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"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.
"We might die up here in the mountains just like Moses in sight of the promised land. And some time maybe a hunter would find our bones lying scattered about on the ground." She sniffed a little at this pathetic picture, and her eyes filled with tears. "Look here," said Seppi, jumping to his feet and gazing down at her sternly. "Is that any way for a hero to talk?
"Pooh," said Seppi, and just to show that he didn't care at all about such idle tales he began to whistle; but Leneli noticed that he too looked behind him now and then. It grew more and more difficult to find the way, for there were openings between the trees that looked like paths and the true path wound in and out, and came near losing itself entirely among the rocks.
"Roseli is where Mother is, you may be sure," said Seppi. They ran outdoors again, and found Bello barking madly at Nanni, who was having a blissful time with the carrot-tops, which she refused to leave even when Bello, who knew very well she shouldn't be in the garden at all, nipped at her heels. "We'll have to shut up the goats," said Seppi, as he ran to Bello's assistance.
Then he tripped out and went clattering down-stairs, whistling. We did not look at the things; we couldn't take any interest in anything but the clock. We sat staring at it in silence, listening to the ticking, and every time the minute-hand jumped we nodded recognition one minute fewer to cover in the race for life or for death. Finally Seppi drew a deep breath and said: "Two minutes to ten.
They were nearly half way across, when Seppi stopped and called to Leneli to stand still. There in front of him yawned a wide crevasse. The frozen river had cracked open, and if they went forward in a straight line they would plunge down into an ice prison from which they could never escape alive.
The house is mortgaged for it, and we've no home for our heads if we don't pay to-morrow. And that four ducats is all we've got in the " "It's yours, every bit of it, and you've got to take it we are bail that it's all right. Aren't we, Theodor? Aren't we, Seppi?" We two said yes, and Nikolaus stuffed the money back into the shabby old wallet and made the owner take it.
It was the hardest puzzle and the greatest danger they had met in their whole journey, and for a minute poor Seppi almost gave up in despair. He thought they would have to go back and try the river after all. Shouting to Leneli to keep the goats together if she could, he turned and made his way up-stream along the edge of the crevasse.
We'd better start along, for it's getting later every minute, and I'm bound to reach that farm-house before dark." He pointed to a speck in the distance. "Oh, dear," sighed Leneli, as she followed his finger with her eye, "it's like dying to get to heaven! Suppose we fall into cracks in the glacier?" "You're the worst supposer I ever saw," snapped Seppi. "Suppose we don't fall in!
It is a large sum." "Seven," said Seppi, correcting him. "Oh, seven, was it? Of course a ducat more or less isn't of consequence, but you said eleven hundred and six before." It would not have been safe for us to say he was mistaken, but we knew he was. Nikolaus said, "We ask pardon for the mistake, but we meant to say seven."
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