"Oh, father, please let us go ashore here," said Jack. "I want to lookat those pictures."
"_Do you see the little chapel just ahead of us?_"]
"And I want to climb up into the dark woods behind the chapel," saidJoe.
"All right," said their father. "How would you like to walk the restof the way to the end of the lake? It is only two or three miles. I amsure you never have walked over so beautiful a road as this one."
"Oh, do let us walk!" shouted Joe. "It will be lots more fun thansitting still here on the steamer."
So they went ashore right near the little chapel. First, they lookedat the pictures that told the story of Tell and Gessler, on the wallsinside of the chapel. Then they followed a steep, narrow path that ledup the mountain side through the dark woods. This path soon broughtthem to a pretty garden restaurant.
Of course they were all very thirsty, so they sat around a small tableunder the great trees and drank raspberry lemonade, which was servedto them in very tall glasses. Raspberry lemonade, as it is made inSwitzerland, is much nicer than plain lemonade, at least so the OverallBoys thought.
A few minutes later they began their tramp over one of the mostbeautiful roads in the world. It is called the Axenstrasse, because itis built along the side of the steep mountain called the Axenberg.
A part of the way the mountain is so steep the road could not be builton the outside of it, so a tunnel has been cut right through the rockyside. Here and there the outer wall of rock has been cut away, makinggreat arches through which people can look out over the beautiful laketo the high mountains beyond.
_The great arches from which people can see the highmountains beyond_]
The famous St. Gotthard railroad is also built along this mountainside. In some places the trains glide along the steep mountain almoststraight above the deep lake, and in other places they pass throughlong, dark tunnels.
The carriage road over which the Overall Boys were tramping was assmooth and level as a floor. Many automobiles flew past the happywalking party, but the boys did not envy the people who were riding inthem. They could see and enjoy everything, while those who had to ridemissed a great deal.
They passed through two or three small villages, where the narrowbalconies on the pretty chalets were all covered with beautifulclimbing roses.
In the center of a fountain, in one of the small flower gardens, theboys saw the figure of a queer little dwarf with a large, red umbrellaover his head.
"Oh, Jack, see that little man standing in the fountain!" cried Joe."He looks like the good dwarfs we read about in fairy tales. See what asmall body he has, and what a large head!"
"And do look at his long beard and his high, pointed cap!" said Jack."How proud he is of his big, red umbrella! He stands in the center ofthe fountain with the water falling all around, but not a drop falls onhim."
"Isn't he a jolly old fellow! I suppose he brings good luck to thepeople who own that garden," said Joe. "In fairy tales the mountaindwarfs always bring good luck, if they are treated kindly."
_The queer little dwarf under his large, red umbrella_]
"Well, this old fellow looks as if he were enjoying his lovely gardenhome," said Jack.
At last the trampers came to a small town where there was a high coachdrawn by four horses waiting to carry people two miles up the valley,to the village of Altdorf.
Travelers usually go to Altdorf by train now, but the Overall Boyschose to ride on top of the high coach.
_The Overall Boys chose to ride on top of the highcoach_]
It was a beautiful drive, and everybody was happy and hungry when thecoach drew up to a small hotel in the famous little village.
Supper was served in the hotel garden, then the boys went to bed todream of William Tell and his brave son, Walter, who had once walkedthe streets of this very village.
Quite early next morning, two eager little boys were standing in theold marketplace They were looking at the tall bronze monument ofWilliam Tell and his little son.
"Think of it!" said Joe. "William Tell stood on this very spot when heshot the apple from Walter's head."
"Yes," said Jack. "And Walter stood away back there, where the fountainnow is."
"My! I know I should have trembled, if I had been in Walter's place,"said Joe.
"I am sure Walter did not tremble. See how brave and happy he looks, ashe stands up there with his father's hand on his shoulder. He was proudto help save his father's life. He was even willing to die to save him.Why, I should be willing to do as much for my father, if he were introuble," said Jack.
"So should I!" cried Joe. "No one shall ever hurt father or mother, ifI can help it!"
"Well, that sounds good," said their father, who came up behind theboys just in time to hear what they were talking about. "I shall not beafraid to serve my country, so long as I have boys as brave as WalterTell."
_They were looking at the monument of William Tell_]
"Oh, father, did this all really happen, or is it just a story?" askedJack.
"Well," said their father, "a few wise men are telling us that it isonly a legend, but many of the Swiss people believe that it is everybit true. They are proud to have had such heroes as William Tell andhis little boy."
"Of course they are," said Joe. "I am going to believe that it istrue. Why, William Tell did almost as much for his country as GeorgeWashington did for ours. I think that he ought to be called the'Father of his Country,' the same as Washington is."
"So do I," said their father. "But let me tell you something now. Ihave a surprise for you. The people of the village are going to playthe story of William Tell to-day in their little open-air theater onthe edge of the woods.
