They had dinner there, and as soon as it was over, John was sent to the store to get the sled his father had left there and which he meant to leave in Uncle Francesco’s shed until summer time, when he would bring Franz, the horse, down and let him carry it home on his back. He had three or four of these sleds which he used for sliding down to the Toy Valley in the winter time. When John got back with the sled, his father said,“Now we must be starting up the mountain.”He got up and began to wind his scarf about his neck. It was early yet, but it would take a long time to climb up through the snow, and the days were short.

They had no trouble going up the open slopes, for there were paths everywhere made by the people to go from farm to farm, and from their houses down to the village. But when they had climbed above the open slopes into the woods, there was no path. Still, Father Hofer knew the way very well and how to find the least snowy trails under the cliffs, while the long spikes in their shoes kept them from slipping.