In the Heart of the Mountains. 139 



back a message to Ostler Toni in Grainau ; and sure 

 enough, at six the next morning, appeared that worthy 

 with a yard of bread on his back j and more welcome 

 still, some letters — carefully wrapped in two handker- 

 chiefs and a sheet of paper. 



The last evening we made a mighty bonfire. Trunks 

 of dead fir-trees in the middle, a huge pile of dry 

 branches round them, a match applied, and in a few 

 minutes the whole mass was a vast pyramid of flames. 

 A wonderful stream of sparks towered straight up into 

 the night. The black fir-trees that stood round like 

 sentinels, and the grey mountain-sides, were lighted up 

 as with a sunset ; and four wild-looking forms seen in 

 the lurid glare might have made a night-o'ertaken 

 wanderer of the Zugspitze think that the valley had 

 earned its name in sober earnest, and that the figures 

 round the fire were kobolds planning mischief for the 

 morrow. 



