Stephan had fancied that his goats were his only auditors, so felt
thoroughly ashamed of himself, but jumping up, he answered with some
spirit:

"I have not any wounds, sir, and should never cry if I had. I lost a
goat some days ago and now my mother has to pay for it by giving up the
only valuable thing she has in the world."

"That can't be yourself, then," said the young man, laughing; "for such
a careless little chap would not be of much value, I should think. But
tell us the story. When did you lose it?"

After listening to Stephan's account, the hunters spoke apart with each
other for some minutes, and then the young one took out his purse and
gave the astonished boy six florins--about ten English shillings.

"There, you can get a very good goat for that, but remember, no more
howling, and if you ever find your own again, I shall expect you to
repay me this money."

"That I will, indeed, gentlemen, and I thank you heartily," said the
boy, so earnestly that both laughed, as, nodding him an adieu, they
began descending the mountain, and were soon lost among the trees.

Stephan threw his hat into the air with a joyous cheer, and the echoes
repeated his gleeful shout.

The day appeared very long, and glad enough he was when the sinking sun
warned him that it was time to return. He found his mother dusting the
tools, and looking sadder than he had ever seen her since his father