At the same time he showed them, to the right, the blue precipice, with the tops of the fir-trees so far down that they seemed at its base. All were silent until they reached the terrace where the vault began. Then they breathed more freely, and saw in the middle of the passage the smugglers Brenn, Pfeifer, and Toubac, with their great grey cloaks and black slouched hats, seated by a fire which stretched all along the rock. Marc accosted them:
"Here we are! the Kaiserliks are victorious. Zimmer was killed last night. Is Hexe-Baizel above?"
"Yes," answered Brenn; "she is making cartridges."
"They may save us yet," said Marc. "Keep your eyes open, and if any one ascends, fire on him."
The Maternes halted at the edge of the rock, and the three tall men, with their hat-brims turned up, their powder-horns at their sides, their rifles on their shoulders, and their muscular limbs, and feet firmly planted on the point of the rock, stood, a strange group, against the blue of the abyss. Old Materne, with outstretched arm, pointed far, very far away, to an almost imperceptible white spot among the firs, saying:
"Do you recognize that, my boys?"
And all three gazed with half-closed eyes.
"It is our house," replied Kasper.
"Poor Magredel!" said the old hunter; "how uneasy she must have been for the last week; how often has she prayed for us!"
Marc-Dives, who led the party, uttered a cry of surprise.