The Rescue

Up on the Untersberg Mountain, it was as Franz had told the children; their Fräulein was in the process of rescuing their father.

Max didn't have nerves of steel as his good friend Georg had; he had never been in a life threatening situation. All he could do was stand still and pull on the rope he held tightly with both hands.

He watched Maria as she made herself taller by standing on her tip-toes to be able to have a good look at the place where Georg was being held in captivity. Since she already knew none of the Germans were real soldiers, she wasn't surprised to see a very simple camp.

There was one tent and a tarp over a table. She saw a man pouring water on a fire and others packing what she assumed were cooking utensils, plates and tableware. She suspected they were preparing to leave the plateau.

Her eyes searched for the captain. She saw him; his posture worried her. Georg wasn't standing erect; his head was bent, his chin almost touched his chest.

If Maria was able to see his face, she would have been alarmed. Georg's face was contorted; his brow was wrinkled, his blue eyes, dull; the corners of his mouth were turned down.

Georg was trying desperately to think of a way out of his predicament. She saw him begin to pace with his hands behind his back. And he began to come closer to her. Maria knew it was time to blow her whistle.

She took her whistle from her apron pocket. Before putting it to her lips, Maria exchanged glances with Max. He wasn't a religious man but he prayed silently. God please let her plan work.

Maria had never used her whistle to call the children but they had laughed together one day when she attempted to remember their signals. She took a deep breath and blew into it.

What Georg heard was the same sound Maria had made to get his attention the day of her arrival at the villa. It could be described as a shrill but melodious sound of the highest note of a musical scale, the high C. And Maria made that sound for as long as she had breath.

The sound caused Georg to stop. His mind thought his ears had deceived him. Still he walked towards the place where it thought the sound had come from.

Maria had made her eyes level with the ground. She soon saw feet coming closer. She ducked down but still had her eyes looking up.

So when Georg looked down he thought his eyes were deceiving him. He blinked several times before his mind began to tell him he really was seeing Maria standing on that large rock protruding from the side of the mountain.

Now Georg's heart sped up. His body's primitive, automatic, inborn response to perceived attack, harm or threat to survival had activated. He was breathing faster, his eyes had dilated; his sight and hearing had sharpened.

He was more aware of his surroundings; he was prepared for a fight or to flee. Georg quickly looked around the camp and noticed that everyone was occupied; no one was looking in his direction.

He immediately sat on the ledge of the cliff easily slipped down to the rock. He and Maria now stood closer together than they had during their dance.

Maria's beating heart now matched Georg's; mostly from that same fight or flight mode but also from being so close to Georg. She ignored her inability to breathe easily. Instead she whispered in his ear.

"Friends of mine are going to distract Herr Zeller and his men. You need to use the rope to climb down to the ground; the knots will keep your hands from slipping. And you can use them to hold you steady with your feet while you move your hands to the next knot. I'll be right behind you."

Even a navy captain was skilled in rope climbing. He was well aware of Maria's instructions. The most difficult part was getting started. The hermits had affixed the rope to the protrusion so the first knot was easy to reach. And since Max was holding the rope taunt it didn't move very much.

Georg was able to hold on to the first knot with both hands while he allowed his body to leave the rock. His body's reaction to his flight mode gave him an unusual amount of strength. His feet immediately clamped around a lower knot.

And from there it was easy for him to move down the rope to where Max was standing.

When Georg had started down, Waldo and Withers began to distract Herr Zeller and his men.

"What are you doing on our property? All this land is owned by the princes of the woods. You better skedaddle before the army of the wind throws you off the cliff."

Herr Zeller and his men froze in place when they saw these two cave men. A dark cloud had appeared out of nowhere. It began to throw marbles of ice on them. They began to run away.

Herr Zeller had no idea Georg wasn't with them. Waldo and Withers chased them a good distance before doubling back to where Georg and Maria were now.

Maria had followed Georg down to the rope. She had landed beside him. He embraced her; it was an automatic response. He knew the meaning of what he felt in his heart; but now was not the time to speak.

He saw the two men. "Was it their voices I heard?"

"Yes, they're some of my hermit friends."

"We're glad you both made it down safely. That group of Germans fled but you better get out of here."

"Allow me to shake your hands to show you my sincere thanks."

Georg did and then spoke to Max. "After we get in the car, let her rip."

Georg held Maria's hand and tugged her along as she asked.

"Are you speaking submarine talk?"

"I am. It means to get the heck out of here fast."

Max did just that. They descended this mountain much quicker than when they had arrived.

"Where are you going?" Georg asked as he noticed Max didn't take the road back to the villa.

"Back to the Abbey; the Germans may be watching the villa. Something tells me the Reverend Mother may have thought everyone might be in danger if they had remained there."

"It wouldn't surprise me, Captain. She knows all about you; your feats in the Adriatic and being awarded the Maria Theresa Cross. And the Bishop has kept her informed on what's happening in Germany. She never told us directly; but she did in her prayers."

"Then I shouldn't use the front gate."

"No Max, you shouldn't. Turn right onto the next street and then turn left on the next one. It will take us by the graveyard."

Max followed Maria's instructions. As he got closer, Maria spoke again.

"I see Sam is waiting for us by the back door. He's the Abbey's caretaker. Max, you can drive to him and park there."