"I will teach you that you are responsible to me when you treat Wiseli in that way," said Otto, his voice strained in his anger. He tightened his grip as he added, "Is this enough to make you remember what I told you?"
"Yes," gasped Chappi, whose face was turning purple.
"I will let you go," said Otto, "but I want you to keep in mind that I will give you such a choking as you will remember to your dying day if you ever hurt Wiseli again. Good-by, Wiseli." Then Otto was gone.
He went straight to his mother and indignantly protested against the necessity of Wiseli's having to live with those boys at her uncle's home. He declared his intention of going over to ask the pastor if complaint might be entered against the whole family, so that Wiseli might be taken from them.
"My dear son," said Mrs. Ritter; "there is no lawful way of taking Wiseli from them, and a complaint of that character would only lead the whole family to treat her more unkindly than they do now. So long as the uncle means well by her there is nothing we can do. I realize fully what a hard time Wiseli is having, and I don't want you to think that I have not taken the matter to heart, Otto. I am looking earnestly for an opening to do something for her, and I hope that in the meantime you will protect her as much as possible, without being rude and rough yourself."
Otto tried to help his mother think of a way to free Wiseli, but each plan proposed proved impracticable, if not impossible. The children had a custom of writing their Christmas wishes upon a slate, and Otto wrote, "I wish Santa Claus would set Wiseli free."
January had come and again brought to the children the great pleasure of the year by providing them with snow for the coasting. One beautiful moonlight night the idea came to Otto that it would be great sport to coast by moonlight, and the next day he accordingly suggested to the children that they assemble at seven o'clock for a moonlight ride. The suggestion was enthusiastically received. When they broke up that evening, there were cries of "All hands back at seven!" "Hurrah for moonlight!" "Good-by till seven!"
The Ritter children did not tell their mother of this plan until they came home from school toward evening. Much to their surprise she was not at all enthusiastic over what they considered such a capital idea. She spoke of the intense cold of the evening, the danger, especially to Miezi, in the uncertain light, and the likelihood of the younger ones being frightened in the shadows. In spite of these objections they wished to carry out their plan, and Otto promised not to let Miezi out of his sight if she might go with him. Their request was finally granted, and they started off as happy as birds on the wing.
It was great sport. The track had been worn as smooth as ice, and the fear of the timid ones in the dark places gave zest to the undertaking. Nearly all the children from the neighborhood were there, and the best of humor prevailed. Otto let them all precede him with their sleds, permitting only Miezi to follow him, so that there would be no danger of any one's running into her from behind, and he looked back every moment to see that she was coming safely.
After several rides in this fashion some one proposed that they ride "tandem fashion," that is, with all the sleds tied together. The idea was immediately accepted, and they began tying their sleds together in joyful anticipation. Otto, however, considered the sport too dangerous for Miezi, as the sleds sometimes became tangled and the whole company was piled up in a mass. He tied his sled last, letting his sister follow with hers untied. In this way it was expected that they would go as usual, except that Otto would not be free to stop in case Miezi did not keep up with them. Soon the children were off and went down the slippery hill with the speed of the wind.