“There is nothing to be afraid of,” said the uncle good-humoredly. “My boys are not exactly tame, but you can manage with them. You must be hungry and thirsty now,” he went on, “and we had better go over to your aunt, who’ll look after you.”
Vinzi was on the ground with a jump and his uncle followed. Just at that moment a woman of rather generous proportions opened the door and calmly looked about her.
“I have to let the smoke out a bit,” she remarked to her husband. Then observing the boy at her husband’s side, she calmly looked him over.
“I am bringing you our nephew from Leuk,” said the man, “but he is still a bit afraid of us. Please look out that he doesn’t feel worse.” At this last remark the man slightly chuckled.
“I frighten no children,” answered the woman deliberately, giving Vinzi her hand. “Welcome to our house, nephew.” Then she began to inspect him so thoroughly from top to toe that her husband finally said, “I should think it better if you examined the rest of him inside. Can’t you see that the boy still has the pack on his back? I am sure he wouldn’t take it amiss to have something to eat after the long tramp he has had.”
“He can have something right away,” said the woman. “Supper is nearly ready, but the smoke drove me from the stove. I’ll put the food on the table and we can begin to eat. We don’t need to wait for the boys; they are sure to turn up sooner or later.”
Turning towards the house, she freed Vinzi of his pack. Not very long afterwards he sat comfortably at the table with his aunt and uncle and as soon as all fear of the strange relatives had left him he was suddenly conscious of the most tremendous appetite. Despite the long trip he had barely eaten. The cousin seemed somehow to have guessed this, for long before the boy’s plate was empty he heaped it full again with steaming potatoes and lovely yellow cheese. This combination tasted so delicious together that Vinzi thought he had never eaten anything better in his life.
Once in a while his aunt would say, “Give him more milk. You mustn’t forget how parched he must be from the wind and dust of his long trip.”
Vinzi needed no urging to drink one cup of fresh milk after another. All of a sudden shrill voices and calls could be heard outside, followed by the loud flicking of whips and happy cries. Vinzi looked out of the window, amazed, but saw nothing.
“There are the boys! They have come home with the cows. I must quickly run out to help them, for they can’t attend to the cattle alone. I suppose you’ve never done so either? Would you like to come out and see our cows and the stable?”