frozen now. In
any c