on a large boulder, threatened to dive headforemost into the torrent.
She coaxed him gently, then severely, but without success. The old man
in patches came up.

"Let me get him for you, _Kindchen_," he volunteered.

The good-fellowship in his voice impressed her far more than the humble
state of his dress. But she smiled and shook her head.

"It is dangerous," she affirmed. "It will be wiser to wait. In a little
while he will come down of his own accord."

"Bah!" cried the old man. "It is nothing; I am a mountaineer."

In spite of his weariness, he proved himself to be a dexterous climber.
Foot by foot he crawled up the side of the huge stone. A slip, and his
life would not have been worth one of the floating feathers. The gander
saw him coming and stirred uneasily. Nearer and nearer came this human
spider. The gander flapped its wings, but hesitated to take the leap.
Instantly a brown hand shot up and caught the scaly yellow legs. There
was much squawking on the way down, but when his gandership saw his more
tractable brothers and sisters peacefully waddling up the road, he
subsided and took his place in the ranks without more ado.

"You are a brave man, Herr." There was admiration in the girl's eyes.

"To court danger and to overcome obstacles is a part of my regular
business. I do not know what giddiness is. You are welcome to the
service. It is a long walk from the valley."