Part 29 (1/2)

Conversation was impossible, but the guide shouted a few words of encouragement to the mule, and from time to time waited for Saxe to come close up, when he shouted an inquiry or two in his ear.

”Yes, all right,” cried Saxe, who gained encouragement from the calm matter-of-fact way in which the guide went on; while, just dimly-seen as the gorge curved and wound, the mule trudged on, twitching its ears and evidently caring nothing for the turmoil and rush just below.

”I half wish he had proposed the rope, though,” thought Saxe, as they went on, with the various familiar parts seeming terrible enough, but very different to when he came through with the horrible feeling that Melchior was lost, and that at any moment they might see his body whirling round in one of the pools.

These were not so striking now, for in most of the places, as he peered down through the gloom and mist, the water was above the overhanging, cavernous holes, and the peculiar eye-like aspect of the one particular spot which had fascinated him so deeply was entirely hidden.

”It wasn't such a very great thing, after all, for Melchior to do,” he thought, as they went on. ”He has had plenty of practice, and had been before. I believe I could go through by myself.”

”But I shouldn't like to,” he added, after a few moments' thought; for he had to go along more carefully, in obedience to a sign from Melchior, the rock being slippery as they descended lower in the part they had now reached, and it suddenly dawned upon him that the water must have been over where he stood not perhaps many hours before.

It had the effect of coming up higher, and he was startled for the moment, fancying that the flood was rising; but he grew confident as he saw the mule clearly now, where the gorge wound off to the left and then turned again to the right, so that as the mule pa.s.sed the corner and disappeared the water was only a few inches below its hoofs.

Then Melchior pa.s.sed round and out of sight, and Saxe's own turn came, and he followed into one of the gloomiest parts of the rift. And here the ledge still descended slowly till the water began to wash over the path; then, as he looked anxiously forward, he could dimly see that at every step the water splashed beneath the animal's hoofs, and the next minute it was standing still, with the guide close up behind.

Saxe stopped short, after feeling his way for a step or two with the handle of his ice-axe, while he leaned a little against the steep wall; and Dale came up and touched his shoulder, bending down to shout in his ear.

”I can't see from here. Is the path more covered where they are?”

”I don't know,--I think so,” Saxe shouted back, his voice seeming to be swept away by the rus.h.i.+ng noise that appeared to accompany the water as it hurried along.

The guide's figure was indistinct in the mist of spray, and the mule's seemed lost in the rock, so similar were they in tone; but the spectators could just make out that Melchior was doing all he could short of blows to urge the mule on, and that it was stubbornly refusing to stir.

”You must go on, or let me pa.s.s you, Saxe,” shouted Dale: ”I want to speak to the guide.”

”It gets deeper here,” cried Saxe: ”it's over my ankles, and the water feels like ice.”

”Never mind,--go on; keep as close to the wall as you can. Shall I get by you?”

”No,” said Saxe stoutly; ”I'll try.”

He waded along the shelf, with the water getting deeper still; and now he could feel the curious sensation of the rus.h.i.+ng stream bearing against his legs, which were immersed half-way to his knees; and at every step he cautiously sounded, to make sure where he should plant his feet.

Before he had gone many paces, Melchior had returned to meet him; and as Dale closed up the guide shouted:

”I can't get him along, sir, and I dare not make him restive by a blow.”

”No, no--of course not. But the water?”

”It is deeper farther on, herr--I think about a foot--and he will not move.”

”It is impossible to back him, of course?”

”Oh yes, herr; and he cannot turn.”

”Then we must get by him and go on and leave him to follow.”

”Impossible, herr,” yelled Melchior. ”If we tried he might kick.”