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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 the town。 He dropped on his hands and knees
and was beginning to crawl back toward the entrance； when he
heard some one coming into the tunnel！ He sprang to his feet and
tried to run past； but the passage was narrow； and he was caught
at once and dragged into the light。〃
〃Oh！ Oh！〃 gasped the Twins； breathless with excitement。 〃It
sounds just like a bad dream。〃
〃It was no dream；〃 said the old herdsman； 〃for when the traitor；
whose name was Jean de Malters； saw Peter； he was terribly angry。
'How did you come here；' he roared； in a voice that made the
earth shake。
〃'I was asleep on the bank and you woke me up； so I followed to
see what was going on；' said Peter。
〃'I don't believe you。 Some one sent you to spy upon us；' said
Jean de Matters； and he shook Peter。 'Who sent you？'
〃'No one；' said Peter。 'I have told you the truth。'
〃'You lie；' said his captor。 〃I give you just two minutes to tell
who sent you； and if you do not tell us then； you shall die！'
〃Poor Peter thought of his home and his mother and father； and
there never was a more homesick boy in the world than he was at
that moment； but though he was terribly frightened； he did not
say a single word。
〃'He shall die； then；' said Jean de Falters； when the two minutes
were up； and Peter had not spoken。
〃One of the Austrians interfered。 'No；' he said。 'It would be bad
luck to begin the night's work by shedding the blood of a child。
Make him swear he will not tell what he has seen to any living
soul； and let him go。'
〃In spite of Jean de Matters； who was bound that he should be
killed； that was what they did； and the moment he was free you
may be sure Peter ran like the wind for home。
〃Now you see；〃 said the old herdsman； and he shook his finger at
Seppi and Leneli； 〃I this was a dreadful position for Peter。 He
had solemnly promised not to tell a living soul what he had seen
and heard； but if he didn't tell； his parents and friends would
be murdered before morning。
〃That evening his father and a number of other men were gathered
together in the