Herr Feland had to sit down. He held his child and looked at her, speechless, as if he could not realize his good fortune.
"Oh, Papa, I am so glad," said Rita, throwing both arms around his neck affectionately. "I knew you would surely come to get me in the morning."
Martin stepped aside, with folded hands; he was gazing at the father and his child, and for joy the tears fell down over his sun-burned cheeks. Seppli had pressed close to him and clung to him fast, for he had realized that his father had been in great danger.
Then Herr Feland, with his child in his arms, stepped up to Martin. He held out his hand to the rescuer.
"You know very well, Martin, that I am now doing what I should have done before anything else," he said in a trembling voice. "I thank you, as only one can thank another, to whom a life has been given back. I shall never forget that you risked your life to save my child."
The two men shook hands, and Martin said sincerely:
"It is a great reward to me that I was able to bring back your little girl to you unharmed."
"I will see you again to-day. Now we must go to the mother," said Herr Feland, and, holding his little girl fast in his arms, he started on the way back. Martin, holding Seppli by the hand, and the others followed.
As they were going along in this way through the woods, Martin said to his little boy:
"Now tell me, Seppli, how you knew that the little girl had come just here?"