Squib and His Friends

l flat like a map, and the trees look as if somebody had gone round with an axe and taken all their heads off when they were little, and the rivers look like canals. I like the people

tier—but there’s something funny and queer about France, and that makes it interesting. I like the way they build their chateaux—with such queer little pepper-box towers, and such a lot of

waiting for them there, with her stories of mountain-spirits and the water-fairies. He was almost sorry when he found that a few days were to be spent at Interlaken before they

ng of horns when each station was reached or left behind, the costumes of the peasants as the travellers got more a

eep of childhood for a number of hours, Squib suddenly woke up very wide to find the room bright with sunshine, and to 49realize, after a few moments of utter perplexity, that he was really in Switzerland at last. With a great throb of sudden excitement he got quickly out of bed and pattered across the cold polished floor to the window.

flanked and supported, as it were, by a whole range of rocky, snow-crowned mountains, yet seemed to stand alone, lifting its majestic head into the very heavens. Squib stood and gazed with wonder, awe, and rapture, until the scene was graven into his memory for ever. What Lisa had said about the spell of the snow-mountains was all true. He had begun already to feel it himself. He stood before the window

s the Jungfrau bewitched you altogether? Or are

m next door, and to feel that his own cheeks were wet, just as if he had been cry

ust look sharp! Yes, she’s a grand lady is the Jungfrau—she gets at all of our hearts in a fashion; but hurry up

tte and cutlet with fried potato chips, queer curly rolls, and golden honey, with all the zest of a growing boy and of a mountain traveller. Meantime he gleaned from the talk of his companions that they were about to drive into the heart of some of those mysterious regions of which he had hitherto dreamed, without daring to hope to see them. The glacier at Grindelwald, the wo

language that Lisa had spoken when she was excited and in earnest, and in a very short time all Squib’s old fluency came back to him. He was interpreter to the whole party, and 52not a little proud of his position in that respect; but what he enjoyed even more was getting Johann to tell him all about the mountains, the people who lived amongst them, what they did in the long, dark winter months, when the snow came down and shut the

citing life of a driver during the busy summer season. But Squib learned, to his deep excitement and delight, that his new friend had twice made the a

ere hundreds of voices all answering each other in weird cries. Squib could have listened to these echoes for ever, and also to the stories the old man had to tell about the caves in the hills, and the wonders of torrent and valley. He twice spent an hour with him whilst others of the party were resting or sketching,

quib never tried to speak. Those about him were not even sure whether any very deep impression was made by them; but his observations on the manners and custom

ant to get to the chalet very much. But everything here is very funny and very interesting. I shall be

funny?” asked

hem to remember. Most of them have them manes on the wrong side. I asked Johann about it, but he didn’t seem to understand that it was wrong. I’m glad we didn’t bring Charger; he wouldn’t have liked it at all. But the horses here don’t mind it. I think they are very good-tempered. They have such kind fa

t part of a day to reach it, because, although the distance was not very great, there was no direct road, and they had to ta

g roads, with the usual accompaniments of men with great horns, children selling flowers, women at work by the wayside at their lacem

the level which had been indispensable to the railway travelling with which he had been previously acquainted. And the sensation of mounting up and up in one of these silent, mysterious little vehicles kept him spellbound with wonder and admiration. Uncle Ronald had explained to him

ting in readiness for the party, but only the ladies cared to ride. The baggage was cleverly packed and strapped on the rest of the docile animals, and the march began through these silent stretches of pine wood, and across bright sloping meadows gemmed with flowers, now dipping downwards to cross a plank-bridge through which the shining water could be seen foaming beneath, now rising by many a zig

he

e to see plainly before them. They had crossed the ridge of the hills they had been steadily mount

lank-bridge giving access to the green slopes opposite. And these green slopes were dotted with those little low chalets which are used for the shelter of the flocks in bad weather, and for the temporary abode of those who tend them there during

urn in Switzerland. Wood and water, meadows bright with flowers, green alps and snow mountains beyond! What could the child of man desire more? In one place he could even see the green, mysteriou

with this long silence, and tou

is the 58place—look! That is the house whe

rst moment that this valley was the right one, but he had not had

he aske

s a wealthy man may build for himself as a summer residence amongst the mountains, with the wide-peaked roof, great overhanging eaves, light wooden exterior staircase, and a

ng him, and without thinking of pausing for the rest of the party to come up, he rushed helter-skelter along the narrow mule path, with Czar tearing along beside him, bounding on

re that something human in a fluttering dress, and with something white about the head, was coming rapidly out towards him. In a

Lisa!

n! mein

. His great black muzzle was thrust between the pair, and faithful Lisa, with a sound between

ed. “And he knew poor Lisa too. O

forgotten that till now, and the familiar

he house. I don’t think the others will be here just yet; the mules come so slowly up the zigzags. Czar and I just came

ime. As for Squib, he was perfectly happy having his old nurse back again, answering her questions about home, a

d of. The rooms were all spotlessly clean, and the polished floors shone like mirrors. The balconies to the rooms were the chief attraction to Squib; and he was greatly charmed at finding that not only had his own little room one of these, but also

scended by the mule path, and already he was planning how he should make collections of all the Alpine flowers, pressing some in a book he had brought for the purpose, and taking roots of others home to try to make a bit of Alpine garden in his own special border. Squib was a born collector and naturalist, as well as a dreamer of dreams, and had collection

st of the party arrived, and was everybody’s assistant and mes

friends with everybody on the place before the first evening had passed, and when they sat down at last to the nondescript travellers’ meal that was like dinner and tea rol

ell to bring Squ

s teaching the child to talk, and almost sent her away for it, fearing that it would be the ruin both of his English and of his German, but

e mothers who are always caressing and fondling their children, and yet they loved her with an almost adoring love, and desired her approval above everything in the world. As she be

take care of you now, don’t you? I can be useful, and there will always be Czar to keep away anybody who would frighten you. But I don’t th

ing. The gentlemen laughed and teased him a little about his “queer fancies,” but Squib did not think them queer at all, he was so sure that there was something

w, with nothing between them and God. I think He must have made them so grand and white and beautiful

ent air. A short time ago they had been dyed a wonderful rose pink, as they caught the reflected glory of the setting sun; now they

over the whole world. Great towering shadows seemed to be cast athwart 64the valley, and then the snow-slopes began to glimmer and shine with a new and almost unearthly radian

g all besides, may well be questioned, but h

ing? Thou wilt catch thy death of col

s and hustled with ignominious rapidity into the queer

all he did by way of retaliation was to keep fast hold of Lisa’s hand and refuse to let her

strange sense of fascin