Part 19 (1/2)

”Yes, herr; there are plenty who come here, and think they know in a day all that it has taken me more than twenty years to learn.”

He led the way back to the basket, and busily spread their homely dinner on a smooth block of stone, Saxe vowing that he had never eaten such bread and cheese before.

When the meal was ended, and the basket once more placed on the mule's back, Dale looked inquiringly at the guide.

”Over yonder, herr,” he said, pointing at the wall of rock away to their left.

”But we can't get up there with the mule,” cried Saxe: ”we're not flies.”

”Wait and see, herr,” replied Melchior. ”We shall mount yonder, and then go right over the col between those two peaks. There is the valley on the other side that we are seeking, and there we must rest for the night.”

”Then the sooner we start the better,” said Dale, ”for the day is getting on.”

”Yes, herr; and the mists come down into the col where the snow lies.

Are you ready?”

The answer was in the affirmative, and the guide started straight for the wall of rock, which still looked quite impa.s.sable as they drew near, till Melchior turned sharply round into a cleft, which looked as if a huge piece had been cut down from the mountain, and left guile separate and still standing.

Up this cleft they mounted steadily, till, to Saxe's surprise, he found himself high above the mighty wall which shut in the valley, and only now, as it were, at the foot of the mountains, which rose up fold beyond fold, apparently endless, and for the most part snow-capped, with snow lying deeply in the hollows, and filling up the narrow col or depression between the peaks where they were to pa.s.s.

Saxe looked up at the snow, and then at Dale, who also seemed to have his doubts.

”Can we pa.s.s that before dark?” he said.

”Yes, herr. Trust me: I know.”

”But how far have we to go on the other side? If it is very far, had we not better camp here for the night?”

”When we reach the summit of the col, herr, our task is done. There is a deep hollow, well sheltered, and where the snow never falls.”

”I leave myself in your hands, Melchior,” said Dale. ”Go on.”

The climb over the rugged ground was very laborious, but there was a brisk freshness in the air which kept fatigue at a distance, and they toiled on up and up, with the sloping rays of the sun making the snow above them indescribably beautiful.

”Yes,” said Saxe, ”but I'm getting too tired and out of breath to enjoy it now. I'll do that to-morrow.”

”The young herr shall come and see the sun rise on the snow pa.s.ses,”

said Melchior. ”I will call him.”

”No, don't, please,” said Saxe. ”I shall want two days' sleep after this.”

The guide laughed, patted Gros, who trudged on as fresh apparently as ever, till they reached the rough culm of a ridge, to look down at once on the snow slope to which they had to descend for a couple of hundred feet, the ridge they were on acting as a b.u.t.tress to keep the snow from gliding down into the valley.

”Is that the last?” asked Saxe.

”Yes, herr. One hour's quiet, steady work. Half an hour after, the fire will be burning and the kettle boiling for our tea.”

”What! up there in that snow!”

”No, herr: we shall have descended into the warm shelter of which I spoke.”