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CHAPTER XVIII. 



THE PREPARATION. 



How pleasant an occupation is the arranging all for the 

 coming excursion to the mountains ! What an agreeable 

 state of excitement one is in, while mustering the neces- 

 sary things, and again running over the list in your mind, 

 to be doubly sure that nothing has been forgotten. And 

 then, too, as this or that thing is brought forth from its 

 retreat, where it has lain well taken care of since last 

 October or November, what gladdening associations the 

 sight of it calls forth, and how vividly the mountain and 

 mountain life appear before you ! Ha ! there is the old 

 rucksack again — stained and discoloured by the rain 

 and the dews, and by the blood of the last chamois 

 that it helped to bring down from the mountain. And 

 there are the dried, prickly leaves of the fir still among 

 its folds ; and crumbs of bread, and a hard crust too, 

 reminding of the delicious yet simple meal on the top 

 of the Miesing or the Krammets Berg. What a long- 

 ing it awakens to have it again at your back, and to 

 be trudging before daybreak over the dewy meadows of 

 the valley ! The dear old sack ! it is indeed faded and 

 weather-beaten, but its very beauty consists in being so, 

 telling as it does of long and faithful service. 



And now for the mountain stick, — here it is, tough 



Q 2 