"The king's hat will be there on a pole in the center of the busymarketplace, and all the people will bow low to it--all except WilliamTell and his little son, who will march proudly by it. Then, of course,Tell will have to shoot the apple from his little boy's head, andhe will be taken across the stormy lake in Gessler's boat, and thenhe will spring out upon the rocky shore, and escape into the woods.Gessler and his men will climb up the mountain path toward the castle;the poor woman will beg Gessler to release her husband from prison--andall the rest of the story will be played. Would you like to see it?"
"Oh, of course we should!" exclaimed the boys. "We should rather seeit than anything else we can think of."
And when they had seen it, they wanted to see it all right over again.
OVER AND THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS.]
OVER AND THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS
Slowly, slowly up the mountain crept the long train. It was carryingthe Overall Boys far away from lovely Lake Lucerne. It was taking themover the wonderful Bruenig Pass. It was carrying them even more slowlydown, down the steep slope on the other side toward the head of thedeep valley, where lay the pretty Swiss village of Meiringen.
As the boys stood by the car window they could see the long line oftrack far below them. Sometimes when their train passed a sharp curve,they could even see the engine at one end of the train and the last carat the other end.
They glided over high bridges above torrents of water which dashed downthe mountain to join the blue lake in the valley below.
It was wonderful--the mountains, the torrents, the lakes, and thestrong train which carried them over everything! It was all sowonderful, the boys had no words to express their delight. For thefirst time on their long journey they were almost silent.
Once in a while one of the boys would cry: "Look at that greatwaterfall!" or "See the precipice right below us!" or "Watch us crossthat high bridge!"
_They glided over high bridges_]
It was much more exciting than the ride in the thunder storm up MountRigi, but at last even this ride came to an end.
_The boys had no words to express their delight_]
Yes, the wonderful ride over the Bruenig Pass ended at Meiringen, butthe more wonderful tramp over the Great Scheidegg Pass was to begin atMeiringen, and the boys
were to have other strange experiences down inthe deep, green valley. The most exciting of them all came the verynext morning.
There was an early breakfast eaten in the pretty garden of the hotel,then their father said:
"Now for the fun! Yesterday we went _over_ a mountain. To-day we shallgo _through_ one."
"Are we going through a tunnel?" cried Joe.
"No, indeed!" said their father. "At least it is not a tunnel made bymen. Come and see what you think of it."
They were soon tramping along the village street toward the highmountain at the head of the narrow valley. A swift river hurried pastthem to join the lake at the other end of the valley. It was the riverAar.
The boys saw where the river had overflowed its banks in thespringtime, when the snows melted and the heavy rains came. They weretold that the bridges were often washed away, and that sometimes greatmasses of rocks came tearing down the mountain side, right into thelittle village, crushing and burying everything in their path.
The party quickly left the village far behind them, and each stepbrought them nearer to the high mountain wall close ahead.
"How shall we get over that mountain, father?" asked Joe. "Shall wehave to climb to the top?"
"No, Joe," said his father. "We shall do no climbing to-day. I believewe can go through it, if this swift river can."
"Of course we can!" shouted Jack. "Let's follow the river."
So they followed a footpath along the banks of the noisy river. Soonthe banks began to grow high and steep. At last they rose straight upon both sides, until the boys could see only a narrow strip of blue skyfar above them.
"The mountain has cracked open!" shouted Joe. "We are in the crack!"
"So we are!" cried Jack. "I believe the river did it. See it cometearing along!"
"Look ahead of us!" said Joe. "There isn't room even for a path. Aboard walk has been fastened with iron rods to the wall. It hangs rightover the rushing water. What if it should break while we are on it! Iam not sure that I want to go any farther."
"Come, now, don't be a coward, Joe," said his father. "The Swissgovernment builds these paths, and they are built strong. We are safe."
So on they tramped through the great crack in the mountain. In someplaces the path hung high over the swift waters. In other places itwas tunneled through the dark rocks. But always it followed the deep,narrow crack, with the noisy river at its bottom and a bit of blue skyfar, far above.
For nearly a mile the boys followed this path. In many places the riverwas so noisy they had to shout to make each other hear. But at lastthey came out on the other side of the mountain.
_The path through the mountain_]
They had not climbed the mountain, and they had not gone around it.They had gone _through_ it. And more wonderful still, the great riverAar has been carrying its waters through the mountain for ages andages.
Close beside the river, at the end of the path, was a tiny shop kept bya little old woman and her granddaughter.
The little girl served the boys to raspberry lemonade, and she soldthem picture post cards showing the strange path over which they hadjust come.
Then back they went into the mountain crack--over the footpath hanginghigh above the rushing water, and through the small, dark tunnels,until once more they were in the lovely green valley of Meiringen.
REAL TRAMPERS.]
REAL TRAMPERS
Next morning the boys were up with the sun, for there was a longjourney ahead of them. It was not to be a journey by train nor by boat.It was to be a journey on foot.
The party was to follow a trail over the high mountain range whichshuts in the deep valley of the river Aar on the south. The trail wouldlead them over the Great Scheidegg Pass and down into the beautifulvalleys on the other side.
