All too soon the visit came to an end; the party made its way to the near-by inn to spend the night.
CHAPTER VI
MORE LEGENDS
The inn-keeper, Herr Schmidt, was a big, raw-boned man with a red face and a jolly air. He was a genuine Wirthe or inn-keeper of the old-time; and after supper, as they all sat in the great sitz-saal together, he told them wonderful tales of the country round about, which so abounded in legends and folk-lore. As the position of Wirthe descends from father to son, for generations back, as long as there remains any sons to occupy that honored position, naturally, too, the legends are passed from one to the other, so that no one is quite so well able to recite these as our hearty friend Herr Schmidt.
"If it were not so late," remarked Herr Hofer, while the men sat and smoked their long, curious pipes, "I should continue on to Volders, for it looks as if to-morrow might be stormy."
"Oh, you need have no fear as to that," replied the host. "I noticed Frau Hütte did not have her night-cap on."
Ferdinand looked at his little cousin with his face so puckered up with glee and merriment, that Leopold laughed outright.
"Do tell Ferdinand about Frau Hütte, father!" said the child.
"No, I think Herr Wirthe better able to do that. Bitte," and he saluted the inn-keeper in deference.