"To the left of this building a very large apiary supported on beams,
arranged like a balcony, formed a projection above the valley.
"You may easily believe that without the loss of a moment I set off
bounding through the heather to seek for shelter from the coming storm,
and well it was I lost no time, for I had hardly laid my hand on the
handle of the door before the hurricane burst furiously overhead; every
gust of wind seemed about to carry the cottage bodily away; but its
foundations were strong, and the security of the good people within,
by the warmth of their reception, completely reassured me about the
probability of any accident.
"The cottage was inhabited by Walter Young, his wife Catherine, and
little Raesel, their only daughter.
"I remained three days with them; for the wind, which went down about
midnight, had so filled the valley of Neufchatel with mist, that the
mountain where I had taken refuge was completely enveloped in it; it was
impossible to walk twenty yards from the door without experiencing great
difficulty in finding it again.
"Every morning these good people would say, when they saw me buckle on my
knapsack--
"'What are you about, Mr.
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