They were going to spend at least a week on the way. There would be somany interesting things to see and to do, they would not want to hurry.
The boys carried knapsacks on their backs, in which they put the fewthings they would need while crossing the mountains. They were realtrampers at last.
_They carried knapsacks on their backs, in which theyput the few things they would need while crossing the mountains_]
The first part of the trail was very steep. The little party climbed upand up, until the village, far below them, looked very small indeed.
After awhile they heard a strange rumbling noise, which grew louder andlouder the higher they climbed. Soon it became a roar, and right abovetheir path they saw a tremendous waterfall tumbling down over the steepmountain side. It fairly made the rocks tremble, it fell with suchforce, and the air was filled with a fine, wet spray.
The boys sprang up the path close beside the great waterfall. When theyreached the top of it they were a very wet but a very jolly party.
"Well, that's the most fun we have had yet!" shouted Joe. "I shouldlike to do it right over again."
"I shouldn't," said a little girl who was standing near by. "I have tocome up here every few days. I don't like to get so wet."
"Why do you come up so often?" asked Jack.
"I go down to the village to buy bread for mother. I live up here. Thatis our chalet up there by the brook. My name is Gretel."
"Do you go down to the village to school, too?" asked Joe.
"Yes," answered the little girl. "But this is vacation time now. Ioften take another path when I go to school. Sometimes I ride home onthat big car, which helps me up the mountain as far as the waterfall."
"Do you go to school all winter?" asked Jack.
"Oh, yes! except when the snow is so deep I just can't get there. Allof us girls and boys have to go to school forty weeks every year. I amglad we do. I like to go to school."
"Please let us carry that basket of bread for you," said Jack. "I thinkour path goes right by your house."
So the children walked on up the path together, and Gretel told theboys many interesting things about her life on the mountain alp.
"I always thought a Swiss alp was a high mountain peak," said Joe.
"Oh, no! An alp is a lovely mountain meadow," said Gretel. "See what afine great alp ours is. This is one of the low alps. Father raises lotsof hay here to feed the cows during the long winter."
"Where are your cows now?" asked Jack.
_Gretel's home was a pretty, brown chalet, whose roofwas covered with large stones to keep it from being blown away_]
"They are feeding farther up on the higher alps," said Gretel. "Fathertakes them up early every summer, and they don't come down until fall."
"Do you think we shall see them on our way over the mountains?" askedJoe.
"Yes, I am sure you will," said Gretel. "Your path goes right acrossthe alp where father's little cabin is. My two brothers, Franz and Sep,are up there with father now. They take care of the goats, and help tomilk the cows and make the cheese. I wish I were up there, too!"
"Why can't you go up with us?" asked Jack. "You could surprise yourfather and brothers."
"Oh, I should love to go!" cried Gretel. "I could stay with them intheir little cabin for a few days, then Franz would bring me home, Iknow he would. I will ask mother if I may go. See, this is our chalet."
It was a pretty, brown chalet. The broad, low roof was covered withmany large stones to keep it from being blown away during the greatwinter storms.
But now it was the lovely summer time, and Gretel's mother had set twosmall tables just outside her front door. She always had something goodto serve to hungry trampers To-day there was a big bowl of deliciouswild strawberries on each of the tables.
Of course the Overall Boys were suddenly very hungry. And how theyenjoyed the bread and butter and wild strawberries and cream whichGretel's mother served to them!
_After the tea party was over, Gretel showed them yardsand yards of lace she was making_]
After the tea party was over, Gretel showed them the lace which shewas making. There were yards and yards of it. The boys thought it waswonderful to see Gretel m
ove the bobbins of thread so quickly over thebig pillow, and never make mistakes in the pattern.
"I have been making lace ever since I was five years old," said Gretel."I sell enough lace every summer to pay for all of my clothes."
"Oh, Gretel, will you sell some to us?" asked Joe. "We don't wear laceourselves, but the Sunbonnet Babies do. They would love to wear some ofyour lace."
"And I should love to have them wear it. Of course I will sell yousome," said Gretel.
Then the boys chose some of the very prettiest lace Gretel had made,and bought it for the Sunbonnet Babies.
"Now I want to show you where my bees live," said Gretel. And she ledthe boys up the hill behind her house where, under some great trees,was a row of tiny chalets.
"This is my bee village," she said. "Each bee family has a littlechalet of its own. The bees fly all over our alp, gathering nectarfrom the flowers. Sometimes they fly very far away, hunting for moreflowers, but they always come back again, bringing their baskets fullof nectar.
"They work so hard, they fill their little houses brim full of honeyevery summer. I am sure we couldn't live without our bees. Somesummers they earn more money than father can."
"There must be millions of bees in Switzerland to make so much honey,"said Jack. "I believe every family here eats honey for breakfast. InAmerica we eat cereal. I think honey is much nicer."
The Overall Boys in Switzerland Page 4