The Swiss Twins | Page 7

out of bed;
there was no other way to get him up." He looked up at his mother with
such honest eyes that in spite of herself her lips twitched and then she
smiled outright.
"I should have known better than to send such a great overgrown pup
of a boy as you on such an errand," she said. "Bello would have done it
better. Next time I shall send him.
"And now, since you are all awake, I will tell you the great news that
Father told me last night. He has been chosen by the commune to take
the herds of the village up to the high alps to be gone all summer. He
will take Fritz with him to guard the cattle while he makes the cheese.
There is no better cheese-maker in all the mountains than your father,
and that is why the commune chose him," she finished proudly.
More than anything else in the world, every boy in that part of
Switzerland longs to go with the herds to the high mountain pastures
for the summer, and Fritz was so delighted that he turned a somersault
at once to express his feelings. When he was right side up again, a
puzzled look came over his face, and he said, "Who will take care of
our own goats?"
"Ah," answered his mother, and she sighed a little. "There is no one but
Seppi and Leneli. Together they must fill your place, and you, Fritz,
must take them with you to-day up the mountain to learn the way and
begin their work."
"To-day! This very day?" screamed the Twins. They had never been up
to the goat-pastures in their lives, and it was a most exciting event.
Then Leneli thought of her mother. She flung her arms about her neck.

"But who will stay with you, dear Mother?" she cried. "All day you
will be alone, with everything to do and no one to speak to but the
baby."
"Yes," sighed the mother, "that is true. It will be a long, lonely summer
for me, but there is no other way, so we must each do our part bravely
and not complain. It is good fortune that Father and Fritz will both be
earning money in the alps, and, with wise old Bello to help you, you
will soon be as good goatherds as your brother. Come, now, hurry and
eat your breakfasts, for the goats are already milked and impatient to be
gone."
She took Roseli in her arms and disappeared down the stairs, and when,
a few moments later, the Twins and Fritz came into the kitchen, she
had their breakfast of bread and milk ready for them, and their
luncheon of bread and cheese wrapped in a clean white cloth for Fritz
to put in his pocket.
Father Adolf came back from the garden, where he had been hoeing
potatoes, to see the little procession start away for the hills. First came
the goats, frisking about in the fresh morning air and jingling all their
bells. Then came Bello, looking very important, then Fritz with a cock's
feather in his cap and his little horn and his cup slung over his shoulder,
and last of all the Twins.
"It's a long way, my children," said Mother Adolf, as she kissed them
good-bye. "Your legs will get tired, but you must climb on just the
same. If every one stopped when he was tired, the world's work would
never be done. Learn the way carefully and remember always to pray if
any danger comes. You are very near the good God on the mountain,
and He will take care of you if you ask Him, never fear."
"Obey Fritz," said Father Adolf, "and do not stray off by yourselves.
Stay always with Fritz and the goats."
"We will," cried the Twins, and away they ran to join their brother,
who was already some little distance ahead of them. They turned as the
path rounded the great cliff where the echoes lived, and the Twins
waved their hands, while Fritz played his merry little tune on the horn.
Then the rocks hid them from view, and the long climb began in
earnest.
It was many rough uphill miles to the alps where the goats were
pastured, and the stout little legs ached with weariness long before they

reached the patches of green grass which were reserved for them. On
the way up they passed fields where cows were grazing, and Bello had
hard work to keep the goats in the path, but these pastures were only for
cows, and goats were not allowed in them. For two hours they climbed
steadily up and up, following a mountain path that led sometimes
beside a rushing brook, sometimes along the