Finally they saw on the snow-slope opposite them several men with the flag in their midst coast down on their Alpen-stocks.  When they had come closer the children recognized them.  It was the shepherd Philip with his horn, his two sons, the young hunter, and several men of Gschaid.

“God be blessed,” cried Philip, “why here you are.  The whole mountain is full of people.  Let one of you run down at once to the Sideralp chalet and ring the bell, that they down below may hear that we have found them; and one must climb the Krebsstein and plant the flag there so that they in the valley may see it and fire off the mortars, so that the people searching in the Millsdorf forest may hear it and that they may kindle the smudge-fires in Gschaid, and all those on the mountain may come down to the Sideralp chalet.  This is a Christmas for you!”

“I shall climb down to the chalet,” one said.

“And I shall carry the flag to the Krebsstein,” said another.

“And we will get the children down to the Sideralp chalet as well as we can, if God help us;” said Philip.

One of Philip’s sons made his way downward, and the other went his way with the flag.

The hunter took the little girl by her hand, and the shepherd Philip the boy.  The others helped as they could.  Thus they started out.  They turned this way and that.  Now they followed one direction, now they took the opposite course, now they climbed up, now down, always through snow, and the surroundings seemed to remain the same.  On very steep inclines they fastened climbing-irons to their feet and carried the children.  Finally, after a long time, they heard the ringing of a little bell that sounded up to them soft and thin, which was the first sign the lower regions sent to them again.  They must really have descended quite far; for now they saw a snowy bluish peak lift up its head to a great height above them.  The bell, however, which they had heard was that of the Sideralp chalet which was being rung, because there the meeting was to be.  As they proceeded farther they also heard in the still atmosphere the faint report of the mortars which were fired at the sight of the flag; and still later they saw thin columns of smoke rising into the still air.

When they, after a little while, descended a gentle slope they caught sight of the Sideralp chalet.  They approached.  In the hut a fire was burning, the mother of the children was there, and with a terrible cry she sank in the snow as she saw her children coming with the hunter.

Then she ran up, looked them all over, wanted to give them something to eat, wanted to warm them, and bed them in the hay that was there; but soon she convinced herself that the children were more stimulated by their rescue than she had thought and only required some warm food and a little rest, both of which they now obtained.

When, after some time of rest, another group of men descended the snow-slope while the little bell continued tolling, the children themselves ran out to see who they were.  It was the shoemaker, the former mountaineer, with Alpen-stock and climbing-irons, accompanied by friends and comrades.