,
I'm as stupid as he is. Get out of the way, old wooden wisdom, and
let's find your master."

Just at that moment voices fell upon the lad's ear, evidently coming
from a rough building formed of pine logs built up log-hut fashion.

He hurried towards it, and found old Andregg standing at the door
looking in, but ready to turn and salute him with a pleasant smile and
the friendly "good morning" of the Swiss people.

"Ah, Saxe! that you?" said Dale, who was busy with Melchior repacking
some of the things which had been brought up the valley by Pierre during
their absence. "Had a good night's rest?"

"Yes. But why didn't you call me when you got up?"

"I did, and so did Melchior; but you were so sound that I thought I'd
let you sleep. Well, all the traps are right, and I've been packing up
what we want to take."

"Where?"

"Into the heart of the mountains."

"And when do you start?"

"As soon as ever we have done breakfast and put together a good supply
of food. Had your bath?"

"No. I meant to go with you."

"Go and have it, and by that time we shall be ready for breakfast."

Saxe went off rather dissatisfied, towel in hand, to pass their
landlord's wife and receive a nod and smile. Then he went on towards
the place which he had visited before; and now, one by one, the
cold-looking peaks began to turn rosy and brighten, the scene changing
so rapidly to orange and gold that Saxe forgot his dissatisfied
feelings, and at last stopped to look round in admiration, then in
dismay, and at last in something approaching rage; for not a dozen yards
behind him was the heavy, stolid face of Pierre, his mouth looking as if
it had not been shut since he spoke to him.

The man had stopped when Saxe stopped, and he continued his heavy stare.

"Oh! I do wish I had paid more attention to my jolly old French and
German at school," muttered Saxe, as the man's stare quite worried him.
"I wonder what `be off' is? Allez-vous en he would not understand.
`Gehen!' That's `to go.' But you can't say `to go' to a fellow, when
you want him to be off. And you can't say `go to,' because gehen's only
one word. I know: `Gehen sie Jericho!' I'll let that off at him if he
follows me any farther."

Saxe nodded at the man, said "Morgen," and went on.

"`Morgen!' Well, that's `good morning.' He must understand that; but I
don't believe he understands it as we do when one says `good morning' to
a fellow and means he's to go